Memories

"In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." A gospel of assurance from our Lord Jesus, with the promise of salvation through faith in Him. 

I shall speak, and pray. You may be seated.

We loved her: why did Genie die? Because death is the way of all flesh. Time comes for each of us, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” We are born to live, to love and be loved, and to bless creation. Genie did indeed bless creation; but unlike Logos, begotten not created, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us in Jesus, we are created: creatures, earthlings, material beings. We grow in years, our bodies wear out and die. The grief of losing us may be unbearable for those we leave behind; but there is good news: though death is the way of all flesh, death is not the way of spirit, the soul.

Adonai Elohim, the Lord God formed ha-adam from ha-ada-mah - - earthlings from the dust of the earth - - and then the Lord God breathed into us the breath of God’s own life, and we became living souls, quickened by the Spirit of God. And so, Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me - - and withIN me. 

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of your Son Jesus: Grant, we pray, to your whole Church in paradise and on earth, your light and your peace.

Grant that all who have been baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection may die to sin and rise to newness of life, and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass with Jesus to our joyful resurrection.

This is the Episcopal Church, where lex orandi lex credendi, praying is believing, if you want to know our theology, what we experience and teach and believe about God, we invite you to worship with us (as our gathering this morning is worship) and see, hear, perceive what we do and say and sing and pray as we gather in worship celebration for Genie. 

Grant to all who mourn a sure confidence in your fatherly care, that, casting all our grief on you, we may know the consolation of your love.

Give courage and faith to all who are brokenhearted, and especially to Bedford and Tom and Bob, Ruth and T, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead in the comfort of a reasonable and holy hope, in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.

!! eternal life with those we love: an extravagant hope in our theology!!

Moving here to the Apalachicola Bay area a third of a century ago, Bedford and Genie visited churches in our town, looking, as I recall, for similar to what they had known up north in Presbyterian or American Baptist tradition. But there was no Presbyterian church here, and Southern Baptist is a far cry from American Baptist (no offense, but it’s true). 

When I welcomed them their first Sunday, I told them Presbyterians and Lutherans come to Trinity - - which was true enough, though we lost some Presbyterians to First United Methodist at least temporarily (I’m thinking of Dick and Laura Macy). Bedford and Genie told me about their life in music, Bedford, professor of piano and harpsichord at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. If you look at the university’s website you will be blown away by their breadth and depth. Organist at their church in Bloomington, and Genie the choir director. I hinted, but they demurred, said No, we are retired. 

But they came back, they returned. I don’t know, maybe their second or third or fourth Sunday here, they told me they would like to be part of our music program; and we turned it over to them lock, stock, and ciphering organ pipes. Happiest days of my life! If you live in Apalachicola, and worship at Trinity Church, and Bedford and Genie Watkins arrive in town and take lead of your music program, you know that Easter has come, and you’re as sure for heaven as if you were already there. The years of Bedford and Genie Watkins were a golden age of Trinity Church.

In the following years, I drove across the bridge to Magnolia Bluff, meeting with Genie & Bedford at their table, to plan liturgy and music. I learned a lot about music, and Genie always kept my cup filled with fresh, hot, black coffee.

Many Wednesday evenings, I came in here to listen and watch and enjoy choir practice as Genie led it, Genie with no nonsense and controlled patience but don’t push her. Genie stopping the choir in the middle of a bar and everybody going silent except Bedford - - a bit hard of hearing, Bedford went on playing. BEDFORD, STOP! BEDFORD!! BEDFORD!!! And, Bedford, you would stop and look up, surprised, "Sorry, Genie." I don’t think Genie ever scolded you in front of the choir, but her face gave her away, and you were always apologetic.

After the death of Ilse Newell, late summer or early fall 1985 as I recall because of the yellow butterflies, we started the Ilse Newell Concert Series - - George Chapel and I working with a music professor from FSU - - and with the Watkins arrival it turned serious and real, and early on, George and Genie and Bedford and I would meet together, at the Watkins’ house across the bridge, and plan concerts for the upcoming season. Origin of today's INconcert Apalachicola, a Watkins' legacy to the community. Many wonderful concerts; my favorites had Bedford at piano, sometimes Bedford with Tom and violin, sometimes dual pianos in here.

Linda, Tass and I came here summer 1984 from a church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and I brought some music and masses we’d sung there, and Genie and Bedford led the choir to sing them elegantly. St. Michael’s Mass, a lively and joyful Eucharist that became a regular here on Sunday mornings. Christmas Eve, Trinity Choir singing the Sanctus & Benedictus from St. Cecilia Mass (Charles Gounod). I remember Wesley solo, and I remember Genie solo, the most beautiful music of the ages, sung at ChristmasTime here in Trinity Church, the most holy place under heaven. In all the years of my life, Christmas and Easter only came true at Trinity Church, and the memories of it overwhelm my senses. “In my Father’s houses are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you.” Ministry with Genie and Bedford here, as Mamie Johnson or Pearl Marshall used to say, within these old prayer soaked walls, was as close to heaven as I ever need to be.

The memories.    

Give us grace to entrust Genie to your never-failing love; receive her into the arms of your mercy, and remember her according to your promises through Jesus.

Grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of you, she may go from strength to strength in the life of perfect service in your heavenly kingdom.

And finally again, about that mansion, strength our hope and faith, in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those we love.

As we praise you for creation, and for your promises in Jesus, blessed are you, our God: Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, God of life, God of the living.

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Sermon for the memorial service of Eugenia Watkins, the Rev Tom Weller. Saturday morning February 2, 2019 at Trinity Episcopal Church, Apalachicola, Florida. Text: John , "In my Father's house are many mansions ..."

With apology and thanks, pic borrowed from Trinity Church website.