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Dr. William Astor Kirk, Sr.
Memorial Service
August 19, 2011
John R. Schol

Matthew 18:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…

From time to time, the keys to the kingdom of heaven have been handed to courageous forward leaning people to open the doors of the kingdom and in particular, the doors of the church. Disciples who had the wisdom to discern the presence of Christ, the passion and courage to act, and the ability to turn the key to unlock the strongholds that prevent people from fully coming into the presence of God were handed the keys. Faithful disciples who have been handed keys most often become the key. Their life becomes the instrument through which God acts. God acts to bring salvation, justice and righteousness, to bring wisdom and compassion, to bring hope and action.

Today, we declare that the keys of the kingdom and the Church were placed in the hands of Dr. W. Astor Kirk and he acted. He became the key to unlock the stronghold of racism, segregation and injustice in any form and in any disguise that it presented itself.

When the University of Texas, Austin and the State's Attorney General told Dr. Kirk that it would be against the law for him, a "colored" man to register at the University, he persistently continued to pursue his right to earn a doctorate from one of the finest schools in Texas. The University and State eventually allowed him to register for a doctoral program but he could not take classes on campus. Instead he was allowed to begin at a class offered across the street from the University at the YMCA, in room eight. Dr. Kirk entered the class soon to realize that he was the only student in the class. Everybody wants to be first in their class but nobody wants to be segregated to second class. Dr. Kirk would eventually earn his doctorate from the University of Texas, Austin. He became the key to unlock injustice.

Dr. W. Astor Kirk, Sr. was a courageous forward leaning disciple with a keen mind, a passionate and gentle heart and a courageous spirit that offered him the opportunity to unlock injustice in the Methodist/United Methodist Church. It also did not hurt that he had an infectious smile.

Like Peter, Dr. Kirk was bold and seized any opportunity to help the world be more like Christ. Also like Peter, it was his church, his own family of believers that disappointed him. For Dr. Kirk it was the disappointment that the church created systems to segregate and relegate African Americans, women and gays and lesbians to another class.

He became the key by serving on the committee of five of which he chaired for a season. It was this committee that sought to ensure the segregated Central Jurisdiction in the Methodist Church would not continue. On the morning of May 5, 1964 on the floor of General Conference, he amended the motion for the plan of merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The amendment was simple, clear and direct. It said, "the Central Jurisdiction structure of the Methodist Church not be made a part of the Plan of Merger."  After a lengthy debate it passed.

Later, segregationists petitioned the Judicial Council, the supreme court of the church to strike down the amendment and the move to integrate conferences across the United States. Dr. Kirk would prevail again, when the Judicial Council ruled that segregation was a denominational matter and not a regional matter, and that the General Conference had the authority to integrate the church.

Dr. Kirk throughout his life continued his servant leadership to work toward the full inclusion of people of color, women and gays and lesbians. He served as a staff member, interim General Secretary and Board member of what is today our General Board of Church and society. In his tenure he helped our United Methodist Church address injustice.

Today, I am here to bear witness and thank on behalf of our beloved denomination, Dr. W. Astor Kirk, Sr. who was key for us becoming a better church. We are not all our brother Bill hoped we would become, but we are better off because he made us a better denomination.

The preacher/songwriter Albert Tindley wrote in Beams of Heaven

I do not know how long 'twill be,
Nor what the future holds for me,
But this I know, if Jesus leads me,
I shall get home some day.

Today, Dr. W. Astor Kirk, Sr., Bill is home.

You would be surprised by how many keys have been handed out, keys to unlock the Church's future. Today we are reminded through the life of Dr. Kirk that we must all become the key to unlock the doors that prevent justice and righteousness from being a hallmark of our Church. Let us all work together to help the Church unlock the doors and become home for all God's people. Amen.