What does faith mean to you? I watched the movie “Contact” the other evening and realized faith is a challenge for many of us. We have faith in our friends, in our religion, in our selves, sometimes. Jodie Foster’s character, Dr. Eleanor Arroway finds proof of intelligent aliens, uncovers plans for a mysterious machine and when the machine is built, travels to unknown parts of the galaxy. Upon returning to earth after 18 hours, she discovers she did not travel anywhere according to witnesses. She has no proof of her adventure and “earthlings” have no indirect or direct evidence of her claim. In the beginning she is not a religious person as science cannot prove the existence of a divine creator. At the end of the movie she develops faith of the unknown because of her journey which she experienced and cannot prove.
My father wrote a sermon in which he spoke to his congregation about faith in action. Most of the sermon is directed at the congregation’s involvement in church programs. But what do we today face when faith is involved? Can we believe in what we cannot prove? Can we hold to tenets of religion or social ethos when so much of what we hear in the news today is suspect and contradiction?
I guess what drives me in my faith in a divine creator is what I see around me. The design of our world has a definite mathematical core. Each aspect of the environment works in complete harmony with itself. I don’t understand it, so I work from a basis of faith. I hope each of us will accept our chores when asked and not try to find excuses for ignoring our fellow human population. Read my father’s sermon and find whatever nuggets of truth which fit your chores.

Faith in Action
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18 (King James Version)
“Doing the chores” must be one of the most common of all expressions on a farm. It is so humdrum and necessary that no one boasts of his ability to do them, but everyone assumes responsibility for them. City people do not use the phrase so much, but they have their chores. The man of the house has his furnace to tend, his garden to weed, and walks to keep clean. The busy housewife has the dishes, the dusting, and the mending. Chores make the farm or the household. No Farmer’s magazine, however useful, will run a farm: No “Better Homes” magazine will improve the city house in which the daily tasks are neglected. Pride in the farm or the home gives the sense of stewardship.
The clergy of the church are doing the chores for God. The Church needs specialists such as good preachers, good writers, good scholars, and good executives; but much more it needs men and women who are happy to do the chores.
Habits of worship must be instilled, children must be instructed, the sick must be visited and comforted and our spiritual Food must be given regularly. Such things are the clergymen’s chores. But there are other administrations with which he needs a helping hand. There are some phases of the Church’s work that the layman must pick up of his own accord and carry the burden. There are other jobs, where working in harmony and unity with the priest, the race is run and the goal accomplished.
Christian people should be ready when they are called. There ought to be no need on the part of the priest to have to urge his people in their particular talents to contribute to this particular department or that. The chores have to be done if the household is to stand together as family united. Don’t hesitate to put forth your best foot if you asked to help with a particular job. Don’t try to reason with excuses. You would not be asked by your priest to do any job if he thought you were not capable of handling it adequately.
We hear of sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal when St. Paul talks about our love of God. Our love and faith are empty vessels unless they are manifested in action. Have you ever read the 12th Articles of Religion? It reads, “Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of God’s judgment, yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.” Faith without works is dead. “If a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say nto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, dead, being alone.”
This matter is brought to your attention because we are about to embark on our fall and winter programs as you all know, the schedule is heavy. And the heavier the load, the more manpower you need to pull it. Where is the Church School? Do you think that this most important organization within our Church has grown in the past three years without someone sacrificing a great deal to make it go? It is a heavy responsibility. It means constancy every Sunday, preparation of lessons, faithfulness at instruction classes, and lastly by far from least, facing each Sunday those little ones who look like angels in acolyte robes but act like hellions in street clothes. But thank God we have those who saw their responsibility and did a fine job. This year unfortunately we have only three teachers who carry over from last year. That means we need eight more. Some of these have already been contacted and pledge their support. When some of you here are asked, don’t hedge. Of you are not capable you would not be asked. And further, your priest knows pretty well who constitutes your daily lives. If he thought you were carrying too much already, he would not ask you. Keep in mind, when you are asked to do a job, that there is only one answer expected—“I’ll be glad to try.” It is not a glorious posit on as far as the public eye is concerned. You won’t be lauded for your work. We hope that credit will be given where credit is due, but there won’t be enough of this wither, But remember, my friends, “There is no limit to the good a man can do if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.”
And there is the choir. Our worship is full of life and beauty. One of the reasons for this is the beautiful music which is so much a part of our worship. Leadership in this department is of particular importance. We have a good nucleus of faithful members. We need other members, particularly men. If you are asked, don’t hesitate. The chores have to be done.
Our young people’s organization is going to be particularly strong this year. We have been building up for years. Now we are really ready to go. We shall need help. Come along with us when you are invited. It won’t be any picnic, but you’ll enjoy the outing just the same. When you begin to assume responsibility you start to grow.
The guilds have been most effective but all too often the same few carry all the load, and so do all the chores. If you have not been active or done your share in the past, now is the time to turn over a new leaf and make a new beginning.
All Christians should do something of personal work for the Church. If you are not asked to do a particular job, then fill in where you think you can be of the best service. Just because you are not asked personally is no excuse for you not making a definite contribution.
Too many of our congregation today are made up of three classes of people; the CAN’T, the WON’T, the WILLS. The former give up trying at the slight obstacles. The won’t will not even try. The wills ignore difficulties, go ahead in spite of them, and to them is due the life of the parish. Let’s be very sure that we have only one class of people within St. Mark’s
One of the best tests that I know of for each individual to discover whether he or she is doing his part is to repeat that old rhyme:
If every Church member were just like me,
What sort of a parish would our parish be?
What sort of a parish would it be? Dead as a doornail because of you lack of contributions or the best, most thoroughly organized, capable Church in the community because you have helped make it so?
Let me just take one moment to say God be thanked for the faithful few. Counter attractions do not draw them away; nor does heat, or cold, or cloud, or rain prevent them from being in their places at God’s house. You can depend upon them for anything, anywhere, any time. They transact the business of which all l have had “due and timely notice,” when the stay-at-homes find fault. Someone must see to these things, and they do it, not to be conspicuous, not to lord it over others, but that needed things may be done. Glad would they be to share all these responsibilities, which really are blessings, with others, if only others would be interested enough. This year, instead of being characterized by the faithful few, let us be known as the faithful majority.
Everyone can do what he is asked to do. Don’t look for excuses. Don’t feel that you are not capable.
The Reverend Norman Stockwell
Moscow, Idaho – Sept. 4, 1949
Twin Falls, Idaho – Sept. 8, 1957