Wallace H. Kirby - "Lessons from Two Little Girls" Founders' Day (December 11, 1983)

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	(soft organ music)	0:03
	(organ music quickens)	5:14
	(soft organ music)	8:40
	(soft organ music)	11:34
	(upbeat organ music)	14:17
-	♪Beautiful Savior ♪	17:13
	♪ Lord of all nations ♪	17:21
	♪ Son of God and Son of Man ♪	17:30
	♪ Glory and honor ♪	17:46
	♪ Praise adoration ♪	17:54
	♪ Now and forevermore be Thine ♪	18:01
	♪ Now and forevermore be Thine ♪	18:14
	(upbeat organ music)	18:41
-	This is the special day of the year	23:28
	that we gather to remember those whose lives	23:32
	and dedication and contributions	23:39
	made possible the Duke University that we have today.	23:41
	We especially remember the Duke family,	23:46
	Father Washington, the sons, James Buchanan and Benjamin,	23:51
	for their contributions almost throughout	23:56
	the life of this institution in it's beginning days.	23:59
	They were among those citizens of Durham,	24:05
	Methodists concerned with Trinity College	24:09
	located in the middle of the state in a rural region,	24:12
	as the leadership attempted to find	24:18
	a more appropriate setting.	24:21
	It was not a lately arrived at concern for this institution	24:24
	that the Duke family had, from the very beginning.	24:29
	It's always struck me as remarkable that	24:34
	it wasn't just money that that family provided,	24:37
	again, a lesson for us today,	24:41
	because it was Washington Duke at the turn of the century,	24:44
	when university leaders and other parts of the nation	24:48
	were not quite sure, Washington Duke was certain	24:54
	and saw to it that Trinity College	24:57
	admitted women on an equal basis.	25:01
	Almost the first college in the country to do so.	25:04
	Then it was Benjamin Duke, a member of the board of trustees	25:09
	a devout supporter of the Methodist church,	25:16
	who in the historic occasion of the Bassett case,	25:19
	defended academic freedom within the board of Trustees,	25:24
	supporting the faculty, supporting	25:28
	the president of Trinity College,	25:31
	and determining in large part,	25:34
	the direction of that academic freedom	25:37
	was to take in this nation.	25:40
	So we pay tribute today to those	25:44
	who not only helped us financially	25:47
	as this institution began it's service,	25:50
	but those who have helped in so many other ways	25:54
	in shaping the character of this great university.	25:58
	We honor today, and on this occasion every year,	26:03
	not only the original donors that made possible	26:09
	this institution, those that went before the Dukes,	26:16
	those that came after, those today, and those tomorrow.	26:20
	It's not accidental that we call	26:25
	the donors of today founders and make	26:28
	them members of the Founders Society	26:32
	because a great university, in it's enduring purposes,	26:36
	needs to have founders year in and year out,	26:40
	and new founders all of the time,	26:44
	and so today, we express gratitude	26:47
	for all of those who have built Duke University,	26:49
	and made it the outstanding institution that it is.	26:53
-	Let us pray.	27:01
	O, eternal God, the resurrection and the life	27:05
	of all that believe in you, who art always to be praised,	27:09
	as well in the dead as in the living,	27:15
	we give you hearty thanks for your servants.	27:19
	These servants are benefactors of Duke University	27:22
	by whose bounty are here brought up to Godliness	27:27
	and the studies of good learning.	27:32
	Beseeching you that we, well using all these,	27:35
	your blessings, to the praise and honor of your holy name,	27:39
	may at length together with them,	27:45
	and all your servants departed this life,	27:48
	be brought to the immortal glory of the resurrection.	27:52
	Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.	27:56
	Let us join together responsively	28:02
	in the litany of commemoration.	28:05
	Almighty and eternal God,	28:10
	in whom our mothers and fathers have trusted,	28:13
	we, their children, at this time of remembrance,	28:16
	offer unto Thee, our prayers of thanksgiving.	28:20
-	Hear us each, O Lord.	28:24
-	For the members of Duke family,	28:27
	father, daughter, sons, and their wives,	28:30
	grandchildren, and all others	28:34
	in continuing generations, until this very day,	28:36
	who, with concern and compassion, devotion and dedication,	28:41
	and by their generosity, built on a solid foundation,	28:46
	continued a worthy school and provided	28:51
	for education and service beyond	28:54
	even their dreams and expectations.	28:57
-	We give Thee thanks and praise.	29:01
-	For the pioneering and persevering men and women connected	29:04
	with this university, Methodists and Quakers,	29:08
	farmers and merchants, teachers and administrators,	29:12
	who in days gone by, believed in education	29:16
	and made their beliefs prevail.	29:20
-	We give Thee thanks and praise.	29:24
-	For the embodiment of their dreams,	29:26
	from private school to academy, to college,	29:29
	to great university, founded in hope,	29:33
	continued with sacrifice, growing in outreach,	29:37
	serving with effectiveness.	29:41
-	We give Thee thanks and praise.	29:44
-	For faculty and staff, whose vision	29:47
	was bolstered by their courage,	29:50
	whose patience was tested and found true,	29:52
	and whose idealism was implanted	29:56
	in the hearts and minds of others.	29:59
-	We give Thee thanks and praise.	30:02
-	For the ongoing presence of noble ideas,	30:05
	the blending of Eruditio et Religio,	30:09
	the freedom for responsible academic research and teaching,	30:13
	the ongoing respect for both the body and the spirit,	30:18
	the pursuit of knowledge in the sciences and the humanities,	30:23
	the realization that the old order changes,	30:27
	and new days bring new possibilities for us all.	30:31
-	We give Thee thanks and praise.	30:36
-	For the future of Duke University,	30:39
	established for thy glory and the enlightenment	30:42
	of the human mind and spirit,	30:46
	for consecration to learning by the young,	30:48
	for the best use of the wisdom of those in later years,	30:52
	for the commitment to the growth	30:57
	and enhancement of all persons,	30:59
	for a sense of humor, a spirit of cooperation,	31:02
	and a desire for understanding among all	31:07
	within our community and within the world,	31:10
-	We give Thee thanks and praise, and to Thee,	31:14
	O God, we shall ascribe as is most do,	31:17
	all praise and glory, world without end, Amen.	31:21
	(soft organ music)	31:31
-	♪ O come, O come Emmanuel ♪	31:36
	♪ And ransom captive Israel ♪	31:43
	♪ That mourns in lonely exile here ♪	31:50
	♪ Until the Son of God appear ♪	31:57
	♪ Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel ♪	32:05
	♪ Shall come to Thee O Israel ♪	32:14
-	The God whom we gather to worship,	32:30
	has watched persons here blessed in baptism,	32:32
	couples united in this place in marriage,	32:37
	celebrations here on the occasion of physical death,	32:41
	pilgrims here sustained by grace through the Lord's supper,	32:46
	petitioning persons here comforted	32:51
	and given direction, answered through prayer,	32:54
	and inquirers, doubters, here enlightened	32:59
	by God's word rightly read,	33:02
	and diligently preached, and properly received.	33:05
	In this place, these old stones with many stories to tell.	33:11
	On this third Sunday in advent,	33:17
	on this Founder's Day, let us worship God.	33:22
	Praying in unison, our Advent Prayer.	33:29
-	O, blessed Lord, our God,	33:35
	in this holy season of Advent,	33:38
	come again to this day, come into our hearts,	33:40
	and so cleanse them that we be pure in heart,	33:45
	may know the peace which comes from Thee,	33:49
	the peace the world can neither give nor take away,	33:53
	come into our minds, and so enlighten and enlumen them,	33:57
	that we may know the one who is	34:02
	the way, the truth, and the life.	34:04
	Touch our lips, that we may speak the words	34:07
	which spread by love, and give others hope and courage	34:10
	in times of special need.	34:14
	Touch our eyes, that they may behold the glory	34:17
	and goodness of Thy handiwork	34:21
	in all that surrounds us in this holy season.	34:23
	Touch our hands, that they may become truly instruments	34:27
	to serve the needs of others,	34:31
	to love as thou would have us love.	34:34
	Come when we are sad, to comfort us,	34:38
	when we are tired, to refresh us,	34:42
	when we are lonely, to cheer us,	34:45
	when we are tempted, to strengthen us,	34:48
	when we are perplexed, to guide us,	34:51
	when we are happy, to make our joy doubly blessed.	34:55
	Come, O blessed Lord, through Jesus Christ, Amen.	34:59
-	My sisters and my brothers,	35:41
	as a community, we have confessed.	35:44
	As a community, we can experience	35:47
	the sense of God's grace, moving us into the future.	35:49
	Know and believe the good news,	35:54
	that in Jesus who was and is the Christ,	35:58
	you and I are a forgiven people.	36:02
	Let us give thanks, for God is good,	36:06
	and God's love is everlasting.	36:09
-	Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us.	36:12
	Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us.	36:16
-	Thanks be to God, whose grace leads us into the future.	36:20
-	This is an exciting time in the life of the university,	36:28
	it is a pleasure to be able to welcome you back	36:33
	to the campus, and to this service worship of God.	36:36
	I draw your attention to each of the announcements	36:42
	in the bulletin this morning.	36:45
	It is good to be able to welcome to the pulpit	36:52
	of Duke University Chapel.	36:55
	The Reverend Dr. Wallace Kirby.	36:58
	You will note, that for the last ten years,	37:02
	Dr. Kirby has been the senior minister	37:05
	at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh,	37:07
	that is a witness, I believe, to his discipleship,	37:13
	his commitment to ministry in Christ's church.	37:18
	Dr. Wallace is no stranger to this campus.	37:26
	He is our neighbor, he is a trustee.	37:30
	He received one of his degrees from this university	37:36
	from the Divinity School, and so he is coming home.	37:40
	It is good to be able to welcome him back,	37:45
	to say that we look forward to	37:49
	his proclamation of God's word,	37:50
	and the preaching of the sermon,	37:53
	Lessons From Two Little Girls.	37:55
-	Let us pray.	38:12
	O, Lord and lover of us all,	38:15
	cause the pure light of your divine knowledge	38:19
	to shine forth in our hearts,	38:22
	and open the eyes of our understanding	38:24
	that we may comprehend they ways of your Gospel	38:27
	through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.	38:29
	The Old Testament lesson is from Isiah.	38:35
	The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad.	38:39
	The desert shall rejoice and blossom.	38:42
	Like the crocus, it shall blossom abundantly	38:45
	and rejoice with joy and singing.	38:47
	The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it.	38:50
	The majesty of Carmel and Sharon,	38:54
	they shall see the Glory of the Lord,	38:57
	and the majesty of our God.	39:00
	Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees,	39:02
	say to those who are of a fearful heart,	39:06
	be strong, fear not, behold,	39:09
	your God will come with vengeance.	39:13
	And with recompenseive God, he will come and save you.	39:16
	Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened	39:21
	and the ears of the deaf unstopped,	39:23
	then shall the lain man leap like a heart,	39:25
	and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.	39:28
	For the water shall break forth in the wilderness	39:32
	and streams in the desert.	39:35
	The burning sand shall become a pool	39:37
	and the thirsty ground, springs of water.	39:39
	The haunt of the jackal shall become a swamp,	39:42
	and the grass shall become reeds and rushes.	39:45
	And a highway shall be there,	39:49
	and it shall be called The Holy Way.	39:51
	The unclean shall not pass over it	39:54
	and fools shall not err therein.	39:56
	No line shall be there, nor shall	39:59
	any ravenous beast come upon it,	40:01
	they shall not be found there,	40:04
	but the redeemed shall walk there,	40:06
	and the ransomed of the Lord shall return	40:09
	and come designed with singing.	40:12
	Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.	40:15
	They shall obtain joy and gladness,	40:18
	and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.	40:22
	Here ends the reading from the Old testament.	40:25
	The Epistle lesson is from James.	40:31
	Be patient therefore, brethren,	40:35
	until the coming of the Lord.	40:38
	Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit	40:41
	of the earth, being patient over it,	40:43
	until it receives the early and late rain.	40:45
	You also be patient, establish your hearts,	40:48
	for the coming of the Lord is at hand.	40:53
	Do not grumble against one another,	40:56
	they you may not be judged, behold	40:59
	the judge is standing at the doors.	41:02
	As an example of suffering and patience,	41:05
	take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.	41:07
	Here ends the reading from the Epistle lesson.	41:12
	(organ plays softly)	41:19
-	(sings in foreign language)	41:38
-	When John, the Baptist, heard in prison	46:29
	about the works of Christ,	46:32
	he sent some of his disciples to him.	46:34
	"Tell us," they asked Jesus,	46:38
	"are you the one John said was going to come?	46:41
	"Or should we expect someone else?"	46:44
	Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John	46:48
	"what you are hearing and seeing.	46:52
	"The blind can see, the lame can walk,	46:55
	"the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear,	46:59
	"the dead are raised to life,	47:03
	"and the good news is preached to them who are poor.	47:05
	"Happy is he who has no doubts about me."	47:09
	While John's disciples were going back,	47:14
	Jesus spoke about John to the crowds.	47:17
	"When you went out to John in the desert,	47:22
	"what did you expect to see?	47:24
	"A blade of grass, bending in the wind?	47:26
	"What did you go out to see?	47:30
	"A man dressed up in fancy clothes?	47:32
	"People who dress like that live in palaces.	47:35
	"Tell me, what did you expect to see? A prophet?	47:38
	"Yes, I tell you, you saw much more than a prophet."	47:43
	But John is the one of whom the scripture says,	47:48
	"Here is my messenger," says the God.	47:51
	"I will send him ahead of you to open the way for you."	47:54
	Remember this, John the Baptist	47:58
	is greater than any man who has ever lived.	48:01
	But he who is least in the kingdom of Heaven,	48:05
	is greater than--	48:09

-	Amen.	0:04
	(resonating choral music)	0:07
	I saw a man last October	1:21
	who looked like Santa Claus.	1:24
	He did not have on the traditional red suit.	1:29
	He was wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt.	1:32
	He was not on a rooftop, or on a sleigh,	1:36
	or even in a parade.	1:40
	He was getting ready to sit down at a seafood dinner	1:43
	at a restaurant in Hazelwood, North Carolina.	1:46
	He had flowing white hair and a white beard,	1:50
	and a pleasant smile.	1:53
	But none of the other things	1:56
	that I usually associate with Santa Claus.	1:58
	However the reaction of two little girls in that restaurant	2:02
	was enough to convince me that he was Santa.	2:08
	They were awestruck.	2:13
	Their eyes were twinkling with excitement.	2:16
	One of them had her doll, and she was too fascinated to	2:19
	speak to Santa, but she held out that doll for him to see.	2:23
	Their mother did most of the talking.	2:29
	Santa grinned and shook hands with the two little girls	2:32
	as the hostess waited patiently to usher him to his table.	2:35
	The little girls backed out of the front door,	2:41
	their eyes staring in wonder and disbelief.	2:43
	That restaurant was the last place	2:50
	they expected to see Santa Claus.	2:53
	It was October, there was no snow on the ground,	2:57
	Christmas was two months away, there had been no parade,	3:02
	there was no even an available fireplace	3:07
	where he could descend, nor was he dressed	3:11
	as one usually expects Santa to be dressed.	3:14
	And yet, to those two little girls,	3:19
	he was there.	3:24
	Neither of them asked him: are you the real Santa Claus,	3:27
	or do we have to wait for Christmas Eve?	3:30
	Even though there were none of the usual	3:34
	and expected things to prove that he was real, he was.	3:37
	To them.	3:43
	They were thrilled and excited to shake his hand.	3:45
	One offered to show him her prized possession	3:48
	and backed away absolutely amazed.	3:50
	I can imagine they called their friends when they got home	3:55
	that night, to tell them about the marvelous thing	3:58
	that had happened to them.	4:00
	They were little girls, maybe four and six years of age.	4:03
	Their concept of Christmas is limited.	4:10
	At this point in their lives, Christmas and Santa Claus	4:14
	are synonymous, but even in their childish concepts,	4:17
	I relearned some lessons	4:22
	from those two little girls.	4:27
	They taught me that Christmas can happen any time,	4:31
	anywhere, Emmanuel,	4:37
	God is with us.	4:41
	They taught me that I should offer to Christmas	4:43
	and to God's presence my very best.	4:46
	And they helped me to learn again,	4:50
	that I should never cease to be amazed, awed by it.	4:53
	And to wonder at it.	4:59
	We do not have to read too far in the gospel records	5:04
	before we discover that John the Baptist was a preacher	5:07
	who did not hesitate to speak out boldly	5:10
	against any kind of evil or wrongdoing.	5:13
	He would not soften the word of God for anyone.	5:18
	He was a man who kept the agenda on the table.	5:24
	And was willing to speak out,	5:30
	even if it endangered his position.	5:31
	He had the kind of	5:35
	openness, honesty, candor,	5:37
	that the current chairman of the Council	5:43
	of Economic Advisors, Martin Feldstein, has,	5:45
	when he persists in pointing out	5:49
	the dangers of deficit spending.	5:52
	John one time spoke out fearlessly	5:55
	and very pointedly,	5:59
	almost too fearlessly and too pointedly for his own safety,	6:02
	King Herod of Galilee had paid a visit	6:07
	to his brother in Rome.	6:10
	During that visit, he seduced his brother's wife.	6:12
	He went back to Galilee, dismissed his own wife,	6:16
	and married this sister-in-law, whom he had lured away	6:19
	from her husband.	6:22
	John rebuked the king,	6:25
	publicly and sternly.	6:29
	It was not safe to denounce Eastern royalty.	6:32
	King Herod got his revenge by throwing John	6:37
	into the dungeons of a prison down in the mountains,	6:40
	near the Dead Sea.	6:44
	And it was there that John began to ask himself	6:47
	some questions about his cousin, Jesus,	6:52
	whom he had baptized in the Jordan.	6:54
	Was he the Messiah?	6:58
	At the beginning, he had been positive that Jesus was the	7:01
	one for whom the Jews had waited with such expectations.	7:05
	Was he right?	7:11
	Now he was beginning to have doubts.	7:15
	John was the forerunner, who recognized Jesus,	7:18
	baptized him, announced him to the world,	7:22
	but here he was, having second thoughts.	7:24
	John's preaching had been a message of doom	7:29
	to those who did not repent.	7:31
	The ax is ready to cut the tree down	7:34
	that does not bear good fruit.	7:36
	The one who comes after me will separate the chaff	7:39
	from the wheat and throw the worthless grain into the fire.	7:41
	But in the dampness and darkness of his prison cell,	7:47
	John was wondering:	7:52
	when is Jesus going to do something?	7:56
	When is he going to blast his enemies?	8:01
	When is the day of God's holy destruction going to begin?	8:06
	Will he ever restore the glory to Israel?	8:10
	So he sent his disciples to Jesus with the question:	8:14
	are you the one who was to come?	8:18
	Or must we go on wearily waiting for someone else?	8:23
	Jesus told those disciples: go back,	8:27
	go back and don't tell John what I am saying.	8:30
	Tell him what I am doing.	8:32
	Don't tell John what I am claiming.	8:36
	Tell him what is happening.	8:39
	Tell him that those who were blind to the truth	8:42
	about themselves and about their fellow men	8:45
	and about God are having their eyes opened.	8:47
	Tell him that those whose feet were never strong enough	8:52
	to stay on the right course are being strengthened.	8:55
	Tell him that those who were deaf to the voice	9:00
	of conscience and of God are beginning to listen.	9:03
	Tell him that I may not be doing the things he expects	9:07
	me to do, but that the real enemies of mankind,	9:10
	guilt, greed, despair,	9:16
	are being overcome.	9:20
	John had doubts because Jesus was not doing the things	9:24
	he expected.	9:28
	Sometimes we have doubts because the way the faith comes	9:31
	to us cuts across all of our ideas of how it ought to come.	9:36
	And that's why I value the lesson those two little girls	9:41
	taught me, that evening in a restaurant in Hazelwood.	9:44
	They taught me that Christmas can come any time.	9:50
	Anywhere.	9:55
	Emmanuel, God is with us.	9:58
	Emmanuel,	10:06
	God is with us in the most unexpected places.	10:09
	And at the most unexpected times.	10:15
	Once at an early morning study and prayer group,	10:19
	I heard a man say: if God would take one of the town's	10:22
	reprobates and change him overnight,	10:26
	it would do more to convince this town	10:28
	of God's presence than anything else.	10:30
	What about Bob, I responded.	10:35
	He was certainly at the bottom; look at him now.	10:38
	Bob had been an alcoholic, hopelessly so.	10:43
	He had drunk himself out of a job, out of a family,	10:46
	out of the town's respect.	10:49
	A new preacher was assigned to the Methodist church	10:50
	in that little town.	10:53
	He and Bob struck up a friendship,	10:54
	and through that influence,	10:57
	Bob started going to AA meetings.	10:59
	Soon he was sober, after three years he was back at work,	11:01
	back with his family, back in church.	11:04
	When I knew him 10 years later, he was a leader	11:07
	in the community, a lay-speaker in his church,	11:10
	and a successful merchant.	11:13
	I wondered, I wondered, I wondered why that transformation	11:16
	had not convinced the town of God's presence.	11:20
	The world has always had trouble recognizing God	11:26
	when he comes; the Hebrews grumbled at Moses.	11:29
	The prophets were considered eccentric.	11:33
	The Bethlehem babe, the teacher on the hillside,	11:35
	the savior on the cross were not enough.	11:37
	We've always had difficulty recognizing the presence	11:41
	of God, because of some preconceived notions	11:44
	of the way God is supposed to come to us.	11:49
	In the city where I live and work,	11:54
	we have a place called The Ark.	11:56
	It's an urban ministry center, supported by 35 churches.	11:59
	In a variety of ways, The Ark seeks to minister	12:05
	to the needs of the poor, the lonely,	12:08
	the desolate, the troubled, the broken.	12:11
	A Roman Catholic sister directs this mission.	12:14
	She is assisted by over 100 volunteers.	12:17
	One of the churches in Raleigh decided to investigate	12:21
	the Ark before lending its support.	12:24
	Members of that church's committee on missions	12:29
	came one morning to spend the day with Sister Helen.	12:32
	They sat with her, as she listened to the visitors	12:37
	who came to that place seeking help.	12:42
	They saw food distributed after verification	12:45
	that there was real need.	12:48
	They watched her direct people to places of employment.	12:51
	They listened to her contact every other helping agency	12:56
	in our city, regarding transportation, housing,	12:59
	medical service.	13:03
	They saw a volunteer sit for hours and work with someone	13:05
	who wanted to learn to read.	13:09
	They heard another volunteer tell young mothers	13:13
	how to care for their babies and how to feed their families.	13:15
	The needs were as varied as the people who came.	13:18
	And every person who came that morning,	13:22
	every visitor, was treated with dignity and respect,	13:25
	valued as the human being he or she is.	13:29
	When the day was over, the members of that church	13:34
	commended Sister Helen for all that was being done.	13:36
	But we cannot support, either with money or volunteers,	13:39
	they said, because you never question anybody	13:42
	about their salvation, and about eternal life.	13:46
	There are no pamphlets around for them to read	13:49
	about sin and redemption.	13:51
	You never offered them the gospel.	13:54
	And Helen's response: my heavens!	13:58
	What do you think we have been doing all day, if we have	14:00
	not been showing God's love and the spirit of Christ?	14:03
	Emmanuel, God is with us in the most unexpected places.	14:07
	At the most unexpected times.	14:13
	Those two little girls also taught me that I need	14:19
	to offer God's presence my very best.	14:22
	Always to offer it my very best.	14:26
	There was a tender moment that night when the little girl	14:31
	with the doll held it out for Santa to see,	14:34
	I wondered if she would have given it to him, had he asked.	14:37
	I believe she would have.	14:40
	Today we are celebrating the founding of this university.	14:44
	It's here because of the influence of the church.	14:48
	I've read about Mount Bethel and Mount Hebrim,	14:53
	and how deeply rooted the Duke family traditions	14:56
	and patterns of giving, go back	14:59
	to those two little churches.	15:01
	This was where a concern for the less fortunate	15:05
	became ingrained in a family.	15:08
	One of the prime factors leading to the establishment	15:12
	of the Duke Endowment was the low income of the people	15:15
	of the two Carolinas, knowing that service to mankind	15:18
	was the best offering they could make to God.	15:22
	Gifts were made by the Dukes to support educational,	15:27
	healthcare, and other eleemosynary institutions.	15:31
	Their intentions are clearly stated in the indenture.	15:36
	An endeavor to make provisions in some measure	15:40
	for the needs of mankind, along physical, mental,	15:43
	and spiritual lines.	15:47
	They were offering God their best,	15:50
	so that eyes would be open to truth.	15:53
	And ears would listen to the voice of God.	15:57
	This chapel stands here at the center of this campus	16:03
	to remind us of God's presence,	16:05
	and I need to offer it our best.	16:07
	There are two other places that remind me of the offering	16:11
	that the Dukes made, and I confess that I missed them both	16:17
	when I was a student here, 30 years ago.	16:21
	I stood at those two places recently.	16:24
	One is on East Campus.	16:27
	It's the statue of the sower.	16:29
	I looked at that statue and I reminded myself	16:32
	that I must be as diligent in offering my best	16:34
	as the sower is in sowing seed.	16:38
	And I must provide the kind of soil in which	16:40
	that seed can take root and grow.	16:43
	The other place is a bronze plaque	16:49
	in the central quadrangle.	16:52
	I walked by it hundreds of times in the 1950s,	16:55
	and I never saw it.	16:59
	A few weeks ago, I stopped and read it.	17:03
	It states the aims of this university,	17:06
	urging it to keep on offering the best in knowledge	17:09
	and faith, and service.	17:13
	Offering the presence of God,	17:18
	our best.	17:23
	Well, those two little girls backed out of that restaurant,	17:26
	absolutely amazed at what they had experienced.	17:28
	They taught me that Christmas, Emmanuel, God with us,	17:32
	should never cease to leave me amazed,	17:35
	and awestruck.	17:40
	Three years ago about this time the UPI carried a story	17:44
	about the Mike Goldberg family in Los Angeles,	17:47
	whose Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights,	17:51
	was almost ruined one year.	17:54
	A cleaning woman had mistakenly thrown away	17:57
	a priceless family treasure.	18:00
	A 16th century menorah.	18:03
	This liturgical and symbolic candlestick had belonged	18:07
	to Mr. Goldberg's ancestors.	18:10
	Desperate, he called the city refuse disposal office	18:13
	and asked if he could speak to anyone who was Jewish,	18:17
	so that they would understand.	18:20
	And they connected him with a Miss Ackerman,	18:22
	and she took the problem to the boss,	18:24
	and they discovered that the truck that picked up	18:26
	the garbage in the Goldberg neighborhood	18:29
	was now on the way to the city dump.	18:31
	Mr. Goldberg sped to the dump, intercepted the truck,	18:35
	found the drivers to be sympathetic but cautious.	18:40
	They warned him that that truck carried eight tons	18:45
	of garbage, trash, and then they spread it out for him,	18:48
	over as long a stretch as they could.	18:53
	And he began to dig with his hands, wishing for a shovel.	18:56
	Suddenly, he found one, a shovel he himself had thrown away.	18:59
	He regarded this as a sign from God.	19:02
	He dug for several hours, and finally he found the menorah,	19:06
	and there in the dump, he raised his voice	19:09
	in prayer of thanksgiving: Hear, O Israel,	19:12
	the Lord our god, the Lord is one.	19:15
	Signs of God's kingdom are all around us.	19:20
	There are signs of his holy presence,	19:24
	even in the most unlikely places.	19:26
	But we have to have eyes that want to see,	19:28
	and ears that want to hear,	19:33
	and a heart that desires God,	19:37
	one willing to wade into the waste places	19:39
	and common places, meeting places, and strange places.	19:42
	I wished I could see those two little girls again.	19:46
	I need to thank them for reminding me	19:49
	that Christmas can happen any time, anywhere.	19:54
	And that I should offer it my best,	19:58
	and that it should always leave me awestruck,	20:00
	amazed.	20:05
	Wondering at the presence of God.	20:07
	Amen.	20:15
	(organ music)	20:25
	(echoing choral music)	20:49
-	As the people of God, let us affirm what we believe.	22:17
	We believe in God, who has created and is creating,	22:22
	who has come in the truly human Jesus to reconcile	22:27
	and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.	22:32
	We trust God, who calls us to be the church,	22:37
	to celebrate life and its fullness,	22:41
	to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil.	22:45
	To proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,	22:50
	our judge and our hope, in life, in death,	22:54
	in life beyond death, God is with us,	22:59
	we are not alone; thanks be to God.	23:03
	The Lord be with you.	23:08
	(murmuring)	23:10
	Let us pray.	23:12
	Our Lord, Jesus Christ, oh son of the most high,	23:28
	prince of peace, be born again into our world.	23:33
	Wherever there is war in this world,	23:40
	wherever there is pain, wherever there is loneliness	23:43
	and devastation, wherever there is no hope,	23:48
	come, oh long expected one, with healing in your wings.	23:53
	Oh holy child, whom the shepherds and kings	24:00
	and beasts adored, be born again.	24:05
	Wherever there is boredom, wherever there is fear	24:09
	of failure, wherever there is temptation too strong	24:14
	to resist, wherever there is bitterness of heart,	24:19
	come, oh blessed one, with healing in your wings.	24:25
	Oh savior of the world, be born in each of us	24:30
	who raises his face to your face.	24:36
	Not knowing fully who we are, or who you are,	24:40
	knowing only that your love is beyond our knowing,	24:46
	and that no other has the power to make us whole.	24:50
	Come Lord Jesus, to each who longs for you,	24:56
	even though we have forgotten your name.	25:01
	With your love, seek us, oh Lord, and find us	25:06
	that we may find ourselves and our places in your kingdom.	25:12
	With your light awaken us, oh Lord,	25:18
	and give us a vision to seek out neglected tasks	25:23
	and the desire to accomplish them.	25:28
	With your truth, guide us, oh Lord, as we make our	25:32
	pilgrimage toward a joyous Christmas this year.	25:37
	And may we find that truth and that hope	25:43
	and that joy and find it through Jesus Christ our lord,	25:46
	who taught us to pray, saying:	25:52
	our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.	25:56
	Thy kingdom come, they will be done,	26:01
	on Earth as it is in heaven.	26:05
	Give us this day our daily bread,	26:08
	and forgive us our trespasses,	26:11
	as we forgive those who trespass against us.	26:13
	And lead us not into temptation,	26:17
	but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom,	26:20
	and the power, and the glory forever.	26:24
	Amen.	26:28
	(tranquil organ music)	26:34
	(reverent choral music)	28:17
	(triumphal organ music)	31:33
	(reverberating choral music)	31:54
	Oh God, merciful and gracious, accept this offering	33:00
	of your people; remember in your love those who have	33:04
	brought it and those for whom it is given.	33:08
	So follow it with your blessing that it may promote peace	33:12
	and goodwill among all people, everywhere.	33:15
	Through Jesus Christ, our lord, amen.	33:19
	(sonorous organ music)	33:26
	(somber choral music)	34:21
	The peace of God, which passes all understanding,	38:40
	keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love	38:45
	of God, and of his son, Jesus Christ, our lord,	38:49
	and the blessing of God almighty, creator, redeemer,	38:55
	sustainer, be among you, and remain with you always.	39:00
	(soaring choral music)	39:10
	(intricate organ music)	39:38
	(murmuring)	44:45

Item Info

Title:

Wallace H. Kirby - "Lessons from Two Little Girls" Founders' Day (December 11, 1983)

Description:

God's presence can show up anytime and anywhere, even in the most unexpected places. We ought to give our best to God, and always be amazed and wonder at God's presence. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Sermon start time: (Part 1) 46:29. Sermon end time: (Part 2) 20:17.
Key quotation: “Signs of God’s kingdom are all around us. There are signs of his holy presence even in the most unlikely places. But we have to have eyes that want to see, and ears that want to hear, and a heart that desires God, one willing to wade into the waste places, and common places, meeting places, and strange places.”

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4dz03g2x

Date:

December 11, 1983

Speaker:

Kirby, Wallace H.

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 CS-0182
ref7887_xs2
uachapelsermaud
duke:320613
dcrau001173
ark:/87924/r4dz03g2x
6f6bfe73-1650-476a-be10-303819c708c7

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

Source Collection:

Duke University Chapel recordings, 1954-2005

Related Resources:

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Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

Format:

Provenance:

The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

Rights:

Limited Re-Use

CC BY-NC 4.0

Rights Note:

This recording may contain 3rd party materials, such as music or readings that are therefore not covered by the Creative Commons license indicated here. For more information see https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/citations-and-permissions.

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Wallace H. Kirby - "Lessons from Two Little Girls" Founders' Day (December 11, 1983)

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1. Wallace H. Kirby - "Lessons from Two Little Girls" Founder's Day (December 11, 1983)

Duke University Archives

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Wallace H. Kirby - "Lessons from Two Little Girls" Founders' Day (December 11, 1983)

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Duke University Archives

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