a sermon delivered by The Rev. Leslie K. Sterling
Numbers 27:12-23; Psalm 100; Acts 13:15-16, 26-33; John 10:22-30
4 Easter C – "Good Shepherd Sunday"
David Killian's 40th ordination anniversary
40 is a very significant number in scripture,
in part because it is so often repeated:
Noah in the ark for 40 days and 40 nights
the people of Israel wandering for 40 years in the desert
Jesus fasting for 40 days as our model for Lent ...
most of us here are probably familiar with those examples
but the people who taught me about the significance of the number 40 in the Bible
went even beyond that.
I was taught that 40 is the number that signifies completion: the fullness of time.
it is a length of time long enough to make God's point
the great flood lasts for 40 days so that there can be no doubt
that the rain is an intentional act of God
long enough for the cleansing of the world to be complete
the time in the Sinai desert lasts 40 years so there can be no doubt
that the day has passed for those who murmured and complained
long enough for the maturation of Joshua
and a new generation of leaders to be complete
during Easter season we remember
Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days after his resurrection
so there can be no doubt
that hundreds of people saw him and his promise to rise from the grave was complete.
some biblical scholars even connect this 40 theme
to the way we refer to 40 weeks of pregnancy as "full term."
40 is the number for the fullness of time.
today we celebrate the 40th anniversary of David Killian's ordination to the priesthood
rector of All Saints Parish, director of this vast parish production
shepherd of this blessed and complicated flock
and it is appropriate that we honor David today
on the Fourth Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday
because today the Church of England is celebrating Vocation Sunday
a time to examine the vocation of Holy Orders
and celebrate the role of priest as shepherd
although the concepts of pastor and pastoral care are related to the word "pasture"
being a shepherd is not all fun and games - it is very hard work
it's much more than just standing around loafing in the meadow
watching the sheep graze on a beautiful spring day
sometimes it is messy work in the mud and rain.
sometimes it is getting your hands dirty
when there is no one else willing and able to take practical action
it can be mundane work - backstage and unglamorous
without any acknowledgment or thanks
so today we are taking time to acknowledge and time to thank.
40 years ago the world was different, and the world was the same
An unpopular president was fighting an unpopular war
and thousands of people marched in the streets in opposition.
official conferences were held and Congressional reports were issued
with urgent concerns about the rapidly rising costs of Medicare.
there was major unrest between Egypt, Syria and Israel,
and all signs pointed to the likelihood of new war in the Middle East.
On the other hand, in April 1967 Martin Luther King was still alive
and one year to the day before he died
he gave a major speech in opposition to the war in Viet Nam.
the Democrats had a 28-seat majority in the Senate
and a 60 seat majority in the House (yes, 6-0, sixty)
the Beatles were still together,
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had not yet been released.
in fact, they had just signed a contract to stay together ten more years
(we know how that turned out).
this is the world in which David started his life as a priest
he was a mere teenager (!) but the seeds of vocation were firmly planted
so he took the leap of faith and the enormous responsibility of Holy Orders at a young age
he committed himself to servant leadership
and started out on the ministerial road that eventually led him here to us.
In Journeys class and Explorations class I've heard David tell his story many times
He has worked and worshiped in some challenging neighborhoods
He told me about walking the streets of Washington DC
during times of racial unrest and upheaval
he told me of a congregation where
every time he started a worship service he could not assume
that he would be able to complete the service
because there were so many disturbed people in the neighborhood
who might wander in with a disruptive emergency
He's talked about wrestling for years with his decision to
break with the Roman Church and leave the Paulist Fathers,
and then another long struggle with the decision to pursue Episcopal ordination
it doesn't happen automatically - ask Christian Brocato
I should have checked with him before I tried to list all the parishes
where he served before arriving at All Saints
but in keeping with today's theme I know that for a while he was
at the Church of the Good Shepherd (!) in Watertown
I'm sure he's thinking about that parish and all his former parishes today
and i know some of his former parishioners and colleagues
are here to join in our celebration
David's longevity in and of itself
is one of the primary ways he serves us as shepherd
because longevity of service is the best way to inspire deep trust
the sheep follow the shepherd because they trust in him
the sheep follow the shepherd today because they remember
who provided for them yesterday
and the day before that & the day before that & the day before that
after 40 years in the priesthood, almost 20 as an Episcopal priest
and 15 years here at All Saints
David has our respect, our love and our trust
we trust him to baptize our babies, marry us to our spouses and bury our elders.
we trust him to come to us in the hospital and visit our shut ins
we trust him to supervise our seminarians and sponsor our ordination candidates
we trust him with the day to day work of keeping things running
and we trust his long term vision for the future of the parish.
we trust him to be our representative in the world not just within our own church,
but a representative for the Christian perspective
at the endless ecumenical events he attends
being a good shepherd is fundamentally about trust, and David has earned our trust
with the extremely rare accomplishment
of coming into what had once been known as a "troubled" parish
and developing it into one of the few church communities that is described as "healthy"
and the deeper reason we trust in him is not longevity alone
but because his life has demonstrated trust in God.
a trust that allowed him to make the life changing decision for ordination
as a very young man
in 1967 that young man could never have imagined
God would lead him to the life he has now
that young man did not anticipate ever having a loving wife and family
that young man did not anticipate ever leaving the Roman tradition
but that young man also could never have foreseen
this comfortable established career after 40 years
his priceless reputation among his parishioners and his colleagues
his respected standing among religious and secular leaders in the wider community
and the hundreds, the thousands of lives he has touched
I've learned a lot from him, more than I could ever acknowledge
and he has formed and shaped and led this parish
in large and small ways that would take all day to list
so today we give thanks to Christ the Good Shepherd
for showing abundant favor on this pasture and this flock
gathered on the corner of Dean and Corey Road
and for showering his blessings on David in 40 years of ordained ministry
40 is a length of time long enough to make God's point
and David's ministry has achieved a fullness and satisfaction
he richly deserves after a dedicated life in prayer and service
40 is a sign of permanence - his vocation is solidly established,
but 40 is not a number of completion that signifies an ending.
just as in the 40 weeks of pregnancy, 40 is a number of passage or birth
a transition into new and/or deeper relationship with God:
the flood ends and the earth is renewed under the rainbow covenant.
Joshua leads the desert wanderers into the promised land.
Jesus triumphs over the devil's temptations and launches his earthly work and witness.
40 days after Easter we have the glory of the Ascension
and Christ's followers prepare for the birth of the church
through the coming of the Pentecostal Spirit.
so these 40 years of David's priesthood are just the very firm ground
from which continued fruitfulness will come
God led David Killian here after a long and winding ministerial road
and inspires him to do his best every day to love and serve us
as a pastor and a shepherd well worth imitating.
We at All Saints Parish are extremely fortunate have the luxurious opportunity
to build our future mission and ministry on this 40 year foundation.
Leslie K. Sterling
28 April 2007