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THE ORDINATION
OF
THE REVEREND SUSAN JOHNSTON BARNES
DEACON
TO
THE ORDER OF PRIESTS

June 19, 2002
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"Then He said to His Disciples:
The Harvest is plentiful but the Laborers are few.
Pray therefore the Lord of the Harvest,
To send out laborers into His Harvest."

St. Matthew 9:37-28
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Susan:
Though I am greatly honored to be the Preacher –
at your service of Ordination to the Priesthood –
I must begin with the disclaimer that
I am probably not the most appropriate one
To do so –

For throughout the past year –
I believe that I have told you –
and I have taught you
Just about everything I know –
and more.

However -
You must know what a joy and a privilege
it has been for me to have served with You this past year.
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Nevertheless -
Never let it be said –
That after seven years in retirement –
That I didn’t joyfully respond to –
The Call to be a part of your Ordination Service.
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Yes -
To be sure –
For today –
in one sense - is the end -

Today is the end of
a long road and a long journey to the Priesthood –

a Journey
answering and responding to God’s call.

It is not too far a stretch to compare such
Such a Call to -
God’s Call to Isaiah –
When God said:
"Whom shall we send - and who will go for us ?’

So whether consciously or unconsciously –
As with Isaiah –
Your answer came:
"Here am I - send me."

However –
In a deeper sense –
today is the beginning –
It is the beginning of
a much longer journey –

A Journey of Faith –

A Journey of Faith -
That will not only be unbelievably –
challenging and exciting –
But this Journey of Faith
will demand all that you have within you –
and more.

In addition to your own resources –
This more =
This more that is needed –
Can only be supplied and provided
By the same God who Called you in the first place.
Knowing about J E P & D –
Will only go so far in equipping you for this Ministry.

Knowledge of
Theology, Eschatology & Soteriology
Is certainly necessary –

However –
I would imagine that -
More than likely –
More than likely -

This knowledge -
as important as it is -
this will probably not be -
the major key to your effectiveness -
or the defining character of your Ministry.

For all my ions of years in the Ordained Ministry –
I can’t remember one single Parishioner –
ever coming to me –
Saying:

"Father Joe –
"I just couldn’t sleep last night –
for worrying about the "Filioque Clause,"
would you please, please explain this to me ?"

I just can’t stand it any longer -

I can’t sleep at night -
not knowing about this
most crucial Christian Doctrine.

Does the Holy Spirit proceed from
the Father & the Son –
Or does the Holy Spirit proceed only
from the Father ?"
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So then –
What is the next step –
In continuing down this road and this Journey –
This Journey of Faith ?
There is no doubt whatsoever –
That your Seminary education has -
given you many tools –
and –
many of us believe that our Seminary -
has superbly prepared you
for the Ordained Ministry.

However –
What will you do with these tools –
How will you use them ?
How will you use the Gifts with which
God has endowed you ?

And –
More importantly –
Where do you go from here ?
Where do you begin in this Ministry in a World where –
as Jesus says:

The harvest is white & plentiful & ready for harvest ?

And
where at least in this Diocese,
there seems to be a shortage of
laborers -

that is -
those entering and remaining &
persevering in
the Ordained Ministry -

What comes next ?

Clergy Recruitment seems to be one of our top priorities
In this day and time.

That is –
People with a heart for leading
A struggling Church

A Church struggling to be Faithful –



A Church struggling to be -
Faithful to its Calling to be
An effective instrument
In Our Lord’s Ministry of Reconciliation –

That is bringing together peoples of the world
Who are still hell-bent
On self destruction -
On Tribal Warfare

And
Hate & Ethnic Conflict –
and Religious Wars -

Religious Wars -
talk about an Oxy-Moron

And not to mention those who still practice
So vigorously & intensely –
The Concept of an:
"Eye for and Eye."

A very good place to begin -
is the Pastoral Ministry

For to be sure –

We have come to know –
That your primary passion is
The Pastoral Ministry –

St. Matthew’s Church has been the
Blessed & Grateful recipient of –
Your Love and Pastoral Care -
this past year.

However –
In addition -
I haven’t known anyone in recent years –

Who has had such an insight and
such a burning passion
for Justice & Human Rights -
As You -
unless it was me.
Would to God that all of us -
like
Eldad and Medad -
Had such a portion of
God’s Holy Spirit –
Whereby God would work though us
In such mighty & wondrous ways -

To bring about Peace to a troubled and
A divided & a fractured World -

A world that has become cynical and
disillusioned with unbridled greed,
corruption, hatred
and the disregard
for Human Life -

In such a World -
We are Called to stand fast -

to stand fast in a raging stream -
a torrent that would get us caught up
and going down stream -
in a direction we would rather not go -
-
A direction that we believe -
to be contrary to God’s will.

So –
we stand fast on the Rock -
while the waters may rage & swell all around us.

For the Rock on we stand is Jesus Christ.

We as Clergy and as Christians face the challenge of
helping ourselves and
the Peoples and the Nations of the World
to reclaim -

to reclaim -
our most prized & noble & precious concept & principle
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The Sacredness and the Sanctity of all Human Life.
To proclaim this with all the fervor we can muster -
in one sense - in today’s World
is like swimming upstream -
against the current.

However that is our lot -
for if Christianity is a Counter Culture -
and to be sure –
we believe it -
so to be -

then -
we have no choice but to stand firm -
and to give our utmost
and to manifest & to witness in our own lives -

to the whole World

The -
Sacredness of all Human Life.

You and
Those others being Ordained during these -
Summer Months -

will not go out into a World that will
will welcome you with open arms -
as I was welcomed some 41 years ago --

It looks like those days for now –
are over -
For today -
we know only too well the forces -
of which we are up against -

forces that battle fiercely
against those qualities
that are the hallmark of the Christian Faith -
and that battle against our -
God-Given Humanity.

As we ponder and as we consider
Those issues to which we will give ourselves
-to be sure -

Issues like the Prayer Book are very important -
yet they are not the most important -

Issues like Human Sexuality too are very important -
Yet they are by no means
the most crucial issues.

Customs and Traditions mean so very much to me –
However –
As much as I love the Customs & the Traditions
of the Church.

Yet -
when we make too much of these issues –
We are Majoring in the Minors.

Issues of the Traditionalists versus the Renewalists -&
Contemporary Worship & Contemporary Music -
are to some people of –
almost ultimate importance -

But how sad it is -
when the energy of the Church -
is focused & siphoned off -
mainly on
minor issues.
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To be sure -
I personally will not die on these hills -

But -
With what resources I have -
However -
I am very willing fight to the very end -
for Issues like:

Human Rights - Peace
Justice & Freedom &
Respecting the Dignity of Every Human Being !



Would to God that all our People -
would stand up for these issues -
as they do for those –
of so much lesser importance.

It has been quite evident this past year -
that God has laid His hand upon you
for a special ministry -

A ministry to which you bring your earlier history
and experiences and gifts -
that eminently qualify you
to serve God & His Church.

In your ministry -
be prepared -
be prepared for
the Agony & the Ecstasy -
the glory and the sorrow -

that you will surely experience -
as a Priest
in the days and months and years ahead.

Learn to take care of yourself -
support groups are vitally necessary -
but only -
but only if -

you want to survive and to endure
and to keep your sanity -

and not to mention your religion.

However -
let me suggest a close relationship with your people.

Though for some -
this may seem to be difficult & unrealistic -
and for some –
even undesirable -

Nevertheless -
I firmly believe that:

Praying with Parishioners -
and Bible Study -
being real and open -

and -
being close and interacting with our people -

is the best
support I know of.

I can testify to this -
for this has helped me to persevere -
and to continue -

For
even after seven years in Retirement.
And even though I sometimes forget -
where I parked my car -

I haven’t exactly rusted out or burned out yet.
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We give thanks -
that God does not call those -
who are fit to His Ministry -

For who in the World anyway -
is fit or worthy -
to be a Priest or a Servant of God ?

But instead -
we give thanks that-
God fits those -
whom He Calls.

Our Prayer as God’s Priests is -
that by His Grace -
we will focus on those issues and on those priorities
that -
are God’s issues and His priorities.


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This past Lent here at St. Matthew’s Church -
we tried to focus on those things that we believed
touched God’s Hearts –
and
that were His major concerns.

The Keynote sounded for our Lenten Period -
came from the Prophet Isaiah -
who in speaking God’s word to us –
proclaimed to us in no
uncertain terms -

A Message that each of us –
each of us –
might hold up before ourselves -
throughout our entire Ministry -

A Ministry that will indeed be -
fruitful and blessed by God Himself:
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Isaiah in speaking God’s Word proclaims:

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen;
to loose the chains of injustice,
and untie the cords of the yoke,

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and
to provide the poor wanderer with shelter -
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood ?

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer,
you will cry for help and He will say:
Here am I."
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We end with this thought:
God Calls us -
and we answer -
"Here am I send me."

And so –
in faith & in obedience –
when we answer God’s Call -
to do the work He Call us to do -

and when we Call upon Him to help us -
to do this work -

God’s promises that He will answer and
that He will say:

"Here am I "

And –
Especially -
we remember and we claim His promise -

"Before You call –

I will answer."
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And now my
Companion in the Ministry of Christ:

I charge You to Love Your People –

To -
Set high standards and to have great expectations
Of those committed to Your charge –
And yet –
Don’t give up on them when they fall short.

And as you walk hand in hand with the Savior –
Throughout Your Ministry -

So also continue to walk hand in hand –
with Your People –
Entering into their joys & sorrows –
Their struggles and their challenges –

Giving Your very best –
To equip and to empower them for

The Life & the Ministry –
to which Christ has Called Them.

Have a sense of humor -
Don’t take yourself too seriously –
However do give your work -
The seriousness it deserves.

Remember -
What the Greeks who came to Phillip
Told him:
"We would see Jesus,"

So -
Resist the Temptation to –
preach & to proclaim Your own word –

But amongst the strident & clamorous –
voices of today’s world –

earnestly & prayerfully strive to -
Listen and to discern & to proclaim –
God’s Word –

God’s Word –

Which is Jesus Christ our Lord.

And

Him Crucified !
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A M E N & A M E N !!!


jdp+

19 June 2002
The Anniversary of
The Emancipation Proclamation