My Final Scheduled Sermon

My Final Scheduled Sermon

Fr. Dale Matson

Last Sunday was my final scheduled Sermon. I was also the Celebrant at the first service. This week, after a discussion with my wife Sharon, I spent an hour with our Rector Fr. Carlos and asked his permission to be taken off the preaching schedule. He accepted my wishes and I forwarded a note to our Bishop Eric Menees with a CC to Carlos+

Our late Bishop Schofield gave me a license to preach when I was a postulant for the deaconate and I began preaching at Holy Family Episcopal Church in 2006.

Our bishop decided to remove his diocese from the Episcopal Church and was promptly sued by two of the churches in the diocese. My church was one of those that sued the bishop and I had a talk with the rector about my concerns. He simply told me that I was not a good follower and consequently could not see me as a leader. He told me that if I couldn’t obey him as my priest, he wouldn’t support my being installed in Holy Orders.

I called the Dean of the Cathedral, Fr. Carlos, who said he could support my being made a deacon. I was made a deacon in 2008.

After two years thinking it over as a deacon, I went to Bishop Schofield and said that I thought the Lord was calling me to be a Priest. He agreed and priested me in 2010.  He was inhibited by TEC the following day and I never became an Episcopal Church priest.

My robust health that I took for granted and enjoyed for most of my life began to decline and I attribute that to both the aging process and to Satan who hates it when the Gospel is preached. I have paid a price for the Gospel but would do it all again. 

Many of my sermons were prepared in our cabin in front of our fireplace. It was and remains some of my favorite times in the Word and with the Living Word Jesus Christ. We sold our cabin three years ago and it burned down last year in the Creek Fire.

Being a priest is my third and final iteration professionally. I was a plumber and heavy equipment operator for 17 years. I then got my masters and doctorate and was a psychologist and professor for 17 years. Although I am no longer “on the schedule”, I will still be a priest until I die (I will be 77 next month). His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

I led a scandalous, hedonistic and self-destructive life before I came back to our Lord. I am still a weak and flawed man who has done a mediocre job serving Him. I will continue to contribute to our Soundings Blog and my Mid Sierra Musings Blog. I wish to thank our St. James Parishioners and those of you on the internet. Pax et Bonum.