Last Thursday I had the chance to be a small part of a ceremony to dedicate grave markers for the four St. Simons Lighthouse keepers who are buried in our cemetery.  The Coastal Georgia Historical Society, which has stewardship of the lighthouse (but not the light itself) and the Keeper’s Dwelling, obtained the markers and put the dedication together.  I was asked to offer a prayer as a part of the ceremony and was honored to do so.  

It was a wonderful event, rich with local history, and more inspirational than I thought it would be when I was first asked to participate several months ago.  I quite enjoyed researching and thinking about the lighthouse keepers and their community roles over the last two centuries.  I also found it meaningful to get a glimpse into the lives of some of the people whose headstones I walk past.  So many of the stones in the cemetery are engraved with the names of strangers who might as well be anonymous.  I forget how those simple markers represent entire lives, rich with personal history, relationships, dreams, triumphs, and challenges.  

I had just remarked to someone that in my tenth year of ministry at Christ Church I remember a lot of the people whose graves I walk past; too many it often feels, in fact.  Now I know a little bit more about persons who were previously not known to me.  Which is why the Historical Society installed the grave markers for the Keepers.  Now others will see the graves and know just a little bit about the person who rests there.  It is a ministry of service to have been a lighthouse keeper, and I have a lot of respect for them and what they accomplished over the years.  If you haven’t been to the lighthouse museum, I recommend going and learning more.  

There are a lot of moments and people worth remembering, and thanks to the Historical Society, we now celebrate four more of them.  

Tom+

Most gracious God, the creator of all that is, we give you thanks for the mastery of your works, and the creation in which we live, by which we are sustained, and through which you care for us; in the beginning you created the night and the day and established the light to allow us to see in the darkness.  

As we gather today, we give thanks for the light that has shone above and beyond these shores from the St. Simons lighthouse.  Across more than two centuries and from two different towers, its beacon has served as a sign of safe haven and warning, a guide and a symbol, as our heritage and our legacy.  It’s silent watch, and the faithfulness of those who have kept its light burning, speak to us of service, fidelity, and communal welfare. 

 As we gather today, we give thanks for the men and women who have served as keepers of the lighthouse, whose families lived and worked to support the lighthouse’s mission and purpose, and whose faithfulness speaks to us still, so many generations later.  We give special thanks for head keepers of the lighthouse: James Gould*, Lachlan McIntosh, Alexander D. McIntosh, John F. Carmon, Bradford, B. Brunt, Frederick Osborne, George Asbell, Isaac L Peckham*, Joseph Champagne, Carl Olaf Svendsen*, Arthur F. Hodge, David O’ Hagan*, all those who have served as the officer in charge under the stewardship of the US Coast Guard and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.  

 Like the light of the lighthouse itself, their efforts, their sacrifices, their lives, long past, shine out into the distance of today and beyond; examples of public service and devotion that are worthy of remembering and emulating. As we honor their memories today, we pray that we could embody their example in our own ways, standing tall in our communities, rooted on these shores, shining the light of love and care for neighbors and strangers alike.  

 We ask your blessing upon this gathering, and the markers that will stand watch over the graves of the keepers who are buried on these grounds. We ask that you continue to bless our community with the ongoing leadership of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, their patrons, and members, for their important work to remember, tell, and preserve the history of our communities and people.  

 As we go from this place, and as we look to tomorrow, let our mission be no less than that of the lighthouses keepers we remember today; may we keep the lights of service, fidelity, and communal welfare burning for generations to come.  We ask all these things through your Holy Spirit, in the name of your Son, the light of the world.  Amen.  

*Laid to rest in the Christ Church Cemetery