This parish has a rapid turnover in parishioners, especially because over half of our parishioners are students. But our resident parishioners tend to be more mobile than a typical parish. Thus, many of you probably do not know that ten years ago, this rectangular box which we are in was THE Worship Space for St. Thomas Aquinas.

Approximately nine years ago, we punched three big holes in this wall and added the Gathering Space. I remember the beginning of that construction project. I watched load after load after load of concrete being poured into this space out here [I am standing in the middle of the Gathering Space]. It seems it was 18 loads of concrete that was poured. And at the end of three days, nothing was visible. All of that concrete went to form the pilings on which the Gathering Space rests.

You may be aware that we sit on top of a marsh. The pilings are needed to hold up this building. If we didn't do that, the building -- the Gathering Space would be apt to sink or move away from the older part of the structure.

In the olden days, a project manager for a building would go out to the rock quarry where the quarry master had chiseled various large pieces of rock that could be used for a cornerstone. The project manager would select one that would be most perfect for his building and would reject the others. That is the experience to which Peter refers when speaking about Jesus being the rejected cornerstone. We no longer use cornerstones as an integral part of the architecture. Rather, it has become a ceremonial stone into which we carve the date of the building.

Peter tells us that Jesus is our cornerstone. Perhaps, it would be better for us to visualize Jesus as the pilings on which we rest. (standing next to the brink wall) If we are the living bricks which comprise the house of the people of God, then we need to rest on that secure foundational piling, otherwise these bricks would begin to crack, and eventually the building would crumble.

When we started designing this renovation, we wanted the architecture of the building to reflect our theological beliefs (standing by the doors of the Church) We enter the Church, that is, the holy people of God, not simply the building, through the waters of Baptism. Thus, we located the Baptismal Font by the doors of entrance. It is the first thing you encounter. It is located in a place where each Sunday that we gather here, we are reminded of our baptism. I notice that many of you when you enter, come to the font and sprinkle or bless yourself with baptismal water.

Those who are baptized go into the Font and are emerged in the water, symbolizing their emersion into the life of Jesus Christ. As they come out on this side, we take the Oil of Chrism and anoint them. Just as priests, prophets and kings were anointed in the Old Testament, so, too, the newly baptized person is anointed as a member of the Body of Christ. We are, as St. Peter says, a chosen, royal, priestly people. After Chrismation, the newly baptized approaches the Table of the Lord where we each Sunday are nourished with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

I remember when we had the parish meetings opened to all, in which we revealed plans and looked for feedback. One person commented, "You have placed the Baptismal Font right in the middle of the Gathering Space. It's going to be in the way. Someone will stumble and fall." And, in fact, that has happened a couple of times. But St. Peter warned us that Jesus is a stumbling block for some. We who are baptized into Him find it difficult to always live as a member of the Body of Christ, accepting the mission that Jesus accepted and asked us to continue. While it was certainly not our intention to make the Font a stumbling block, we did want everyone to encounter it each time you enter the Worship Space. If, in fact it is a symbolic stumbling block, then we are true to the teachings of the first pope!

The Acts of the Apostles makes it clear that we are not a chosen people simply for our own gratification or salvation. The dignity which is ours is not just for ourselves, but rather, is given so that we might serve others. The Act of the Apostles speaks about the need of some being neglected. So the Church chose seven, whose responsibility it was to make certain orphans and widows had enough food. The mission of the Church from day one has been not just for its members, but also to reach out and serve those in need.

During this Easter, more so on weekdays than Sundays, we have been hearing the "Bread of Life Discourse", Jesus speaking of himself as the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation. Jesus taught His disciples to prayer and told them to teach others. Indeed, each Sunday we gather, we pray the very words which Jesus taught. However, Jesus also was about more than prayer. He speaks about food and shelter. It is our responsibility to assume His mission to feed the hungry. Do you hear an echo of "Food at First?" and "Friday Night Suppers" at the Emergency Resident Project. Those are concrete ways that we, as a parish, continue Jesus ministry.

Today Jesus speaks about going to prepare a place for us. We are to be concerned about those without homes. Last week over 30 of our college student constructed a cardboard village on campus by the Campanile. They did so as an educational and awareness project to the plight of the homeless here in Ames and in our country. They spend the night sleeping there in solidarity with those who are homeless. In our world, we have much to do to provide that basic human right of a shelter, of a home, for those who have not.

Let us, as individuals and as a parish, recommit ourselves at this midpoint of Easter, to be that living building, that Holy People, that welcomes all. And let us also respond to the Lord's call to reach out to meet the needs of others.