(soft organ music) (organ music quickens) (soft organ music) (soft organ music) (upbeat organ music) 

- ♪Beautiful Savior ♪ ♪ Lord of all nations ♪ ♪ Son of God and Son of Man ♪ ♪ Glory and honor ♪ ♪ Praise adoration ♪ ♪ Now and forevermore be Thine ♪ ♪ Now and forevermore be Thine ♪ (upbeat organ music) 

- This is the special day of the year that we gather to remember those whose lives and dedication and contributions made possible the Duke University that we have today. We especially remember the Duke family, Father Washington, the sons, James Buchanan and Benjamin, for their contributions almost throughout the life of this institution in it's beginning days. They were among those citizens of Durham, Methodists concerned with Trinity College located in the middle of the state in a rural region, as the leadership attempted to find a more appropriate setting. It was not a lately arrived at concern for this institution that the Duke family had, from the very beginning. It's always struck me as remarkable that it wasn't just money that that family provided, again, a lesson for us today, because it was Washington Duke at the turn of the century, when university leaders and other parts of the nation were not quite sure, Washington Duke was certain and saw to it that Trinity College admitted women on an equal basis. Almost the first college in the country to do so. Then it was Benjamin Duke, a member of the board of trustees a devout supporter of the Methodist church, who in the historic occasion of the Bassett case, defended academic freedom within the board of Trustees, supporting the faculty, supporting the president of Trinity College, and determining in large part, the direction of that academic freedom was to take in this nation. So we pay tribute today to those who not only helped us financially as this institution began it's service, but those who have helped in so many other ways in shaping the character of this great university. We honor today, and on this occasion every year, not only the original donors that made possible this institution, those that went before the Dukes, those that came after, those today, and those tomorrow. It's not accidental that we call the donors of today founders and make them members of the Founders Society because a great university, in it's enduring purposes, needs to have founders year in and year out, and new founders all of the time, and so today, we express gratitude for all of those who have built Duke University, and made it the outstanding institution that it is. 

- Let us pray. O, eternal God, the resurrection and the life of all that believe in you, who art always to be praised, as well in the dead as in the living, we give you hearty thanks for your servants. These servants are benefactors of Duke University by whose bounty are here brought up to Godliness and the studies of good learning. Beseeching you that we, well using all these, your blessings, to the praise and honor of your holy name, may at length together with them, and all your servants departed this life, be brought to the immortal glory of the resurrection. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. Let us join together responsively in the litany of commemoration. Almighty and eternal God, in whom our mothers and fathers have trusted, we, their children, at this time of remembrance, offer unto Thee, our prayers of thanksgiving. 

- Hear us each, O Lord. 

- For the members of Duke family, father, daughter, sons, and their wives, grandchildren, and all others in continuing generations, until this very day, who, with concern and compassion, devotion and dedication, and by their generosity, built on a solid foundation, continued a worthy school and provided for education and service beyond even their dreams and expectations. 

- We give Thee thanks and praise. 

- For the pioneering and persevering men and women connected with this university, Methodists and Quakers, farmers and merchants, teachers and administrators, who in days gone by, believed in education and made their beliefs prevail. 

- We give Thee thanks and praise. 

- For the embodiment of their dreams, from private school to academy, to college, to great university, founded in hope, continued with sacrifice, growing in outreach, serving with effectiveness. 

- We give Thee thanks and praise. 

- For faculty and staff, whose vision was bolstered by their courage, whose patience was tested and found true, and whose idealism was implanted in the hearts and minds of others. 

- We give Thee thanks and praise. 

- For the ongoing presence of noble ideas, the blending of Eruditio et Religio, the freedom for responsible academic research and teaching, the ongoing respect for both the body and the spirit, the pursuit of knowledge in the sciences and the humanities, the realization that the old order changes, and new days bring new possibilities for us all. 

- We give Thee thanks and praise. 

- For the future of Duke University, established for thy glory and the enlightenment of the human mind and spirit, for consecration to learning by the young, for the best use of the wisdom of those in later years, for the commitment to the growth and enhancement of all persons, for a sense of humor, a spirit of cooperation, and a desire for understanding among all within our community and within the world, 

- We give Thee thanks and praise, and to Thee, O God, we shall ascribe as is most do, all praise and glory, world without end, Amen. (soft organ music) 

- ♪ O come, O come Emmanuel ♪ ♪ And ransom captive Israel ♪ ♪ That mourns in lonely exile here ♪ ♪ Until the Son of God appear ♪ ♪ Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Shall come to Thee O Israel ♪ 

- The God whom we gather to worship, has watched persons here blessed in baptism, couples united in this place in marriage, celebrations here on the occasion of physical death, pilgrims here sustained by grace through the Lord's supper, petitioning persons here comforted and given direction, answered through prayer, and inquirers, doubters, here enlightened by God's word rightly read, and diligently preached, and properly received. In this place, these old stones with many stories to tell. On this third Sunday in advent, on this Founder's Day, let us worship God. Praying in unison, our Advent Prayer. 

- O, blessed Lord, our God, in this holy season of Advent, come again to this day, come into our hearts, and so cleanse them that we be pure in heart, may know the peace which comes from Thee, the peace the world can neither give nor take away, come into our minds, and so enlighten and enlumen them, that we may know the one who is the way, the truth, and the life. Touch our lips, that we may speak the words which spread by love, and give others hope and courage in times of special need. Touch our eyes, that they may behold the glory and goodness of Thy handiwork in all that surrounds us in this holy season. Touch our hands, that they may become truly instruments to serve the needs of others, to love as thou would have us love. Come when we are sad, to comfort us, when we are tired, to refresh us, when we are lonely, to cheer us, when we are tempted, to strengthen us, when we are perplexed, to guide us, when we are happy, to make our joy doubly blessed. Come, O blessed Lord, through Jesus Christ, Amen. 

- My sisters and my brothers, as a community, we have confessed. As a community, we can experience the sense of God's grace, moving us into the future. Know and believe the good news, that in Jesus who was and is the Christ, you and I are a forgiven people. Let us give thanks, for God is good, and God's love is everlasting. 

- Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us. Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us. 

- Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us into the future. 

- This is an exciting time in the life of the university, it is a pleasure to be able to welcome you back to the campus, and to this service worship of God. I draw your attention to each of the announcements in the bulletin this morning. It is good to be able to welcome to the pulpit of Duke University Chapel. The Reverend Dr. Wallace Kirby. You will note, that for the last ten years, Dr. Kirby has been the senior minister at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, that is a witness, I believe, to his discipleship, his commitment to ministry in Christ's church. Dr. Wallace is no stranger to this campus. He is our neighbor, he is a trustee. He received one of his degrees from this university from the Divinity School, and so he is coming home. It is good to be able to welcome him back, to say that we look forward to his proclamation of God's word, and the preaching of the sermon, Lessons From Two Little Girls. 

- Let us pray. O, Lord and lover of us all, cause the pure light of your divine knowledge to shine forth in our hearts, and open the eyes of our understanding that we may comprehend they ways of your Gospel through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. The Old Testament lesson is from Isiah. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad. The desert shall rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. The majesty of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the Glory of the Lord, and the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees, say to those who are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not, behold, your God will come with vengeance. And with recompenseive God, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped, then shall the lain man leap like a heart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy. For the water shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground, springs of water. The haunt of the jackal shall become a swamp, and the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it and fools shall not err therein. No line shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come upon it, they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come designed with singing. Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Here ends the reading from the Old testament. The Epistle lesson is from James. Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, they you may not be judged, behold the judge is standing at the doors. As an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Here ends the reading from the Epistle lesson. (organ plays softly) 

- (sings in foreign language) 

- When John, the Baptist, heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent some of his disciples to him. "Tell us," they asked Jesus, "are you the one John said was going to come? "Or should we expect someone else?" Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John "what you are hearing and seeing. "The blind can see, the lame can walk, "the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, "the dead are raised to life, "and the good news is preached to them who are poor. "Happy is he who has no doubts about me." While John's disciples were going back, Jesus spoke about John to the crowds. "When you went out to John in the desert, "what did you expect to see? "A blade of grass, bending in the wind? "What did you go out to see? "A man dressed up in fancy clothes? "People who dress like that live in palaces. "Tell me, what did you expect to see? A prophet? "Yes, I tell you, you saw much more than a prophet." But John is the one of whom the scripture says, "Here is my messenger," says the God. "I will send him ahead of you to open the way for you." Remember this, John the Baptist is greater than any man who has ever lived. But he who is least in the kingdom of Heaven, is greater than--