Memory and Hope- Pentecost XXIII--Year B--November 8, 2009 - Annual Meeting - The Reverend David R. Williams

Holy and eternal God, give us such trust in your sure purpose, that we measure our lives not by what we have done or failed to do, but by our faithfulness to you.  Amen.

The poor widow gives a meager amount of money to the treasury of the temple.  She empties the pockets of her ragged clothing and places two small copper coins, the equivalent of a penny, in the temple’s offering plate.

Today is Annual Meeting Sunday.  Typically, we take time once a year for reflection on the past twelve months, matters of business, thank you acknowledgments, and envisioning the future.  This Sunday is a rather extraordinary Annual Meeting, the last one for this Rector in official relationship to you, my beloved parish. At the same time, this is certainly not the last Annual Meeting for Holy Comforter.

A particular date, April 18, 1987, has a direct connection to my decision to retire.  We shall come back to that date.

The poor widow’s story is relevant, because she is saying something about our future.  She takes us by the hand and makes her quite clear point. 

As a wise Rabbi once said to a group of students, “When you utter a word before God, then enter into that word with every one of your limbs.”  A student asks, “How can a big human being possibly enter into a little word?”

The Rabbi replies, “Anyone who thinks himself bigger than the word is not the kind of person we are talking about.”

The widow does not think of herself as “bigger than the word,” that holy injunction to give back to God of our resources, our very substance.

The basis for this axiom of “giving” goes beyond merely the results of any church Pledge Review.  The power of real “giving” goes to the very heart of our faith. We think not of one rector, one parish or diocese--we think of how we manifest personal belief in a living, thriving, energetic Christ.

We are never bigger than the word.

Another theologian explains that the poor widow models a dimension of self-sacrifice requiring every one of our limbs AND our eyes, our hands, our hearts. 

“Everyone we meet in life is on a mission to teach us something new,” he says. 

Today’s Collect reads, “O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope….”

 “Grant that having this hope…we may purify ourselves as he is pure.”

The Collect takes us through the memory of the past into a promising new future. 

Memory and hope. 

April 18, 1987, a date of our past at Holy Comforter, is relevant to our future.  The widow knows in her hear--from her experience, from past teachings, from her prayers--that those two coins in her purse belong to God and not to her. Memory. She places the coins in the the temple treasury.  Future.  Her hope is based on a profound faith: the word has power.  Future. 

The story of the poor widow becomes a potent teaching tool.   The story talks about us. 

Let’s reflect on our memory of life at Holy Comforter.  For a moment, listen to some names.  When you hear these names, what do they have in common?

Jessie and Jennifer Beddingfield.

Carrie and Ryan Daniels.

Steve and Molly Exum.

Brandon and Sarah Fargis.

Rawley and Helen Fuller.

Frank and Elizabeth Hood.

Michael and Anna Jefferson.

Max and Adriane Newbauer.

Jim and Erika Robbins.

Rina Sievenpiper.

Derek and Julie Steed.

Steven and Julie Swanner.

Ron and Christy Weir.

Lee and James Whitaker.

John Roulet.

Jessica Atkinson.

John and Angela Collins.

Adam and Faith Johnson. 

Can you see a common thread?  Many of these our friends are relatively new to this parish family.  Most fall into that age category of 20s and 30s.  There are many more. I count about 50 names from this age group now on the church rolls.

Common wisdom says, “These young folks are the future of the parish.”  That saying is not entirely accurate.  We all are the future of the parish.  Still, we can feel hope in the vision of young voices becoming one voice empowered to make a difference in this parish and its future of “His eternal and glorious Kingdom.” 

We also have a huge number of new people from Twin Lakes Retirement Community. Among others:

Tom and Jean Hogen.

Julie and Phil Smith.

Gary and Steen Gorby.

Luanne and John Driver.

They, too, are now the future of this church. May your voice, your needs, your wishes be known--and, as the poor widow, may you give of yourselves from the depths of your hearts. May your giving go beyond money and convey your wisdom, your experience, your leadership. 

Recently, I was asked how Sarah and I made the decision for my retirement from the office of Rector.  As any person making a decision like this, I have been through a process of various phases.

I was working in the garden not too long ago, and I reminisced (memory) over the number of babies I have, over the years, held at the font and walked into the congregation after their baptisms.  Many of these infants are now responsible, creative young adults making mature decisions for themselves and others. They have grown up. 

I have often said to myself during the past twenty-five years that, when these precious babies return to me as adults with fiancées--asking me to officiate at their weddings--well, then, that just may be a sign for me to let go of the past and open up the Rector’s position for another very fortunate priest to lead Holy Comforter into an ever more hopeful future.

Friends, the names I mentioned a few minutes ago are all part of the past, present and future of our church family.  And, if we really want a vision of the future, listen to these names:

Bella and Sawyer Exum.

Isabelle and Trent Fuller.

Tyler and Avery Fargis.

Spencer and Ethan Hood.

Jamie and Rosie Robbins.

Ryan, Michael and Anna Steed.

Wesley Swanner.

Addison Weir.

Trey Whitaker.

Hannahgrace and Hunter Daniels.

Harry and Bob Jefferson.

Neal Johnson.

All of these children, baptized in recent years at the font at the front door of this parish, are now active in voice and need! There are many more infants, toddlers, children, young adults attending church with their families.  More wee ones are on the way. Kenly Hawks was born a little more than a week ago. The Newbauers and Beddingfields will be carrying babies in their arms very soon.   Imagine these little people growing up in this parish, eventually coming forward for Confirmation by the Bishop. Imagine these babies, now grown up, walking down the aisle, maybe each alongside another with whom he or she has grown up right here in this church. Maybe they speak life-long vows to one another.  These little ones, my friends, represent future. 

On September 20^th of this year, I walk Trey Whitaker down the aisle after baptizing him at the font.   In 2008, I officiate at Trey’s parents’ wedding: James Whitaker and Lee Safrit are married.  On April 18, 1987, about two years after becoming the Rector of this parish, I walk a baby girl down this same aisle.  Her name is Lee Merriman Safrit – an infant, Lee is now entrusted to and cared for by a greater family we call Christians-- specifically, Christians of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church. Lee is an infant now wholly nurtured to grow and assume someday her adult responsibilities. Lee is most certainly part of the future, hope and promise of her Lord’s universal Church.  Lee, daughter of Richard and Jocelyn, wife of James, mother of Trey, you are truly a child of God and a sign for this Rector to retire.  

We have more blessings than we can count. We have as much to do together.

“May we all enter into the word with every one of our limbs.”

Thanks be to God. Amen.