Our pastor passed away last night. He had a heart attack and was gone before the paramedics arrived. This man was one of the most wonderful men we've ever known. We joined the church the same Sunday that he did. He baptized both of our children. He visited my mother numerous times while she was in the hospital and comforted our family. He attended my grandfather's funeral. He's been a key figure in our life in this town. We have been struggling about what to do about our church life once we move. We had decided that as long as our Pastor was at the church, we would continue to call it our church home.
He has not had the picturesque Pastor-life lately. He's gone through a very sad divorce and has had the ridicule of the church body and the community. His relationship with his wife and children has understandably suffered. No one knows the story behind all of this, but in private conversations I've had with him in recent months, the pain he's shared has been so raw and human - emotions we sometimes take for granted that our Pastors possess. They are there to care for everyone else - and sometimes they suffer for it.
I had coffee with him recently and he was sharing with me his ideas for a new sermon based on the well known "for everything there is a season" scripture (Ecc. 3:1-8). It is a conversation I will never forget. His season on Earth is now over, and he's in the loving arms of the Father, whom he loved so completely.
No comments:
Post a Comment