Grace and peace to you from God our creator, and from Jesus, who loves forward…without reservation or hesitation. Amen.
Hope College is a small, private, liberal arts school, on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. In 2019, the long-serving president of the school retired, and the college began a search process for his replacement.
Matthew Scogin was an unlikely candidate. He was not an academic. He did not have a Ph.D, and he had no experience in higher education. No, prior to 2019, Scogin had worked as a Chief Administrative Officer at a Wall Street financial company.
But when Matt Scogin heard about the opening at the school from which he had graduated, he had this intense feeling that this was the job he was supposed to do.
Coming from the world of finance, Matthew Scogin also had a theory: He believed that the financial model that all colleges use is broken. There is the sticker price (that is the advertised cost), and there is what people actually pay. And everyone, it seems, paid something different. And the structures and formulas that balanced the cost, scholarships, grants, financial aid and what the family could afford is almost impossible to figure out.
Scogin believed: there must be a better way.
Against all odds, Matt Scogin became the next President of Hope College. And one of his first initiatives was called “Hope Forward.” Hope Forward was a new model. An experiment.
Becoming a student at Hope College was going to be free. Totally, completely free. No tuition. No room and board. No cost. Nothing. Nada. Free.
He started with a pilot group. For these students, there would be no cost to attend Hope College. Scogin found donors to cover the cost of four years of education for each of the students in this pilot group. And then, as a condition of their free enrollment, these students pledged that once they graduated, they would make a monthly gift back to the college. And they promised to make monthly gifts to the school for the rest of their lives.
The amount didn’t matter. It could be $10 a month, or $1000 a month. And the amount would change over time, up or down, based on their income and finances. But these students promised that every month, they would give.
This Scogin explained, would change everything:
- It would level the playing field. Any student, regardless of economic status, or family history, or race, could afford to attend Hope.
- It would build life-long relationships between the students and the college.
- And if successful, it would revolutionize the way college finances are handled.
Scogin’s goal is that in a few years, 100% of the students would be on the Hope Forward financial model.
In an interview, a reporter asked Matt Scogin “so what’s to guarantee that these students will pay back the college after they graduate. Matt stopped the reporter right there and said “no, you’re not understanding. We aren’t asking them to pay back. Their four years of college have already been paid for. We trust them, that through their monthly gift, they will pay ahead…to pay it forward for the next set of students who want to come to Hope.
Our students will have an amazing, life-changing experience here at Hope, and we know that they will want others to have the same experience. That’s why we call it “Hope Forward.”
I love this bold idea. I love it because it demonstrates a way of thinking…really, a way of being…of being focused on others, and a way of trusting that God will provide.
In our Gospel story today, Jesus is talking about exactly this kind of trust.
You see the disciples weren’t so certain about this whole “discipleship-life” thing. How would they buy food to eat? How would they buy clothes to wear? How would they get their basic needs met?
And Jesus says “Why are you worrying? The birds don’t worry…the flowers don’t worry? Why do you worry? Do not fear…” And then he talks about this treasure…this love…this grace that we are all given…and he says “that is what you need. That is all you need. Trust in that. The rest will come. God will provide.”
We all know that trust is hard. We see and experience that every day. We have all trusted and been burned. For some of you, trusting is nearly impossible. I get that. But in our Gospel, Jesus is talking about the importance of trust. Trust in each other…and trust in God. He is clear: The disciples should trust in God. We should trust in God.
What Hope College is trying is astonishing because they are trusting completely.
They are trusting in the same things that Jesus is asking his disciples, and asking us, to trust in: The abundance of God. That there is enough…more than enough…we don’t need to cling to what we have. In fact, we shouldn’t.
This week and for the next two, we are thinking about what it is for Trinity to be an “Inside Out” kind of church; a church that trusts. The church is the people of God, here, inside the building…but even more importantly, out in the community. And our job is to trust…and to give…ourselves, our time and our possessions, signs of God’s gracious love. And then to turn the church “inside out.” To focus on the needs around us.
And there is a need; a huge need. There are issues around homelessness, and hunger…for families…for children… And we believe God is calling us…our community…our church… to up our game in taking on these issues.
The Owatonna schools have told us that since first day of school, they have identified 93 students who are classified as “homeless.” That is a 27% increase over the same dates last year.
- Of that 93, 61 are newly reported as homeless since last year.
- And of the 93, 10 are unaccompanied by any adults.
- and of the 93, 14 of them are under age 5.
And that’s not all. The usage of Trinity’s student pantry has increased 14% this year. And the number of meals served at “Table for All,” our Thursday night community meal for folks in need has increased 110% this year.
So, we have called together a coalition to create a new community facility in Owatonna to care for these people…and we are pulling together the churches in Owatonna to create a new shelter for families in that facility. And you are going to hear more in upcoming months.
There is so much need…so much. And we can meet that need. We can. But it will take all of us. It will take our time. It will take our energy. And it will take our generosity.
And so, I am unapologetic in asking you to support, to trust, and to give “forward.” Those who have come before us gave, so that we could have this church, this community, these opportunities. And now, like those new graduates at Hope College…like those early disciples…we have the chance to give to support those around us now, and those who come in the months, years, and decades ahead.
We do this because we follow a Savior who lived…and gave…forward. Jesus gave everything…his very life…for you. And Jesus teaches us to do the same; to give forward…so that his vision for the world might become a reality right here in Owatonna.
You may have heard of, or read the book called “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Mitch Ablom, a journalist, learned about Morrie Schwartz, a beloved college professor, who was diagnosed with ALS…Lou Gehrig’s disease. Morrie had been an influence on thousands of lives; a role model and a mentor. And his students loved him; and as word spread of his diagnosis, they flocked to him, to spend time…and to try and give back to him just a little bit of what he had given them…to thank him…and to have a chance to say good-bye.
But it didn’t work. Mitch Ablom wrote that these students would come in to sit with Morrie…and they’d chat…and then Morrie would ask his former students questions. And he listened…and he asked more questions…and he listened…and he would dispense wisdom. And after the students left Morrie, they would tell Mitch…universally…that they went there to lift Morrie’s spirits, but instead they had their spirits lifted. Morrie, even on his death bed, wasn’t done transforming lives.
So, Mitch asked Morrie, “Why do you keep doing that? Why are you so intent to help your students…they are here to help you!”
Morrie looked Mitch in the eye, smiled and said “Taking from them just makes me feel like I’m dying. Giving makes me feel like I’m living”.
Giving makes me feel like I’m living.
This is a profound little sentence. And it is true. This is the lesson Jesus was trying to teach his disciples. Love and grace is the treasure that they… that we…carry in our heart. But it cannot stay here…inside…it must be released…out…out into the world.
This is the lesson Hope College is trying to teach their students. They go there to get an education, but they will contribute for the rest of their lives so that others, especially those who could not make it on their own can have the same education they had.
This is the lesson Jesus is trying to teach us. We have all that we need. We have the capacity to make a difference in the lives of those around us; those who need shelter…those in need of food…those in need of emotional or cognitive support…the young people of this community…the old people of this community…and everyone in between.
Giving makes us feel like we are living…and we give for the sake of the world…for those in need…for God’s mission. Let that, my friends, be Trinity’s legacy…Let us “give forward,” as we work together to live faithful, and generous lives…and like Jesus, to give forward, for the sake of the world.
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
Test Driving Theology 