“The Academy” they think mostly of just you high school students. We older
people have to rethink. When we hear or mention ANC to us it’s the whole
“shebang.” It’s everything. And that’s what we’re here for – the high school and
college and theological school. There are no elementary school children here.
So we think of the Academy as an institution for “higher education.” There
are lots of places where you can get “higher learning” but not like the “higher
learning” this institution was grounded upon and moved to become.
So at this moment we are assembled to look at the common spiritual
ancestry of the various (now educational) uses which have grown from that
November 3, 1877 day when the original Charter was signed and sealed, with
12 members putting their names to it, and others becoming members of the
Corporation.
That’s what we are doing here as a group, as a congregation. Individually
each one of us may have different known – and perhaps some unknown –
secret reasons for entering through that back door, or one of the side doors,
to find our place, find your place, wherever you happen to be. Only the Lord
truly knows why each of us finds ourselves seated with all the rest. A n d
only He knows what we will take from here after we leave, or what you will
take from the Academy after you’ve been here for a while.
We each come from a different place. We all jumped up out of bed, or
rolled out of bed, or maybe dragged ourselves out of our bed, or our side of the
bed. We each came from a different place this morning, different from anyone
else. Some of us have come here from just across the Pike. Others from across
the town, or the other side of the state, or other side of the world. To be here
this morning.
We each made a journey, large
or small, and this procession is an
external, ritualistic symbol of the
internal journey we’re taking.
Who opened that door for you to
come in here from wherever it is you
have come?
People open doors for each
other. I had a number of people this
morning open doors for me. It’s been
wonderful. That’s good. And people
keep the doors open.
Our lesson talks about the Lord
God opening a door for you. That is
the spirit of the Academy we celebrate
today. Wherever you are from – local
Our lesson talks about
the Lord God opening a
door for you. That is the
spirit of the Academy we
celebrate today. Wherever
you are from . . . wherever
you are going in your
life, be mindful of what
open doors the Lord
is setting before you.
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