My dear
friend and priest passed away this past week. I first met Fr. Larry LeSeure when I came to
St. Stephen’s Woodlawn to do a Mystery Worship. Mystery Worshipping is sort of
reviewing churches as if they were restaurants, primarily interested in seeing
how they welcome strangers. I had been an atheist/agnostic for 30+ years, and
now that I was returning to church, I was using the Mystery Worship process to
look for a spiritual home.
I
remember shaking Larry’s hand as I was leaving, and he directed me to sign the
visitor’s book. I had left the Mystery Worship ticket in the collection.
I had
been favorably impressed with St. Stephen’s (and Larry) {see review at http://ship-of-fools.com/mystery/2001/425Mystery.html}, so I started coming to
church there every few weeks. I found Larry’s sermons theologically
challenging, but what I was most impressed with was his handling of the
liturgy. Episcopal priests do the same liturgy basically week after week for
years and years. Larry was nearing retirement, so he must have had most of the
text memorized by this point. But as I watched and listened to him it felt as
if he was living each moment as it happened, ever fresh and new. I spoke to him about it, and he explained it
by admitting that he was constantly praying as he was going through the
service. It’s a rare gift to be so involved, I think. I have seen dozens of
priests over the years, and Larry gave me the feeling of newness more than
anyone else.
I had
been baptized Episcopalian, but raised in a non-doctrinal church. So when the
time came to become a member of St. Stephen’s, Larry was excited that I had
never been confirmed. He gave me confirmation classes, and answered my many
questions about the Episcopal church. The more I learned, the more I grew to
love the church. At one point I called him, and I said I wanted to do more for
the church (thinking of volunteering in some way). He told me he wanted me to
help at the altar. This is not what I had in mind, but I couldn’t turn him
down. I soon discovered that assisting him was particularly fulfilling to my
growing faith. There was something about being personally involved in the
service that made it even more meaningful. I have found other ways to do the
work for the church I was interested in, but I remain helping at the altar and am
thankful to Larry for inviting me there in the first place.
He also
was a good friend to my partner Mary and me. When he lived in the rectory, he
invited us over for dinner a few times. The furnishings reflected his religious
feelings, and he had a piano which he would play for us. Mary said she wished
he would adopt us, so we could live there with him. We returned the favor by
taking him out to lunch a number of times, and the conversations were always
fascinating. When he retired from St. Stephen’s, he happened to move into the
apartment building next to mine, so we have been able to keep in touch.
Last
year, my 20-year-old car died, and I haven’t been able to replace it. He immediately
volunteered to lend me his car when I needed it. I wasn’t sure if I should
accept, but he said to me, “But I want
to help!” His generosity and friendship have meant much to me than I would have
ever expected when I walked into St. Stephen’s to review it all those years
ago. I saw him last about two weeks ago. He has struggled with his health the
last few years, but the last couple of times I saw him, he was feeling very
well and energetic. We talked about how the three of us (Larry, Mary and I)
should go out for dinner soon. I was
shocked to learn on Sunday of his passing, but I know God has welcomed him and
that he suffers no longer. I hope I am blessed to see him when I join him on
this journey.
