"Brad said the last ten years were the happiest of his life. The school, the church, the community, the Christian growth...he loved all of his life, and he thought he'd really fulfilled God's calling at St. Margaret's. He loved the Navy; that was a maturing process, and that's what life is, but he brought all his gifts into his ministry at St. Margaret's. He received many offers from other churches. 'No,' he'd say, 'my work here isn't finished.' St. Margaret's was a small parish in the desert when we first came here, but somehow we knew: This is it. We're home." (Carol Hall)
While driving along one of the longer and drier stretches of California's I-5 freeway, heading north to Seattle, I flipped on the car radio to break the monotony of the road. I was lucky. The first station up was playing the soundtrack from The Music Man, one of my favorite movies.
As you may remember, the story is set around the turn of the century in a familiar town named River City in Iowa. It is everyone's hometown, a place which mirrors life in most American communities. It has its ups and downs, but people have pretty well settled into a routine, day-to-day existence.
Most everyone knows each other, relationships are fixed and status is well established. Under the leadership of stuffy old Mayor Shin, the town council manages well enough, but is fearful of any change to the status quo.
"What do we do for entertainment?" someone asks. "We mind our own business," is the immediate response. Indeed, life in River City is rather pedantic and dull. There are few dreams and no great visions and this year there was a lot of anxiety about the boys who just seemed to drift through the long hot summer, hanging around the pool hall. The biggest problem at hand was the annual Fourth of July Festival which was just around the corner. What would they do this year to liven up another boring celebration? No one was quite sure. Then one bright sunny morning something very special happened. The train pulled up to the station and out of it jumped "the Music Man."
From the moment he leaped off the train, this magical mystery man electrified ever person he touched, every group he encountered. A crafty traveling salesman, he was part charlatan, part visionary and full of the energy that the town lacked. His stated goal was to sell--no, really to unload--a bunch of old band instruments. Yet at another and deeper level, he had a vision for River City, a dream which would forever change their lives.
A boys' marching band! If each of the families in that town would buy their child a trumpet, a drum or a trombone, he, the Music Man, would teach them to play and form a marching band so that "76 trombones would lead the big parade with 110 coronets right behind, followed by rows and rows of virtuosos and horns of every shape and kind."
The effect on the townspeople was phenomenal. They fluttered about nervously; the city council met fearfully, but little by little, the folk began to catch hold of the vision. While bouncing around town selling his instruments and his dream, the Music Man met another dreamer, Marian, the librarian who also had high hopes for the townsfolk, but was too shy and withdrawn to engage them. In a way, she was as much an outsider as the Music Man, but the vision of a boys' marching band enlivened her and together they pushed, cajoled and occasionally conned that town into letting go of its fears and taking a chance on the Music Man's crazy dream.
By now, the Music Man's energy has enthused most everyone (he saw the best in every person, who could resist his charm?). The town slowly began to change, defenses fell as pride and joy and hope pushed out fear and anxiety and boredom. Instruments were purchased and the kids all gathered together on that Fourth of July morning to form The River City Boys' Marching Band.
The scene opens in the gym showing a ragged bunch of kids in scruffy old uniforms. Under the leadership of the Music Man, they are trying their best to play old and dented instruments. But then everything is suddenly transformed! As the door to the gym opens, the kids roll into the street and the first bars of "76 Trombones" emerge in perfect harmony. We now see an elegant band marching with precision down Main Street. The kids are wearing magnificent new uniforms and playing shiny new trumpets and trombones. Lining the streets of River City are the proud parents, weeping not only with pride for their kids, but also for the new-found joy welling up in their hearts.
The vision has become a reality as each person realizes that they have allowed themselves to grasp a dream they thought bigger than life. They are enthused, renewed, and indeed, transformed as The River City Boys' Band marches by.
And that's not the end of it as the Music Man himself is renewed by the very people he sought to transform. Through Marian, her love and integrity, this town has allowed him to change his ways, to let go of some his anxious fears and embrace a vision of life and love in a way he never understood before.
The show was over. I flipped off the radio and looking out over the fertile San Joaquin Valley, realized how deeply this story touched me at so many different levels. It is, above all, a metaphor about life, for it tells the truth--that life is full of possibilities for growth and transformation. It brings out the best in us because, I suspect, most of us have had glimpses of this scattered throughout our lives, breakthroughs which let in some new light, hopes and dreams which come true, new growth which enthuses and enlivens us.
Above all, the Music Man is a parable--a parable about how it can be for us when we take a chance and let Jesus into our often fearful and anxious lives.
Just as the Music Man had to struggle, pushing and confronting the people of River City, it often takes a bit of struggle, maybe even a personal crisis, before we let God's Holy Spirit break through our defenses. But when that happens, watch out! You will be transformed! A personal encounter with Jesus will make a difference in your life!
One of the secrets of the success of the Music Man is that he gives every needy person something special, just what they wanted and needed to enliven their lives and fulfill their dreams:
The mayor's stiff-necked, bossy wife is freed as a spirit of the wind. He makes her a dancer.
The town's roughneck is a teenage boy and troublemaker. He makes him the leader of the boys' marching band, giving him the respect he wants most in life.
Marian's young brother grieves the death of his father and hasn't spoken for two years. He gives him the gift of speech, the love of a father and hope for the future.
That is exactly what Jesus does when He enters our lives and fills our hearts. He brings out the best in us.
I have experienced this in my life and many of you have shared your personal encounters and transformation with me. When we take a chance on letting God sing and dance in our souls, wonderful things happen.The world, even our environment, won't necessarily change, but we do. What was once old and dented and frustrated in our lives becomes new and whole and fulfilling so that we can march through life with new energy and enthusiasm.
This transformation is possible within communities as well. River City represents most communities...like families and parishes who struggle to get their act together, who want to grow and enjoy each other, to experience high hopes and wonderful dreams.
When we pray together and let God enter into our families and parishes, amazing things do happen, for Jesus enthuses, enlivens and indeed, transforms the whole community. But remember, you gotta let him in!
There's a wonderful Victorian painting I once saw hanging over the altar in a college chapel at Oxford, England. The dramatic scene shows Jesus standing in a garden, knocking at the door of a cottage. What's immediately evident is that there is no handle on the outside of the door, only on the inside. Underneath the painting are inscribed these words:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If you hear my voice and open the door
I will come in to you." (Rev 3)
The good news is that we at St. Margaret's have opened our door to Jesus; we have let God's Holy Spirit dance and sing in our hearts; we have fulfilled some incredible dreams and we have experienced marvelous transformations.
Along with this lovely church building and growth (which I'm discovering during my travels is becoming nationally-known), with stimulating worship and educational programs, we are now seeing yet another dream come true. St. Margaret's is filling up with families and children. We set this vision before us some five years ago, a dream to bring families and children into a direct relationship with God. In the process, we have brought on board skilled leaders, assistant ministers, a youth pastor, parish volunteers by the dozens and we have dedicated buildings for youth activities.
Above all, we have prayed for and supported these programs with a lot of time, talent and treasure. Well, it has blossomed. You have let go of fears and anxieties and have captured this vision. This dream is being fulfilled in our midst.
This week, as we continue to celebrate the completion of our successful Vacation Bible School which engaged one hundred children, we have reopened our Sunday School and Wednesday School programs. Last week, we began what may have been the biggest (and sometimes scariest) dream of all, our new Parish Day School.
Our dreams are now realities and I want to personally thank God and thank you for your courage and convictions, prayers and support. It is a wonderful way for me to celebrate my tenth anniversary with you at St. Margaret's, for it occurred to me yesterday that Carol and Susan and I arrived at your doorstep exactly ten years ago this very Sunday.
Like the parents of River City, I am proud to be a part of your life and I am filled with joy that hopes and dreams are being fulfilled in this wonderful place! Amen.
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