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The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams
You may or may not know that the Rev. Locke Bowman, who preached so well at the 9:00 and 11:15 services this morning, and who is an active Priest Associate in this parish, for the past seven years has been in charge of the Graduate Ordination Exams. Every Episcopal seminarian in the United States takes this seven-part exam over several days during the third and final year of theological training as an assessment of readiness for ordination. Organizing and overseeing the annual composition, administration, and evaluation of the GOE's is a mammoth task, especially for a "retired" priest and one who carried it out as well and as conscientiously as Locke has done. He is looking forward to his own experience of resurrection on Easter next month, when he will hand that burden on to another! Since the national Church cannot be here to acknowledge him on that occasion, let us thank him now for his wonderful service.
In Locke's honor, I thought I would start my address this morning with a Prayer Book question, admittedly one toward the trivia end of the spectrum! Which is the only psalm presented by "The Book of Common Prayer" in three different translations? The answer is Psalm 23. On the pages of the Burial Office, Rite I, it is reprinted both in its King James and in its 1928 Prayer Book versions. And toward the back of the book, it is, of course, part of the 150 psalms in the 1979 Prayer Book translation.
That fact is an indication of the popularity of the Twenty-third Psalm, and as I began to reflect on the meaning of our coming together today to be nourished, individually and communally, physically and spiritually, this psalm came to mind. The thrust of this well-loved psalm, in whatever translation, is that the Lord does feed us, does look after us, does accompany us, even through great difficulties. This meeting is another experience of that nourishing, with food, with prayer, with celebration and challenge. The Lord continually restores our souls and bodies, leading us beside the still waters, preparing a table before us, being with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. Our cup does run over.
Each of us can and, I hope, does, give thanks for the overflowing generosity of God. Despite whatever troubles we are facing, we have been brought in safety to this new day. We have plenty to nourish us in spirit, mind, and body. We have fellow travelers to challenge and support us. We have opportunities to serve others. We trust that we need fear no evil, but that God will never leave us and that we will live in the house of the Lord forever.
As a parish also our cup overflows. You do not have to read too far in the 52 pages of the Annual Report to experience that abundance and to give heartfelt thanks. So many disciples trying to follow Jesus, utilizing their gifts and their resources in serving God through serving others. The sick are visited, the children are taught, the youth and students are nurtured and challenged, the needy are responded to, God is worshipped, "and the poor have good news preached to them." I am continually awed and inspired by how much and how generously and how well you, the parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross, are able to accomplish "with God's help," as our Baptismal Covenant reminds us. We have so much occasion to give God thanks, and we are called to do so "not only with our lips but in our lives."
That does not mean that all has gone well this year and that we have had no disappointments. After several years of hard work to initiate the establishment of a new Episcopal congregation in the area, still to have no fruit to show is extremely frustrating! Not to be able to fund for this year the position of Christian Education Director or to make any budgetary progress in strengthening our elder ministry, and to make other budget cuts is also troubling. But such setbacks do not threaten our trust and thankfulness. Remember the words of the psalm: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies," in the King James Version, hopefully not a reference to this Annual Meeting meal! The other translations refer to a table spread "in the presence of those who [or them that] trouble me," which could include all those things that do not go well for us. We can expect conflict and frustration, the psalm seems to say, but the Lord still nourishes us in the face of it.
Even in the midst of these disappointments then, there is good news. Our Christian Education program for both children and adults continues to flourish, thanks to the extra efforts of parishioners and staff. I strongly hope that this staff vacancy will not continue past this year, but I am grateful and confident that for now, we will be still be all right. Likewise parishioners and staff dedicated to elder ministry are increasing their efforts and creativity in utilizing the many resources that are available. An ad hoc Vestry committee is putting in many hours and doing wonderful work in focusing and addressing the critical questions involved.
Regarding a new Episcopal congregation, the Rectors and Sr. Wardens of Holy Family here in Chapel Hill and of St. Matthew's in Hillsborough as well as of Chapel of the Cross, have reshaped and refocused the guiding vision. We presented a proposal to our respective Vestries for reflection and discussion at this month's meetings. On March 19, each Vestry will meet first separately and then, historically, together at St. Matthew's, to vote jointly on this proposal. I am very excited about this bold, cooperative venture, and I refer you to my letter in the March "Cross Roads," coming out this week, for more details.
Another celebration I am thrilled to announce to you concerns the Johnson Interns. As it happens, they are away this weekend on one of their quarterly retreats that form an important part of their training; but I hope you have been getting to meet some of them and to learn what an impact this post baccalaureate program is having on them and on the community and on our parish. The Johnson Intern Program is so called, of course, because the Vestry set aside from Margaret Johnson's generous bequest, $38,500 for each of three years of the program. Other gifts and money from the community placements have also supported the program, but most of the grant money that we hoped to attract by the end of this second year has not yet materialized. Only a month ago, we were squarely facing the possibility of closing the program at the end of June. Since then, however, we have received a potentially annually renewable grant from the local Strowd Roses Foundation of $15,000 and gifts from parishioners of $60,000 to sustain the program for its third year! A goal of the board during this year will be to explore other connections the program might make with, for example, the Lily Scholars at Duke, to become self-sustaining. In the meantime, I am most grateful for the parish's commitment to this imaginative program, which grows out of and combines our strong commitment to both campus and social ministries.
I quoted the Prayer Book earlier in saying that we are to express our thanks to God "not only with our lips but in our lives." That is the challenge, the opportunity, which faces us. As a parish, we are moving forward in that faithful stewardship; we are making progress. But, of course, the journey still stretches before us. With all that God has given us, individually and collectively, we can joyfully and authentically show forth our gratitude in increasing ways. To start a new congregation, to serve more fully those in need, to teach our children, to care for our elders, to fund fully our budget, to make the best use of our buildings, takes our genuine commitment of ourselves and of our time and of our money. In response to the loving God who blesses us abundantly, we give generously back in return. The more we respond, the more room we give God to make things happen. "Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine"! If we really let go and let God work, we can start two new congregations in the next ten years! "Nothing is impossible with God."
As you are nourished here today, not by bread alone, but by the word of God alive and at work in the world, in your life and in the lives of those around you, give thanks to God, who sent Jesus that we "might have life and have it abundantly." Give thanks to God who gives us faith and one another and opportunities to serve. Give thanks to God by praying together on page 612, the words of the Twenty-third Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.
He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.© 2002: Chapel of the Cross
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