They came by the busloads and by car to be a part of the energy of an event that not only commemorated a golden anniversary, but reinvigorated people’s commitment to Jesus Christ.
On an historic evening that brought a record-setting crowd (4,000-plus) to First Baptist Church of Orlando, the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on Friday, Feb. 1, electrified the audience and urged them to “Keep Saying Yes to Jesus,” the theme of the 50th Annual Diocesan Convention’s Revival. Curry, who became a worldwide celebrity last May when he delivered the sermon at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, once again emphasized “the power of love” and produced cheers, ovations and more.
Curry’s presence played a big part in drawing a crowd that set a record for most people at an Episcopalian revival in the state of Florida, and quite possibly, the nation, according to the Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, Bishop of the Diocese of Central Florida.
“I thank God for you,” said Curry, whose humility and gracious way of speaking has enamored many around the world. “I thank God for your witness, for the loving, liberating, life-giving way of Jesus.”
Preaching in short phrases with Spanish-language translator Dinorah Padro at his side, Curry then got the crowd going: “I pray that this Revival will kick off, jumpstart, catalyze, set on fire, another 50 years that lights up Central Florida … that lights up Florida … that lights up the Southeast … and lights up America … and lights up the world. God bless, God bless.
“Happy Birthday, Central Florida,” Curry said. “And to all who have gathered here this night. God loves you and God bless you.”
Curry set the sermon in motion by talking about 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 when the Apostle Paul talks about the Ministry of Reconciliation:
14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;[b] even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,[c]we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Curry then simplified it for the audience as he famously does before reinforcing the message of love: “I think there’s something here. Let me say it this way. The love of Christ. This love is the only way. There is no other way. We don’t need another way. This love is all we need.
Curry
“It is a way to a new you, and to a new me,” Curry said. “It is a way to a new Florida, a new America, a new world, a new creation. This love is the real good stuff.”
Curry, a descendant of slaves and sharecroppers from the Deep South, then recounted an old slave saying: “The old slaves would tell it this way: ‘If you can’t preach like Peter, and you can’t pray like Paul, you just tell the love of Jesus, how God will save us all.”
The Presiding Bishop then explained the importance of reconciliation of God and with each other and cited the popular TV show “Survivor” and a CNN documentary on Ruth Bader Ginsburg before ending the night talking about his newfound celebrity from the Royal Wedding and a riveting, transformational moment between the late baseball great Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey.
Robinson, whose 100th birthday was celebrated on Jan. 31, became famous for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier. He was signed by Rickey, a devoutly religious man who wanted to bring all of the game’s best players to the Major Leagues.
Curry touched on Rickey’s first meeting with Robinson, and what he said to the talented athlete: “There are those who are going to hate you, but you can’t hate them back. There may be those who will call you and hurt you. But you can’t call them names and hurt them back.
God forbid, there may be those who do you physical harm. But you can’t strike them back. And Robinson stood up and looked at Branch Rickey and said: ‘You just want a Negro who is afraid to fight back.’ And then Rickey said: ‘I want a great ball player who has the courage to not fight back, just like our savior, Jesus Christ.’”
But Curry said the pivotal moment came minutes later when Rickey pulled out a book of the teachings of Jesus and said: “Love the Lord our God. Love the neighbor as yourself. Jackie then reached out his hand and those two men shook hands. They were following the way of love that Jesus teaches.”
Curry’s inspiring sermon followed an opening statement from music director Josh Head, several short speeches by Brewer, a personal testimony from deacon Nina Bolton, and a statement from the Rev. Jose Rodriguez. Head produced a rousing musical celebration, which included a standing ovation following the performance of Kimberly Milton, who sang Moses Hogan’s arrangement of “Give me Jesus” with accompaniment from Timothy Hearn.
Milton
“Kimberly Milton is an award-winning opera singer based out of St. Paul’s Episcopal in Winter-Haven,” Head said. “I’ll never forget hearing her sing for the first time at my dad’s (Fr. Paul Head) installation as the rector of St. Paul’s. I’m an opera singer as well, and her expressive instrument just blew me away. More than her artistry, though, I appreciate her friendship over the years. She is a deeply encouraging friend.”
The revival’s music, speeches, Curry’s sermon and more impressed Brewer. “I thought it was a great joy,” said Brewer of the success of the two-day convention that ended on Saturday, Feb. 2, with elections, speeches, etc. “Everyone that I talked to was so enthusiastic about the caliber of the music, the Presiding Bishop’s speaking. It was just a celebration of the wonderful things that are happening here.”
Curry said he thought it was wonderful that the Diocesan Revival proved to be a record-setting one in terms of turnout. “There’s two things about that,” he said after the revival. “One, it really does reflect the life that’s here. There’s really life in the Spirit. And God is alive in this place. And that’s been going on. I think it reflects that. And I think Bishop Brewer has been really intentional of helping to call us to follow Jesus, and to make that the centerpiece of our lives.”
The Presiding Bishop said Brewer’s message of “Keep Saying Yes to Jesus” is similar to his message of the power of love, but “there’s a practical edge to it. You have to ‘Keep Saying Yes to Jesus.’ You say it once, and you have to keep saying it and keep saying it. I meant it at the very end, when I said, ‘Now, you get to work tomorrow. Keep Saying Yes to Jesus.’”
This revival is the latest of many that Curry has held and has become a part of a new evangelistic movement in the Episcopal Church in which people are reaching out to others and inviting them to know Jesus.
“As Christians, we feel our faith,” Curry said. “(But) we don’t do that in ways that are rude or mean-spirited or having bad presumptions about other people’s religions. You kind of want to tell somebody else. You kind of what to find out, ‘How does the Lord work in their life?’
“I think what’s happening is there’s a sense of (what) evangelism is becoming,” Curry said. “I think the time will come when it’s normal for us. That takes a while, I grew up in the Episcopal Church. I can’t tell you that it’s normal for us. But now, I’m hearing Episcopalians begin to say, ‘How do I do it in such a way that my life is a witness? How do I invite others into a relationship with Jesus Christ?’”
Curry’s impact on evangelism and the Episcopal Church is being felt far and wide. “He’s done a great job,” said Krisita Jackson, a local parishioner and the national president of Daughters of the King. “I don’t know he does it. He’s energized, reenergized the churches, the Church as a whole. As Bishop Brewer said, ‘We’ve been hearing more about Jesus than forever in our Church.’ He’s the right man for the time.”
“I really loved the Presiding Bishop,” said Father Bill Yates, director of Camp Wingmann in Avon Park. “His preaching was inspiring, energetic and fun. I really enjoyed that.”