“MY LAST SERMON:
My Favorite Biblical Text for Retirement/Favorite Song for Retirement/ Favorite Part of Ministry/ Candidate for president/ Democrat/Gospel/ Poet/Public Prayer/Movie/ /Parishioner/”
©2018

The sermon delivered by the Rev. Dr. Thomas D. Wintle at the First Parish Church in Weston, Massachusetts, on June 3, 2018. The scripture reading was John 3:25-36

“How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!” (Ps 8)

 

Now what does one say in a “last sermon” before retirement? “Thank you,” of course. “Stay the course, keep this church faithful” is what I told my Lancaster church after 20 years before coming to Weston.

But what do I really want to say, to share? Then it hit me: in a supreme act of self-indulgence, tell you about my favorites. These are the things that have mattered to me, some important, some not so much, some just fun. These are a few of my favorite things.

First, my favorite biblical text for retirement.
This IS important. You need to know this as you welcome your next minister. John the Baptist appeared on the scene before Jesus, he was the forerunner, the predecessor. And it was questioned: is Jesus the one? And so you were asked “is Jeff Barz-Snell the one?” And yes, you answered, Jeff is our next minister.

So what does it mean when John says of Jesus:  “he must increase and I must decrease”? Do not mistake Jeff as the messiah. He is not. But he will be your new pastor in September. You need to turn your full attention to him in the fall. I need to drift away into my happy retirement. Some of you remember that Harry and Judy Hoehler just disappeared for awhile when I arrived in 1995. This is so that the new guy doesn’t have to compete with the old guy for your attention. That’s the way it works.

I hope you know that I love you, but you need to let Jeff learn to love you. We can still be friends, but Jeff needs to be your pastor.

I have found my favorite song for retirement: Chad and Jeremy’s “A Summer Song” – all good things must end [click here to play]

My favorite part of ministry.
The most important work of this church and any minister’s work is behind the scenes, those one-on-one relationships in surgical hospital rooms, nursing home bedsides, even in the church parking lot after a committee meeting. So much of the good this church does is largely unseen, invisible, but life saving. Let me share just one email:

“Dear Tom,
“I went to your church from 2007 to 2013 when I lived in Wayland, MA, with my two young sons. I had moved from New York City to Wayland...
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“They were challenging years, dealing with an abusive (now ex) husband and trying to safely navigate a separation... a stressful, mostly secret situation with so many difficult layers... as a world traveler, Ivy League graduate with many friends and a strong family... married to an investment banker... this can truly happen to anyone.

“I wanted you to know that learning about the resources of Second Step organization from your parish gave me the strength to take actions to my final separation- I knew I would have a place to go, that night, that moment... without having my sons feel outcast to a shelter... in the end, an unfortunate last scary incident led to a restraining order and we were able to stay in the home. Two other moms in my neighborhood were very supportive and in the end we moved in with our neighbors (our true angels) while we worked on the permissions to move . . .

“At the same time my mother was diagnosed and died of cancer
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“Your messages always had something so meaningful to me in all the moments of my life. Thank you for what you have created there, and your authentic leadership, warmth, and intellectual and spiritual guidance.

“Although I am a [Midwestern] Lutheran, I have lived around the world and truly wanted my sons to have a global perspective and embrace all cultures and religions in a non-righteous or judgmental way. It was so wonderful to find your congregation- kids and parents alike- that supported this vision for their kids while celebrating Christian traditions of many of our families.

“So as I sit here from my home …, doing homework with my two sons and reveling in my new life here (surrounded by family, remarried- with a new baby girl who is happy all the time) ... I just wanted to let you know that feeling supported by you and your congregation, although quietly... had a profoundly positive impact on my life. Thank you.”

Wow. Quiet. Unseen. But life-changing. Never underestimate that this church makes a difference in people’s lives. Never doubt that.
I have so many of these epistles. This is the only one I have shared publically. What a grace-filled ministry you and I have had.

My favorite candidate for president? Nelson Rockefeller. I went to the 1968 Republican National Convention to campaign for him. Drank daiquiris from one end of Miami Beach to the other. Sat at a bar with John Wayne. Alas, I think I may be the last of the Rockefeller liberal Republicans. So grand a tradition, so sorry it has disappeared, kind of like liberal Christian Unitarians.

My favorite Democrat? John Hennessey. He knows I’m a Rockefeller/Charlie Baker Republican, and he still comes to church!

My favorite gospel: easy, the Gospel of John, most ethereal of the gospels. It was the favorite of our Edmund Hamilton Sears, author of “It came upon the midnight clear,” who wrote a book entitled “The Fourth Gospel: The Heart of Christ.” It’s John that provides the final reading of our Christmas Eve services: which begins “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and ends with “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

My favorite poet: English metaphysical poet George Herbert, who lived 1593-1633. We will hear his “Come my way, my truth, my life.” On one of my Oxford University sabbaticals, I rented a car and drove to his church in Bemerton outside Salisbury, found his little church (about the size of our chapel), saw a note on the door about the location of the vicar, went to that house, said “this may sound strange but I am an American pastor admirer of George Herbert.” Without a word, he gave me the ancient key to the chapel. I spent hours there, Herbert was buried under the chancel, I read his poetry, I even wrote some embarrassing poetry that no one shall ever hear.

My favorite public prayer (outside the church): I was invited to give the opening prayer in the Massachusetts State House for the House of Representatives. Before the opening, I was in the House Speaker’s office. A young representative from western Massachusetts asked me if I was a Protestant. “Yes.” I’ve tried to tell these Catholic guys, he said, that we Protestants used to own Massachusetts. “Do you think I should ask in the prayer,” I said, that “Massachusetts be returned to Protestant hands?” Just then the Catholic chaplain leaned over and said “That would be asking too much of prayer.”

My favorite movie: Easy. Casablanca. Not only have I memorized every single line of the movie: “I’m shocked that there is gambling going on here. Here are your winnings, Captain.” But here is the important part: when it was produced in 1943, we DID NOT KNOW who would win the war. It was a testimony of incredible optimism.

My favorite wedding. I’m not remembering who they were, but the bride was Israeli. When I raised my arm for the benediction, she thought it was a “high five” and hit me back!

My favorite organist: You know, every week more people stay seated for the postlude. He is as friendly as his playing is spectacular. And who can forget the Sunday when,  after I preached on the the rich man and his many possessions, Matthew played “If I were a rich man” from Fiddler on the Roof? He is leaving us for the Eastman School of Music to get a Ph.D., but we hope he’ll be back: Matthew Chui.

My favorite parishioner? Now how could a parson have a “favorite” when he loves everybody? Well, maybe you love some a little more than others. So who would it be? Probably Sue Newbury – I’ve been telling her that for years. Maybe Ken Fish, who I already described as “the finest human being I have known.” Perhaps Joan McVickar, who always gives me the best hugs in the receiving line. Probably Barbara Coburn, in many ways a matriarch of this church: she was always there, always showed up for everything. Or maybe John McCahan who chaired the search committee that selected me 23 years ago: wise, very wise man. Joan Vernon: also on that search committee, of whom it was said at her memorial service “in error perhaps, in doubt never.” Chris Marobella who gave the best ministerial advice, from his years of carpentry: “perfect is the enemy of done.” Or Jack Rockart, trusted advisor, who had wonderful ways of thwarting nonsense, for which I am so thankful. So many good candidates.

But my all-time favorite parishioner / baked the bread for last month’s communion service, taught Sunday School, chaired the church school committee, rewrote the curriculum, sang in the choir for 23 years, critiques my sermons and proof-reads the newsletter: Suzanne Wintle. Thank you.

That’s all I got. THANK YOU!