Sermon: "Unity of the Vine"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

"I am the vine, you are the branches" (Jn 15:5). The message today has to do with our connections, our interrelationships, as Christian people. We are indeed connected to one another, like branches. And ultimately, our connections depend on the vine, which holds us all together - the vine that is Jesus Christ.

I remember when Annie and I bought a new house, atop a red, Georgia-clay hill. The wardens of the local parish looked at that formidable, bare hillside with us. After a while, they said that they knew of something that would grow in such a harsh environment. But, they said, I would need to sleep with one eye open because the vine they had in mind might invade the house at night. Of course, we decided against planting kudzu on our hill, and we struggled along with grass and ivy instead. Kudzu is indeed durable, and it grows almost anywhere. I wonder if those were characteristics that Jesus had in mind when he said, "I am the vine, you are the branches."

This Gospel passage has a particularly poignant application for me personally at this point in my life. When my mother was diocesan ECW President in East Carolina years ago, this was the passage chosen as the Church Women's theme one year. And, of course, Mom had a certain clergy contact from whom she requested several meditations on the theme. Now, however, Mom is lying in an assisted living facility, under hospice care. Our connections with one another have all kinds of ramifications. "I am the vine, you are the branches."

On September 11 and for some time afterwards, we became aware anew of the reality of our connections as human beings. We are like branches on a vine. And for those of us who are blessed to be Christians, we name the vine, that point of connection, Jesus Christ.

In the reading this morning from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul establishes connections with the people of Athens. Apparently the inscription at an altar in that city displayed the words, "To an unknown god." With charity - perhaps mixed with other motives - St. Paul commended the Athenians for being so religious. Then he proceeded to identify their "unknown god" as the one God, the Creator - the One who connects us all through Jesus Christ.

Then, in the First Letter of Peter, we read of the admonition to "have unity of spirit" and "to love one another." By means of such unity, grounded in love, the life of community is made possible, and indeed, it flourishes. We identify the spirit of unity as the Holy Spirit of Christ, and as we read elsewhere in the Bible, "God is love"(I Jn 4:7). "I am the vine, you are the branches."

This perspective on Christian life - the perspective of connectedness and unity - is commended to us today in each of our readings. I believe that perspective is an essential and basic one for our lives in Christ. We are not called to be Christians alone. Rather, our call is to be Christians in community - and, further, to be Christians in community for the sake of those outside the community. Thus, we come together to be strengthened and nourished by the vine - and we are sent out to grow and flourish and flower in the world whose needs call us.

In a little while, candidates will come forward for confirmation and reception. These folks will renew the promises of their baptism. They will confirm those promises as a way of life. The rest of us will indicate our support for them in their lives - a verbal sign of our connectedness and our unity in Christ. Then all of us together will reaffirm our baptismal covenant, which is the agreement that manifests those connections with each another and with God in Christ. "I am the vine, you are the branches."

From this time forward, therefore, may we recommit ourselves to being that which we are - branches on the vine of Christ. May we draw our strength, our nourishment, and our life from the vine. And may we perceive other branches to be like ourselves - connected to one another in unity … a unity that depends ultimately on the vine himself.

Copyright © 2002 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee