John Parks was the preacher today at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville; and I was there. John is a young preacher from Phoenix, Arizona; he is a student at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana; he is a pastoral intern at the Cathedral and today was his day to preach.
I went to hear him because he is scheduled to preach at 1:30 on Friday afternoon, January 8, 2010, in the chapel of St. Matthews Baptist Church. He is one of 96 young preachers coming to preach at the first ever Festival of Young Preachers. Two other Roman Catholic students at St. Meinrad are also registered to preach.
It was the second Sunday of Advent and John preach a very fine sermon: good voice, excellent reading of the text, well organized–not all of the nine marks of a good sermon, but most!! I was proud of him and glad to be there to hear him.
The worship leader was Father Martin Linebach, associate pastor at the Cathedral and on the Board of Advisors of the Academy of Preachers. When he stood to speak and pray following Communion the winter sunlight streamed through the high windows and surrounded him like a halo. It was striking.
The organist was, I presume (because I did not see him) Dr. Philip Brisson; he is bringing his Cathedral Choir to the Festival to sing at the Saturday noon service. Among the 200 or so people attending the worship service were my friends Matt and Ann Hanka, sitting right in front of me. “What are you doing here?” he asked after the service. “I came to hear John preach,” I said. “He is one of the young preachers in our Academy.” Matt responded: “I know. I follow all of your progress on the web site.” In some ways it was the best thing I had heard all day; I sometimes wonder if anyone reads these web site articles. So thanks, John, and thanks to all the rest of you who keep up with the mission of the Academy of Preachers by reading these articles and by paying attention what we post on the linked pages.
And oh yes, the incense. I had forgotten how much incense is used at some of these services. I don’t understand it’s function (and that is just one of the many questions I would like to ask Fr. Martin), and I did not remember much of the Nicean creed (as the older Apostles Creed is the one most often recited in Protestant circles). But the water running continually into the baptistery at the back–yes, a baptistery ready for immersion–made me feel a bit more at home; and it was good.
Don’t forget to pray today for our young preachers: Baret Fawbush from Prospect, Kentucky (and a student at Cincinnati Christian University) and Winterbourne Jones from Washington DC (and a student at Fisk University).