Some of my most powerful experiences in ministry have come in the context of a funeral. That may sound a bit morbid, but it is absolutely true. It’s the part of ministry that humbles me the most. In many cases a family that may barely know me invites me in to be part of some of the most intimate moments that they share. Sitting at someone’s kitchen table as I listen to them talk about the loved one they lost, what that person meant to them, how that person changed their lives – those are the moments that I realize just how blessed I am to do what I do.
Often it is not until after a person is gone that we realize just how special they were and how much they impacted our lives. I remember about 15 years ago, in the days after my grandmother’s death, my aunt and I made a startling discovery. My grandmother was 88 and had been struggling with her health for some time. I knew she had a computer, but it was an ancient model that I doubted she ever used. My aunt and I decided to fire it up to see what was on it. Turns out my grandmother was an email prayer warrior. I didn’t even know she had an email address nor knew how to use it, but I was wrong. It was an old AOL account, and it turns out she used it often. We found dozens of emails from the past month where my grandmother had reached out to friends, fellow church members, even a few strangers who were struggling with various issues.
The emails were short. Just a quick note to tell you that I am praying for you. Just want you to know that someone cares, that sort of thing. But it was a powerful moment because I realized that as she struggled for breath all through the day, my Mimi was focused on others. And I learned a powerful lesson from her that day. I learned something more about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus from a lady who never said much about that in the 40-plus years that I knew her.
That’s why this Sunday is so important for us -- All Saints Sunday. It is the day in our church family that we pause to remember and celebrate the saints of our family who have gone before us. They finished their race; they completed their work. And now they bask in the glory of God.
But that is not the end of the story; in fact, it’s a new beginning. Because in every case, those saints left a legacy, a lasting impact on us as a church. That’s the rest of the gift. That they were part of our community and lived and loved here is a gift. But the rest of it is that their legacy endures here forever. They are part of the fabric of this church, threads that are interwoven among all of ours, providing the strength, the texture and the beauty that combine to create this family of faith.
So don’t miss it. This is one of those holy moments that will bless everyone. Because this is who we are. We are Ash Lane.
See you Sunday.