Sermon Text: The Rev. Chase Ackerman Preaches at the 194th Diocesan Convention

Sermon Text: The Rev. Chase Ackerman Preaches at the 194th Diocesan Convention

The Rev. Chase Ackerman, Rector of St. John’s Church, Decatur, AL, was the preacher at the Holy Eucharist of the 194th Diocesan Convention held in Decatur, AL from Thursday, January 30 to Saturday, February 1, 2025. The following is the text of the sermon.


Ephesians 4:4-13; Psalm 150; Mark 16:1-8

Grace and peace to you, in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ.  It is such an honor to welcome you to Decatur, where they say, “It is greater,” and to stand before you as we gather for this opening Eucharist of the 194th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.  And, it is especially important that we gather here together in unity on this day of national tragedy, as we mourn the loss of so many people in our nation’s capital. Just like the 193 years before this, we gather together as the Body of Christ in unity, in worship, and with a shared commitment to discern God’s call for us as a diocese. This year’s theme, “Go Ahead to Galilee,” invites us into the very heart of the Gospel message. It compels us to look beyond the places of comfort and familiarity and to step into the spaces where the risen Christ is waiting for us. It echoes the words of the angel at the empty tomb: “He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”

Now, before we dive into all of this, I feel like there might be a couple of elephants in the room this week.  The first is Bishop Marianne Budde – there, I said it. Now you can all stop being so anxious as to whether or not I would mention her.  But, don’t worry, there’s going to be more to follow on that.  The other elephant could be any number of hot topic items this week, but I’m going to address one of the more benign options: AI. I hear all kinds of things about AI and, depending on who you ask, it is either going to destroy the world as we know it, or it will transform our lives for the better, second only to sliced bread.  Now, I am certainly not an expert on AI, but it has been kind of fun poking around with ChatGPT.  While it has a long way to go to formulate a sound, complex theological work, in case y’all didn’t know, it can make up some pretty funny, and some pretty ridiculous jokes.  And, not being inherently funny, I will take all of the help that I can get.  After all, what would a diocesan sermon be without a joke or two?  And so, who knows how many millions of dollars of research and investment have labored to produce the following: “Why did Jesus always go back to Galilee?  Because even fishermen knew how to net results!”  Ok, not so great, right?  It did do slightly better with limericks: There once was a man from Naz’reth / Who taught of love, life, and death. / He said, “Come and see, / I’ll be in Galilee,” / And there they found faith in each breath.  Ok, ok.  Fun’s over now.  Let’s get down to business.

Our convention theme this year is “Go ahead to Galilee,” and so, to begin with, let us consider the significance of Galilee for Jesus. Galilee is where Jesus began his ministry. It is where he called his first disciples, taught on hillsides, fed multitudes, and performed miracles. Galilee is also a region on the margins—a place of mixed cultures, diverse peoples, and contested identities. In the time of Jesus, Galilee was far from the religious and political center of Jerusalem. It was, in many ways, a place of the ordinary, a place that didn’t immediately command any attention or prestige.

And yet, it is to Galilee that Jesus directs his disciples after his resurrection. Not to Jerusalem, not to the temple, not to the seats of power, but to Galilee. Why? Because Galilee represents life, the “real” world, if you will.  Some might call it the mission field. It is the space where life happens, where people live and struggle, where hope and despair intertwine. Galilee is the world in all its messiness and beauty, the very place where the risen Christ chooses to meet us.

When we hear the angel’s words, “Go ahead to Galilee,” we are being called to move forward, to step out of the confines of our upper rooms of fear and hesitation, and to meet Christ in the world. This movement is not just a physical journey; it is a spiritual and missional one. It is an invitation to live into the resurrection by embodying the hope, love, and transformation that Jesus offers to the world.

Now, I mentioned Bishop Budde earlier, and I truly believe, regardless of what side of the aisle you may be on, that her sermon during the National Prayer Service was prophetic and gospel centered.  Of course, a prophet’s words are seldom received with open arms, and even Jesus did not find himself welcome in his own hometown, much less a bishop in her own cathedral. She spoke with clarity and conviction about the need for the Church to reclaim its prophetic voice in a time of division and uncertainty. She reminded us that the Gospel is not a passive message but an active, dynamic force that calls us to engage with the pressing issues of our time. She called for courage—courage to speak truth, courage to love boldly, and courage to act justly and with mercy.  We can get wrapped up about the setting or timing of how the message was delivered, but we can not and must not deny that the Church has an obligation to represent Christ in our world, and that message is often counter to how our society views strength and power.

And so, in light of Bishop Budde’s message, “Go Ahead to Galilee” takes on an even greater urgency. To go to Galilee is to step into the places where the Gospel is most needed. It is to engage with the pain of the world—the poverty, the injustice, the racism, the environmental crises, and the brokenness that so often seem overwhelming. It is to bear witness to the hope of resurrection in the midst of despair. It is to proclaim, through word and deed, that Christ is risen and that his love has the power to heal and transform our broken world.

In our little slice of the Episcopal Church in Alabama, one of the greatest needs for Christ’s love to shine forth is through our ministry of racial reconciliation.  It is a need that touches us all, and Decatur is certainly not immune.  As a community, we are still reeling from the death of a black man named Steve Perkins at the hands of white police officers that occurred in September of 2023.  The aftermath of this shooting has torn this city apart, and tensions are starting to rise again as we approach the trial date this spring. At St. John’s, spearheaded by Sarah, we have been actively engaging our congregation with monthly, parish-wide Sacred Ground dinners and discussions.  Will these meetings solve the problem of systemic racism at hand?  No, but they will help form our hearts and minds to respond to events that are to come instead of reacting to them.  This diocese has likewise marked racial reconciliation as one of its ministry priorities, and by engaging in initiatives that confront the injustices of the past and present, the diocese and churches like St. John’s have embodied the spirit of Galilee—stepping into difficult, but necessary, conversations and actions. This work reminds us that the resurrection is not just a theological concept but a lived reality—one that demands justice, reconciliation, and a commitment to walking together in love.

But, let us not romanticize this journey to Galilee. It is not an easy path. When the disciples first heard the angel’s words, they were likely filled with a mixture of emotions: fear, doubt, confusion, and perhaps even resistance. After all, they had just witnessed the crucifixion. Their teacher and friend had been tortured and killed. Their world had been shattered. To go to Galilee required faith, trust, and a willingness to embrace the unknown.

Is it really any different for us today? We, too, live in a world marked by uncertainty and upheaval. We, too, experience fear, doubt, and hesitation. And yet, the call remains: “Go ahead to Galilee.” It is a call to move beyond our comfort zones, to let go of our attachments to what is familiar and safe, and to follow Christ into the places where he is already at work.

And so, fellow followers of Christ, how do we go to Galilee? What does it mean for us, as individuals and as a diocese, to live into this call?

Well, going to Galilee requires us to listen. In the noise and busyness of our lives, it is easy to miss the still, small voice of God. But if we are to discern where Christ is calling us, we must make space for prayer, for silence, for deep listening. We must be attentive to the cries of the marginalized, the groaning of creation, and the stirrings of the Holy Spirit within us.

Going to Galilee requires us to hope. Resurrection is the ultimate act of hope. It declares that death does not have the final word, that love is stronger than hate, and that light will overcome darkness. As followers of Christ, we are called to be bearers of this hope. Even in the face of challenges, setbacks, and discouragement, we are called to trust in the power of God to bring new life, especially when everything around us looks like it is bleak and it is dying.

Going to Galilee requires us to go together. The journey of faith is not a solitary endeavor. Just as Jesus called his disciples into community, we are called to walk this path together. As a diocese, we are united by a common mission and a shared commitment to follow Jesus Christ, and this convention is an opportunity to embody what it means to live in Christian community as we renew our commitment to support and encourage one another and to work together for the sake of the Gospel.

As we gather at this altar tonight, let us remember that it is here, in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup, that we encounter the risen Christ in his very Body and Blood. It is here that we are nourished and strengthened for the journey ahead. And it is here that we are reminded of our identity as the Body of Christ, called to be his hands and feet in the world.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, the angel’s words are as true for us today as they were for the disciples: “He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”  Let us go with courage, with faith, and with hope, trusting that the risen Christ is already there, waiting to meet us and to lead us all into new life.