Service notes for Memorial Mass for John Edward Howard

Service notes for
Memorial Mass for John Edward Howard
February 15, 1946 – May 19, 2012

July 31, 2012 at five-thirty in the evening

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Manhattan, Kansas

(click for .pdf copy of service bulletin)

Opening and other words of welcome (before Collect)

I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. We have come here today to remember before God our brother John Howard, to give thanks for his life, to commend him to God our merciful redeemer and judge, and to comfort one another in our grief.

Welcome to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. 

We recognize that not everyone who has gathered here for this service is Episcopal, not even Christian, perhaps.  The Howard family and the K-State community of the International Grains Program wanted this memorial service to be set within the religious context that was important to John.  No matter where you are on your faith journey, no matter your religious identity, we invite you to participate in this service as you are able – singing, standing, kneeling, praying, etc. - in order to honor John’s faith as a Christian and his denominational identity as an Episcopalian as well as celebrate how both of these influenced his life convictions.

Our service consists of two main movements: the liturgy of the Word, in which we’ll hear and reflect primarily on the Word of God (as read from sacred scripture) as well as some brief words of remembrance about John’s life; and liturgy of the table, in which we’ll celebrate Christ’s presence with John and with us by sharing a Christ’s meal (the Lord’s Supper) together. 

It is church teaching that the Eucharistic meal – a.k.a. Holy Communion – is sacramental, spiritual food to nourish those who have been baptized into the mystical body of Christ.  And, if any of you feel drawn to this table/altar, even if you’re not intending to ‘receive’ this sacrament, we invite you to join the family gathered here by coming forward to receive a blessing (simply indicate your readiness for this by crossing your arms when you come to the altar).  And, regardless of whether or not you come forward for Communion, you will be welcome to come forward and make a symbolic offering at the table of remembrance [point to the special table with John’s picture] while offering up a single word as prayer, either silently or aloud. 

After our worship, everyone is invited to the reception in the parlor outside these doors for additional fellowship and remembrances.

(continue with Collect of the Day and liturgy of the Word)

Reflections on the Word of God

In the readings we’ve just heard, we’re reminded of comforting truth that inspired and motivated John Howard in his life. 

The steadfast love of our Lord, God, never ceases, and in fact, can be fresh and new for us every day, like nourishing morning dew on our life as we awake each day. 

Even in our times of trouble and grief, God walks with us, leading and inviting us toward greener pastures.

We are assured, and the faithful believe with hope, that ultimately, though earthy portions of our body die and return to the earth from which it was created, our spiritual bodies are imperishable and destined for resurrection and sharing in glory with God and others who are raised into God’s family.

No matter the troubles that John has seen in his earthly lifetime (and, we know he did – he wasn’t perfect, just as none of us are perfect) – experiences in Vietnam, professional conflicts and set-backs; personal struggles with family and friends, or his battles with cancer and Parkinson's - we remember today that he was a man of Christian faith and conviction… and knew in his heart the call to humble confession and repentance, as well as we the promises of forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and resurrection through grace in the name of Jesus Christ. 

As this faith and hope buoyed John when the troubled waters of life seemed dark and deep, let his example of faith and hope also invite us to new relationships with each other and with God… and inspire us seek new light in our lives through Christ.

His life rooted firmly in Christian faith and conviction, John was inspired and motivated to serve others, sometimes sacrificially, and to charitably plant and cultivate seeds of opportunity for others. 

In our lesson from the Gospel according to John, Jesus says that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” 

Certainly these words describe our belief that through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection the offering of a single life was glorified into new, redeemed life for all.  This is at the heart of our Christian faith.

Through this imagery of one grain having the potential to yield much fruit – a horticultural truth known my most of us – we also see the power and potential of any of our individual lives when we plant ourselves in fertile soil of healthy relationships and surrender some of our own shell in order to give of ourselves sacrificially for the benefit of others. 

It’s my understanding, as I’ve come to know about him through the testimony of others, that John inwardly digested this spiritual truth about self-sacrifice/self-offering yielding bounty for others and it influenced how he lived and lead others.

We now invite some brief words of remembrance about John Howard from those who knew him well.  Listen for testament of the Holy Spirit in John’s heart as well as evidences of his Christian faith and convictions and what his life yielded for others.

(invite those designated to come forward to the lectern)

(service then continues with Nicene Creed and Prayers of the People)

Instructions for the Symbolic Offerings and Words of Prayer (after Prayers of the People)

Having heard and reflected on holy words, we’re now ready to transition to our sacramental meal at the table… Christ’s table, around which he draws his followers so that he can nourish and fortify them for work in his name.

It is tradition to bring forward offerings at this point in the service.  In the Christian tradition, these are offerings of sacrifice (offering a faithful portion of what’s important or essential to us, symbolic that all that we are and have come from and ultimately belong to God) as well as thanksgiving (joyfully and generously presenting gifts of thanks for the grace of God so generously poured out to us). 

When money is presented – Alms giving – it is used for charitable purposes for the benefit of others.  If you want to offer money, we invite you to give generously to the scholarship fund that has been established in John’s memory (see the back of your service bulletin). 

Some of you may feel moved right now to make another sort of offering – a prayer for John.

Here we have assembled some symbols of his life [reference the four bowls of the different grains from the department, etc.].  For the next few minutes, we invite those who would like to to come forward, take a handful of grain or some other offering from these two tables, and place it one this common table of remembrance next to John’s picture. 

And, as you do this, say silently or out-loud one word that represents your prayer to God in John’s memory.  It might be a single word of thanks, a word that describes something about John’s life for which you want to give God thanks; or perhaps it will be a single word of grief, something you need God to help you with in memory of John.   Whatever your offering, though it is seen and might be heard by us, it is between you and God at this time.  

Let us make our offerings before we greet each other in peace and prepare for Holy Communion.

(wait a minute or two after what might be the last person to come forward)

(continue with the Peace and the liturgy of the table)

Truth tellers? Just who do we think we are?!

July 8, The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9)

[Anecdote]

It had been raining for days and days, and a terrible flood had come over the land. The waters rose so high that one man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house to avoid the floodwaters, faithfully praying to God to save him.

As the waters rose higher and higher, a man in a rowboat appeared, and told him to get in. “No,” replied the man on the roof. “I have faith in the Lord, the Lord will save me.” So the man in the rowboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and suddenly a speedboat appeared. “Climb in!” shouted a man in the boat. “No,” replied the man on the roof. “I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me.” So the man in the speedboat went away. The man on the roof prayed even harder, knowing that God would save him.

The waters continued to rise. A helicopter appeared and over the loudspeaker, the pilot announced he would lower a rope to the man on the roof. “No,” replied the man on the roof. “I have faith in the Lord, the Lord will save me.” So the helicopter went away. The man on the roof prayed again for God to save him, steadfast in his faith.

The waters rose higher and higher, and eventually they rose so high that the man on the roof was washed away, and alas, the poor man drowned.

Upon arriving in heaven, the man marched straight over to God. “Heavenly Father,” he said, “I had faith in you, I prayed to you to save me, and yet you did nothing. Why?” God gave him a puzzled look, and replied “I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you expect than that?”

We tend to see what we expect to see and hear what we expect to hear.  Pre-conceptions are powerful enough to inhibit our ability to accurately perceive, see, and hear proclamation of truth… particularly when the truth being proclaimed is a threat or challenge to the status quo we’ve become accustomed to (no matter how unhealthy or dysfunctional). 

Such was the case with the man on the roof in the story – so set on his imagination of how things should work that we fails to take advantage of three life-saving offers.  Such is the case often with biblical prophets such as Ezekiel, Jesus, and Paul, who proclaims truth but are not ‘heard’ or heeded by their contemporary listeners who are too wrapped up in their own circumstances, culture, and conventions.  And, such might be case with us – either when we’re attempting to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:14) to our colleagues or when we’re unable to hear what is being proclaimed so clearly right in front of us.

[Personal examples]

“Who does s/he think s/he is?”  “Who do you think you are?”   An old adage says that familiarity breeds contempt; I.e., we don’t often respect someone (or what they say to us) we know well the persons history and faults.  Granted, sometimes this is prudent.  And, sometimes this is a problem – like when we preclude the possibility that something wise and true can come out of the mouth of someone who we otherwise have diminished in our own preconceptions.

Who has had this experience at work, in your family, or right here at St. Paul’s?  You’re trying to make an important point but are dismissed or ignored because of other’s prior relations with you and their pre-judgment that you’re always too (fill in the blank) or prone to (fill in the blank).   Granted, if you have a history of words and actions that are incongruent – that is to say that you often say one thing and do another – it’s understandable that people have come to ignore or dismiss much that comes out of your mouth.

And, how often do any of us do this to others that we believe we already know ‘all too well’ to give them much of our precious time and attention.  We smile and pretend we’re listening, but our inner voice is already dismantling their words, assigning mal-intent to their actions, and otherwise diminishing the person’s standing and stature – all in an instant almost unconsciously.

[link to lessons]

(Ezekiel 2:1-5) Do you imagine that Ezekiel’s prophetic words of judgment and call to repentance was well-received by the rebellious people of Israel in their Babylonian exile?  How do you imagine Ezekiel feels when God commissions him to go preach to the “obstinate and stubborn… whether they hear or refuse to hear”?  Though just a mere human being (ref: frequent references to him being ‘son of man’), Ezekiel is told that the Spirit will be with him and essentially he shouldn’t worry so much about the outcome of his prophetic mission as much as remaining faithful and consistent in his proclamations of truth.

(2 Corinthians 12:2-10)  And what about the apostle Paul? He so often seems to be swimming upstream and speaking about Good News to people reluctant to hear it from him, someone they know used to persecute and support the arrest and murder of Christian believers.  And, it what we heard today, we know that he’s having to defend his credibility before an audience who is more accustomed to heeding the words of more dazzling apostles of greater standing and reputation.  Paul, a proud and smart person, is constantly being challenges to humble himself and surrender conventions of prestige and authority in order to authentically proclaim the truth that he has come to know about the power of God’s love and grace being revealed and perfected through the realities of human weakness and vulnerability.

(Mark 6:1-13)  Then, of course, there’s our vivid Gospel lesson in which that ‘kid from Nazareth… the child of the carpenter and Mary, sibling to those other rural kids we know...’ comes back to his hometown only to discover, to his amazement, that their preoccupation with his humble past was not only causing them to take offence at his presumption to speak truth with such authority but was also inhibiting their faith in miraculous possibilities and hope in a new future.

[risks and opportunities]

We see these prophets for who they were… in retrospect and because of the credibility we’ve vested in these scriptures as authoritative.  But at the time, how hard must it have been both for emerging believers to hear truth being spoken from unlikely sources and to step out of the crowd and walk a different direction based on what they were hearing and seeing.  How much steadfast strength in faith was required of ‘prophets’ large or small who sought to continually speak truth even when it wasn’t expedient, convenient, or safe?

I imagine that the Holy Spirit is calling us to heed the wisdom in these lessons right now in our common life – as citizens of this nation, as members of this communion and denomination, as families, and as a community here gathered in St. Paul’s name for the sake of Christ.

There are risks here that we presume to know the whole truth or to have all the answers – that’s not what God called our prophetic ancestors to, nor is it what is expected of us.  We’re called to share our personal testimony and story with faith and love, trusting the Spirit will fill-in blanks, help with translation of meaning, and shape the outcomes.

There are also risks here that in times of change and transition, nationally and locally, that we prematurely and presumptuously cut off or tune out to the hard truths that are being proclaimed to us because of our previously held biases toward the source of potentially prophetic words or actions.

And, as you should imagine, the opportunities, if we remain open-hearted and open-minded, are vast and beautiful.  The Spirit might be acting and speaking through the words and actions of unlikely people right now, just as it has done in the past.  If we’re open to what is being proclaimed and revealed, perhaps we will choose to heed warnings to change our ways as well as accept challenging invitations to step into new possibilities for life together.

[So, what are we to do?]

We’re being called to approach our work ‘out there’ as well as ‘in here’ in fresh, new ways – with eyes and ears of resurrection possibility.

Let’s work on being more discerning, humble, and faithful in our own proclamations as well as listening for and gleaning from the proclamations and prophetic witness of others.

When imagining the possible futures for our nation, our community, our family, and our church, be clear about and consistent in what we’re proclaiming as good news to others.  Be bold and faithful enough to continue speaking prophetic truth in love, even at risk of embarrassment or rejections? (to family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, strangers)

And, as we venture forward together in the transitions and changes ahead (on so many fronts in our lives) let’s be mindful of preconceptions that prematurely arrest our ability to see and hear anew what might be presented to us in the actions and words of others, particularly from those who we believe we already know ‘all too well.’ 

When we experience others sabotaging someone’s credibility, take a stand and invite us to reconsider the possibility that the Spirit is speaking, even if in challenging ways through unlikely people.  Perhaps even pro-actively create safe space for people to speak what’s really on their hearts and minds with the assurance that every voice and opinion is welcome as we discern together how the Spirit is currently at work in our midst.

Beware of negativism that can kill new life trying to sprout up: E.g., “that’s never worked before…”; “we’re not / you’re not [fill in the blank] enough”; or “I doubt we can….”

We’re being called right now to repent – to turn around – to get new perspective on our situation and circumstances. 

We’re being invited into discernment about possibilities.

God is with us. 

"Thus says the Lord GOD. ‘Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.’” (Ezekiel 2:5)

[the Lord] “said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ …. I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-10)

Jesus commands us to speak.  Christ compels us to serve.  He has given us authority.

AMEN.

Declaration of Interdependent Life – “Do not fear, only believe.”

Good morning good people of St. Paul’s.  I’m so used to seeing Fr. Tom’s bass leaning in the corner over here, just waiting for him to play it at the 11:30am service… perhaps some of the rest of you feel his (and Susan’s) absence today.  We’ve shared many opportunities for farewells in the last several weeks… and, for some of us, grief for their departure will continue for some time – over this past decade Fr. Tom baptized some of you and your loved ones, married some of you and your loved ones, visited members of our community when they were sick, taught us in words and actions, and as one couple said to him last Sunday, “you helped us raise our children.”  And, yes, we know that the community of St. Paul’s is more than any pastor… yes, some of you have been through the tenures of at least a couple of rectors… yes, there is continued life ahead and vibrant ministry waiting to born.  For just a moment (and this is one of three times I’ll do this), l invite you to close your eyes and see or hear Fr. Tom and Susan as you imagine them in their new life in Colorado… with grandkids… with Fr. Tom’s new choral group… with Susan smiling at a view of the Rocky Mountains… offer thanks to God for what they’ve meant to you and our family here.  Ask God to bless them on their new journey.  

Indeed, this morning’s lectionary readings have things to say to us about death, resurrection, and our common life together. 

Our first lesson is from the Wisdom of Solomon, a book not likely written by the king himself, but authored in his tradition as encouragement to Jews in diaspora during the Greco-Roman period, perhaps in the region of Egypt; Jews who were struggling with identity and acceptance in a foreign culture with competing philosophies about life and death (E.g., dualism and debates about resurrection of the body and immortality of the soul).  In the verses we’ve heard this morning (1:13-15; 2:23-24), we reminded that death (both literal and figurative) is not our ultimate destiny. 

We’re told that God doesn’t delight in the death of the living (not even death of the wicked, ref: Ezekiel 33:11). God intends wholesome, generative, living-perpetuating existence – for us to be reconciled to and share in God’s divine, immortal nature.  We know that biological death is inevitable, but that is not the end of us our relationship with God and each other.

The Psalm we heard (30) echoes this idea in celebrating that out of the darkest of our nights comes joy in the morning; as we are headed to the grace, we’re restored to life; and through such redemption our wailing is turned to song, dance, joy, and thanksgiving.  Indeed, this is one the Psalms that we sometimes say/sing in preparation for Holy Baptism during the Great Vigil of Easter.

And, of course, there are the dramatic nested stories of healing and new life in today’s Gospel lesson (Mark 5:21-43).  In this story, Jesus demonstrates what the Wisdom of Solomon is hoping for and the Psalmist knows – resurrected life is possible through Christ, who has ultimately overcome death for all of us.

Jesus has been on a tour of healing – exorcizing demons, and restoring life and health.  He’s been crossing all sorts of boundaries, including the barriers between Jew and Gentile as he’s been going back and forth across the Galilean Sea.  In the chapter and verse for today, he’s back among his people, the Jews, who are pressing in around him like mobs flocking a modern pop star. As chaotic and distracting as this scene could have bee, Christ is focused on the mission of redeeming even the ‘least of these’, those who otherwise go unnoticed, unvalued in the crowd.

In one case, someone socially superior to him publicly humbles himself - is literally brought to his knees before Jesus - more likely out of desperation than respect, seeking the healing hands of Jesus for his 12-year old daughter.   This man’s name, Jairus (jare-us), in Greek means “he who will be awakened/enlightened.” In the other case, we have a woman who has been hemorrhaging/bleeding for 12 years do the unthinkable – she reaches out to touch Jesus, risking extreme embarrassment as well as making him socially and religiously unclean.  We have plenty of set-ups here for divisions that should normally keep people separated/isolated from each other – Jew-Gentile, male-female, sick-well, clean-unclean, nobodies-somebodies.  There is death in such divisions.  Jesus will conquer it.

Neither of the unnamed women in this story would have been valued during their time – both might as well have been considered socially and politically dead. The older one likely had been isolated from society for many years due to her constant bleeding.  The younger one, especially because she was so ill right before she was able to produce offspring, wouldn’t have been as valued as the older girls or the boys her same age. Jesus is investing time and effort in saving a ‘less than’ who statistically might well be dead in a few years anyway.  Why?

Because, as we heard in the Wisdom of Solomon, God doesn’t delight in the death of the living (figuratively or literally).  God created all things so that might exist… and exist in co-creative, life generating relationships.

And, let’s not miss some of the details of these stories that are so compelling.  This story has people violating convention and cultural expectations as they seek healing touch from Jesus, even if all they can muster sneaking a brush with the divine through reaching out for just the hem of his garment.  That’s all it takes – just a mustard seed of faith and a turn of our hearts toward God, however slow, however slight.  Amid the noise and haste of this life, Christ senses our intentions, feels our reach, and is always ready to find us in the crowd and restore us to new life with dignity and well-being in the family of God.

I invite you to close your eyes again and imagine you’re witnessing the bleeding woman crawling through the throngs of people, straining and stretching to reach out for even just a brief connection with our Lord in desperate hope, but faithful hope nonetheless, that even a brush with Christ’s love will heal.  Notice how, amid all the chaos, Jesus notices her touch and stops the action for a moment to find her face-to-face. 

When they meet face to face, the woman with fear and trembling, Jesus doesn’t merely call her ‘woman,’ he addresses her as ‘daughter’.  Imagine this moment.  Twelve years she has been bleeding.  Twelve years she has been unclean.  Twelve years, this woman has been socially dead.  In this one moment, she is healed of all that dis-ease and is restored to a familial relationship.  She isn’t just clean again… she’s restored as part of God’s family.

Reflect on that moment of connection.  When she reached out and Jesus noticed. What do you imagine was his disposition, how do you hear the tone in his voice, when he asked, “Who touched me?”  What does this say to you about your current relationship with Jesus?  What do you need from Christ?

We’ve heard how we’re not created for death, but for restored life… in fact for shared life together with others in the risen body of Christ.  What have we heard this morning about how we should share this new family life together?

A short answer is that Paul says we are to remain aware of the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives and, modeling God’s generous love towards us, we should give generously of our resources to help others in need – not to deplete ourselves to the point of poverty, but to help relieve the suffering of others and facilitate their restoration to co-creative partners in the life of our common family.

In what we heard this morning from his second letter to the believers in Corinth (1 Cor 8:7-15), Paul is appealing to them again to reinvigorate their financial support of the faithful in Israel who have fallen on hard times – to care for their extended family.  He doesn’t play on their emotions with vivid pictures of impoverished or persecuted people, he appeals to their good sense as smart people to remember what it means to be a follower of Christ.   He doesn’t want them to give in a compulsory way in response to an authoritative command; he wants them to voluntarily give out of joy and love.  Further, he says essentially that it’s not about how much you offer, but the heart/intention and faithfulness of your offering using your God-given time, talents, and treasure.  At the core, we are to model Christ’s sacrificial and generous giving for the wellness of others… and to do so consistently in just and fair ways modeling God’s love for all.

Common wealth, common health, mutual support in shared communion.

With this morning’s lessons in mind – that we’re not destined for death, but in fact promised new life in Christ; and that we’re to live into this new life together in mutual love and support - today we welcome two new members into the Christian family – Kate Ashley Lamb and her son Lucas Ted Lamb. 

Kate has been on a journey of her own with the community of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Murfreesboro, TN (they’ve returned home to visit family here).  With the arrival of new life in her marriage with Vance, they’ve made the decision to affirm with us their intention of continually reaching for Christ in their family life and their desire to become part of our family in, with, and through Christ.  As the Book of Common Prayer reminds us, “Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church.  The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble.” 

Kate and Lucas are being sponsored by members of their biological family who have already received this sacrament of Holy Baptism.  And, we as witnesses, on behalf of their Christian community back in Tennessee, are making promises that we will support them in prayer and example in Christian life and help them grow in the knowledge and love of God and in the responsibilities of our common life together as members of God’s Church. (reference today’s lectionary lessons)

As we prepare ourselves to enact this ancient ritual together, I encourage you to keep you hearts and minds open to what the Spirit is saying to us through the words and actions we use during this sacramental act.

To help tune our minds and hearts toward the truths of the promises of baptism, I invite you to close your eyes one last time and listen to these verses from some of the hymns we’re singing this morning – perhaps make some of these words into a prayer offering….

“Before the cross of him who died, behold, I prostrate fall; let every sin be crucified, and Christ be all in all.” (v2 of our opening hymns 697, “My God, accept my heart this day”)

 “…if faith and hope and love undimmed, undying still through death, the resurrection of the world, what time there comes the breath of dawn that rustles through the trees, and that clear voice that saith: Awake, awake to love and work!” (v3-4 of our sequence hymn 009, “Not here for high and holy things”)

“We share by water in his saving death. Reborn we share with him an Easter life as living members of a living Christ.”  (v2 of the hymn for our procession to the baptismal font, 296 “We know that Christ is raised and dies no more”)

“Jesus! The Name that charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease; ‘tis music in the sinners ears, ‘tis life and health and peace.” (v3 of our closing hymn 493, “O for a thousand tongues to sing”)

We are not destined for death in sin.  Eternal life by God’s sweet grace is our promise.  In the meantime, we’re called to share and care in charitable love as Christ has done for us.  Through Holy Baptism, we experience all three of these.

“Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36)