The Rev. Bob Gross was installed as priest in charge at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Hurst, on Monday, April 18, by the Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer. The Rev. Karen Calafat, rector of St. Luke’s in the Meadow, Fort Worth, preached.
Calafat opened her sermon with a a story of a schoolboy telling a story about geese. Why geese? She pointed out that “geese are social creatures and depend on each other to survive. Did you know that geese can fly further than eagles do, primarily because they work together and help each other? There is a purpose for their V-shaped pattern of flight. They fly in V formation because the flapping of the wings of one goose creates an uplift for the goose immediately following. Flying in this formation adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each goose flew alone. When the wings of the goose in front begin to tire, another goose will take over the lead position. The geese in the back will honk their encouragement to those up front.”
She said that while we may like the strong fierce image of an eagle soaring almost at great heights, “we actually get much further when we function together as geese. There are times to be as eagles – Father Bob can be an eagle on his day off, his Sabbath, soaring alone at great heights, refilling his spirit and being alone with God, but the rest of the time, he is the lead gander of this flock (correctly termed, ‘gaggle’) of geese.”
Read the text of the sermon at Bob Gross’ Installation or watch the video.
See more photos of the installation; swipe through the album below or click through to the diocesan Flickr gallery.
