The KFC Yum! Center was rocking and rolling with a lively sermon, music, dancing, and a joyous time on June 22 at the Episcopal Church revival promoted as Love. Always.
More than 2,000 people, plus an online audience, joined Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in his last revival in that role. Applause, laugher, and cheers punctuated his sermon.
“The blessings of my life have been to serve as a deacon, priest, bishop, and Presiding Bishop of this wonderful church,” he began.
Curry addressed the Gospel text for the evening, Matthew 28:16-20, in which Jesus tells his believers to “make disciples of all nations,” which Curry said is important “whether in the first century or the 21st century.”
The Presiding Bishop talked about different styles of baptism: “some immersion, some pouring, some sprinkling. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t matter how much water — what matters is that you get washed, washed, washed in the water.”
He added, “Immerse in that love, pour that love on them, give them a shower of that love, bathe in that love, whatever you do, let love immerse you in love. That’s how you make disciples.”
The Presiding Bishop stressed, “We have to choose love, because the alternatives are unthinkable.”
“Genuine love can lift you up when life’s gravity tries to pull you down. That love can give you a pep in a step, rhythm when you don’t have rhythm.”
Observing that love “has been sentimentalized, commercialized, trivialized,” he said, “Jesus talked about a love that is unselfish, that is giving, a love that will feed the nation. That’s the kind of love that Jesus gave his life on the cross. He didn’t do it to appease an angry God. He did it to show us what love looks like, to give your life in service, to give your life to justice, to give your life to make a difference in the world, to end the nightmare. That’s love.”
Curry told the assembly, “This revival is not about what church you go to, whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or independent. Love is bipartisan. Love is interreligious. Because love comes from God. And love know no bounds.”
Dynamic music in different languages, reflecting the members of the Episcopal Church, included rousing renditions of “Your Peace Will Make Us One,” “Montana (Si Tuviers Fe),” “This Little Light of Mine,” and “There is a Balm in Gilead” which sparked singing, dancing, and waving of lights throughout the arena.
The welcome and opening prayer, presented by House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris and the Rev. Isaiah Shaneequa Brokenleg, staff officer for racial reconciliation, set the stage for the evening: “Wondrous God, who in love set the cosmos ablaze; refine, refresh, and revive your whole Church. By the power of your Holy Spirit, enliven the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement as we gather this summer in Louisville to worship, take counsel, and grow in love for you, one another, and your whole creation.”
“A revival is not a service, it is a movement,” said the Rev. Zack Nyein of the Diocese of New York as he presented prayers for the revival with Melisssa Rau of the Diocese of Southwest Florida and the Rev. Mauricio Wilson of the Diocese of California. They also asked for prayer and observed a moment of silence for victims of a shooting that morning in Louisville.
The Rev. Lisa Tolliver of the Diocese of Kentucky, an oblate of the Community of the Transfiguration, quoted Thomas Merton, who spent most of his life as a monk at Gethsemani Abbey southeast of Louisville: “In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers.”
Maimie Thomas of the Diocese of South Dakota, a member of the Official Youth Presence, presented a personal testimony. “To be more like God is to love people more,” she said. She spoke of diverse people who talked to her about love. “If they can see God in their lives, I can see too.”
She added, “Love like there is no tomorrow. Love always.”
The service included anointing with oil from Thistle Farms, a Nashville-based ministry to survivors of human trafficking and prostitution.
