Today, I returned to my sending parish to preach and co-lead a memorial service for one of the nicest members of the parish who passed away right before I left for France. Linda Heffron had called me almost two years ago to discuss death and her desire to have me involved in her funeral service. At the time I was still a couple months away from my ordination to the priesthood.
"OK, Linda, but...ummm...could you hold off on dying for a couple months so I can become a priest?"
She laughed and agreed to that covenant.
As we prepared for the service at St. Thomas, Thomasville, her brothers were spreading her ashes at a family log cabin by a lake in Ohio. The Spirit of God was definitely upon all of us.
Texts: Psalm 23 and John 10:11-16
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Our scriptures for this service say a lot about God as a shepherd.
God is the shepherd who leads us by still waters… has us lie down
in green pastures.
God is the shepherd accompanying us through the darkest valleys.
God is a good shepherd… a shepherd who lays down his life to live
among and protect the sheep.
It’s fitting for God to be seen as a shepherd.
Shepherds take great care in seeing that their flock makes it from
pasture to pasture and up into the mountains.
They use their rod and staff to gently nudge the slow
pokes along… never beating them.
In rural parts of Europe…the shepherds lead the sheep through a
town… letting the animals stop to get a drink at a large fountain in the main
public square.
The good shepherd has deep affection for the sheep in their care.
Most of the time in churches… the common thought is that it’s the
clergy… the priest or the deacon… who takes on the role of shepherd in the
congregation.
But really… I think we forget that the first shepherds anyone
encounters in a church isn’t the person in the collar.
It’s the usher… standing at the door… distributing the bulletins
for the service.
That’s the first person a newcomer to an Episcopal church will see.
And how the usher greets people coming in can make a world of
difference about how they feel when they go back out.
Imagine encountering a grumpy, scowling usher… their face full of
judgment?
Or one who mindlessly puts the paper bulletin in front of you,
barely noticing or making eye contact with you?
What type of a welcome would that be?
Ushers need to be attentive…without prying. Helpful without
hovering.
I think that’s one of the reasons Linda was drawn to serve as an
usher here at St. Thomas.
Her natural curiosity…sharp intellect… and kind smile were the
perfect combination of gifts that made her a great usher. She could read
people.
She was as attentive to the regular attendees as she was to the new
person trying out this church for the first time.
And she loved getting to know people… and appreciating them for who
they were. It’s what piqued her interest in books and genealogy. And isn’t
perfect that she found community not only here at St. Thomas…but in service at
the Church of the Good Shepherd?
The end of our Gospel reading Jesus mentions the “other sheep” who
don’t belong to the fold… and yet also must be found and brought in by the
shepherd.
This is one of those verses in Scripture that resonates with anyone
who has ever felt like an “other” or an outsider. Not one of the “in” crowd.
And perhaps because Linda had known pain in her life… it helped
make her even more conscious and compassionate toward those who are “othered”
in society.
In speaking with a member of Linda’s chosen family… I learned that Linda
had served in the AmeriCorps program in Rochester NY before she made her move
down here to Thomasville. It was in Linda’s nature to give back to her local
community…and AmeriCorps gave her the chance to work with convicts recently
released from prison.
Still in the shepherding role… Linda gave her all in helping those
who might have otherwise fallen through the cracks learn some new skills… and
gain a sense of self-worth. And in that giving… she received the reward of
trust and appreciation for having cared enough to make the world a better place
for somebody leaving the confining nature of prison.
Shepherds care.
Linda cared…whether it was for a homeless house cat or unlocking
the mysteries of fossils. She had a passion to preserve… protect and discover
the stories of all the “others.” Because those stories also matter.
The life of a shepherd has long stretches of being alone. And in
the time of Jesus… it was not a noble profession. The shepherds were outcasts.
They were looked down upon. It wasn’t and isn’t an easy life.
The fact that Jesus uses the analogy of a good shepherd should clue
us in on God’s affection for those who are doing the work of God’s mission of
inclusion and redemption without a lot of fanfare.
Jesus is encouraging us to hear these words and know that we… no
matter who we are … all have the potential to be shepherds.
We all can serve in that role of helping and guiding each other
through valleys of life…and being the living, breathing, example of a good
shepherd to another.
This is the life that we celebrate when we remember Linda.
A life of fascination in learning and discovering… and showing kindness
to strangers.
A life grounded in the confidence that in the end… there is no
separation from God…the God of love who shepherds us home.
In the name of God…F/S/HS.
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