Homily for the Repose of the Soul of Lloyd Thurston

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Psalm 139:1-11

Revelation 21:2-7

Matthew 5:1-9

We are here today to say farewell to a good a faithful servant of God – Lloyd Thruston. But we are a peculiar people in that we don’t say that this is the end.  But rather another beginning for Lloyd.  Our prayer book says it best – life has changed not ended.  To that end the service today is an Easter Service.  We believe that just as Lloyd was baptized into the life of Christ he will also share in Christ’s resurrection.  Lloyd will – at the last – be an inhabitant of that New Jerusalem we heard about in our reading from the Book of Revelation.  When God’s dream for us is finally realized and God’s glorious reign of Love inhabits the Earth Lloyd will be there.  Between now and then all we know is that Lloyd has gone to be with his Savior.  In another reading that is sometimes used for memorial services Jesus tells his disciples that there are many rooms in his Father’s house and that he goes to prepare a place for us.  Author and New Testament Scholar N.T. Write said that the mansion with many rooms is more of a waiting place for when the New Jerusalem comes rather than a permanent place.  So today we say farewell to Lloyd but only for a time. 

But knowing that this is not the end still does not make it easy for us.  We will still miss Lloyd dearly.  His dear Husband Wade has accompanied Lloyd for nearly 30 years and especially lovingly on Lloyd’s final leg of this journey in faith. 

Lloyd has – for as long as I can remember been a faithful member of St. Paul’s.  Lloyd, his brother David and Mother Alta faithfully attended St. Paul’s for many years.  Lloyd was a faithful member – even after he moved to the country – to the “ranch”.  A move that was caused – at least in part – by his love of old cars.  A love perhaps not shared by his urban neighbors and Sacramento county zoning ordnances.   I am pleased that the beatitudes where picked for the Gospel reading.  I am pleased because I think Lloyd would rather not be the center of attention.  As long as I have known Lloyd – over 25 years – he has not been one to be in the limelight.  Lloyd epitomized the beatitudes in his quite way of welcoming people to St. Paul’s and his quiet way of working to show God’s love to all the people he met.

When I came to St. Paul’s Lloyd was one of the first people to welcome me.  As I got to know Lloyd I discovered a faithful and quite keeper of this church.  Back in the day St. Paul’s had numerous “Guilds” that took care of things.  It is perhaps only a slight exaggeration to say that if someone did an activity more than twice a “guild” was established and enshrined – complete with a patron saint!  Wade shared with me that he “recalled that in the latter half of the 1980s (and possibly some into the '90s?) Lloyd did quite a lot of dishwashing in the church kitchen. Someone (possibly Rand Laurent) dubbed him "Saint Flossie", and those who tended to help him were "Saint Flossie's Guild".  For many years Lloyd and several others would show up every Saturday morning to make sure the church was spotless for the Sunday service.  When I told the folk attending our Wednesday service last week of Lloyd’s passing and celebrated the mass intention for the repose of his soul and for Wade and all who grieve his passing, our trusty keeper of the thuribles and flowers – Sue – commented on the years that Lloyd cleaned this space and said that “it has never been as clean since”!  Perhaps a bit of hyperbole but as with all hyperbole a huge piece of truth as well.  Lloyd also was a stalwart in our Ushers Guild – which I am sure had been named after a patron Saint of ushers at one time – perhaps St. Julian’s Guild.  Even after Lloyd and Wade moved out to the Ranch - Lloyd faithfully drove up once a month to be an usher.  He did this until his health would not allow it – and even then a meek and humble Lloyd apologized to me for not be able to do it any more. 

Lloyd’s faith and humble love extended beyond this building.  He met his life Partner Wade here at St. Paul’s when a Marvelous Solemn High Mass (Wade’s description) was held in 1986 to inaugurate a chapter of Integrity in Sacramento.  Wade told me that he can – do this day – point to the spot in our Narthex where Michael Kalanquin introduced them.  Lloyd invited Wade out to dinner at Pava’s on February 16^th of that year and well – as they say that was it! They moved in with each other on St. Lucy’s day later that year and in 2013 – on St. Lucy’s day they were married here in St. Paul’s.  In addition to his beloved husband Wade, Lloyd leaves behind his sons.  I remember how proud Lloyd was years ago when he introduced me to his son Jonathan. Lloyd was a quite person but expressive.  You always knew when he was proud of someone and loved them.  His eyes glowed with that love.

Lloyd was always a supporter of my ministry.  He was one of the people in this church who continually – in his quite way – prodded me towards ordained ministry.  He supported so many people and asked nothing in return.  He opened up the ranch numerous times for groups to come up and have picnics – St. Paul’s accepted Lloyd and Wade’s hospitality a number of times. 

Today we gather to say farewell to Lloyd.  His earthly pilgrimage has ended and he is in that place “Where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.”  We are sad for our loss.  There will me moments in the days and years to come when some thing – some sight, sound – perhaps the rattling of a clutch!, or smell will remind us of Lloyd.  While he has left this earth his memory will live on in our hearts.  I invite you all to share your stories of Lloyd at the reception that follows.  To celebrate his life. 

I also call for all of us to share in Lloyd’s faith and work to bring God’s dream of love to this earth.  Lloyd worked tirelessly during his life to show the kind of love that builds God’s kingdom.  The kind of Love that will – in God’s time – bring the New Jerusalem to reality.  That is the work that we are all called to do.

Finally- I have to share that I had a funny vision of Lloyd meeting the Lord.  Being welcomed with open arms and greeted with “Well done good and faithful servant.” and Lloyd immediately asking if anything needed cleaning or perhaps an old vehicle needs repairing.  Perhaps Lloyd has once again joined St Flossie’s Guild – joined those who have gone before him in worshipping God by making sure God’s mansion is clean, vehicles are maintained and all are welcomed!