Breaking Bread
Luke 24: 13-35
A Communion Meditation the Reverend Odette Lockwood-Stewart

It was only days after Easter.  Cleopas and another disciple were making their way from the city of Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus.

It was after Easter. But these travelers were sad and scared.  They had seen the execution of Jesus.  They had heard stories of an empty tomb. They walked and talked over the seven miles between Jerusalem and Emmaus, trying to make sense of what they had seen and heard.  

They had hoped that he would be the one, the one to redeem the nation, the one to save the people.  But they did not feel hopeful. They felt powerless ... and alone.

And even when Jesus himself came near and walked with them ... they did not recognize him.  The text tells us that when Jesus asked them what they were talking about, “They stood still, looking sad.”
We are post-Easter people, too. After Easter, we look around this world, and we look within ourselves and we understand the stillness and sadness of the two travelers on the road to Emmaus.

I find comfort in this story.  I’m pretty sure that if Jesus came right up to me, walked along side me, asked me questions, and interpreted the whole Bible to me, I wouldn’t recognize the risen Christ either.
That’s why ... again and again ... we have to break bread together.

   We have to remind ourselves of the living, loving, power that we ingest and embody in community.  The bread of life, the body of Christ is this body ... the community of faith... a living body that is constantly being blessed, broken, given, and restored.
When these two sad travelers arrived at Emmaus, they invited this stranger, Jesus, to stay with them, to share a meal, and then -- in the breaking of bread -- they recognized him.

This morning we break bread together once again. You are invited to come to the table wherever you are on this journey after Easter.
At the center of the chancel the communion table is a door.  We re-affirm our commitment to a truly open and inclusive church with open hearts, open minds and open doors to all peoples.  You are invited to kneel or stand at the communion rail to receive the bread of life and cup of hope in silence.

To your left is another table.  Each time we share communion, we also offer healing prayers.  This morning you are invited to bring any brokenness of mind, body, spirit to the table. As you receive the bread and cup, you may receive healing prayers for yourself, for others, or for the world.

And at the entrance and exit of the sanctuary, where we take our worship to the world, you will find simply bread and cup to share.  A United Methodist tradition called the “love feast” celebrates the power of walking, talking, and feeding each other along the way as sacrament enough.  There you are invited to serve bread and cup to friend or stranger, as a family meal, remembering that no one need travel alone.

As we break bread in these varied ways, feel free to sing, to listen, to pray, to speak, to bring all of who you are to the table.
We gather, we are nourished, we are sent.   
We gather, we are nourished, we are sent.

As many of you know, we are currently forming two Volunteer in Mission teams – one will go to New Orleans later this spring, led by Linda Rugg and Ron Parker.  This will be our second team to the Gulf Coast.  The other team will go to Nicaragua later this year to develop partnerships with grassroots community organizations and schools and clinics through United Methodist Global Ministries.  Lloyd Elliott, who is leading this effort will be sharing pictures and stories from Nicaragua this morning in the Adult Study.  

We gather, are nourished and sent every week ... as teachers, family care givers, business people, students, health care providers, neighbors, friends, parents, children, volunteers, peacemakers, elders, ... offering gestures of care and concern in a world that desperately needs hope and hospitality.

This morning at 3:30 a.m. Cathryn Bruno left for the Gulf Coast with her class of 15 students.  

Next month, Molly Todd, Sophie, Nell and Gus Brostrom/Shaefer will leave for Rwanda where Todd will work for Christian Aid –on programs related to HIV/AIDS, Climate Change, Income Generation, and Refugees.  

But every month, every day, Sandra, Nate, Susan, Anna, Jerry, Mark, Cindy... and so many others, work for peace and justice in communities around the Bay Area and around the world.
Our 13 commissioned Stephen Ministers listen and care for others.
Every day children, youth, adults from this community listen and care for others in homes, schools, neighborhoods, on telephones, at work and play, and when all we can do is pray!
In two weeks 15 members of Epworth will travel to Fort Worth to witness to and in the international gathering of the United Methodist General Conference.
In joining the church, we promise our prayer, presence, gifts and service.  
We gather ... and are sent out ... remembering who we are ... and we share bread with the world.

And we are but one tiny part of the living, loving Body of Christ. I want to tell you about one UM layman named Haati Nai.  Haati came to the U.S. in 1985 from Tonga.  He came with very little, but he worked hard to become a roofer.  He lives in Salinas, is now married with three children, and has a modestly successful business.  In 1995, out of gratitude for life, Haati began to roof churches.  He began near his home in Soledad, Greenfield, and Salinas.  He roofed a chapel at Fort Ord, helped rebuild the Methodist Family Camp near Mt. Shasta.  Then, in 2005, when Katrina hit, Haati saw another opportunity to “give back” to this country and the church and to others in need.  He has gone to the Gulf Coast at least seven times without any pay to rebuild and roof over 40 homes.  He wants to give one roof in the Gulf Coast for every year of his life.

Never underestimate what any one with a grateful heart might do to bring hope and hospitality.

Never underestimate the presence of God in bringing healing and new life.