A good friend surprised me a little this morning as we talked just before I sat down to finish writing this meditation.  As I told him about Randy, he said, “This is very personal for you, isn’t it?”  Every funeral I write ends up being personal, because I get to know the person who has [...]

One of the privileges of staying in one place as a pastor for a long time (I’ve been here eighteen years) is the longer view of the lives of those one is privileged to shepherd.  Louise Gadd lived 75+ years before I met her, so I hardly experienced all of her story.   But she has [...]

Ever since I heard about Meg Williams’ tragic death on Monday, it’s been hard not to make the comparison.  She was born the same year I was born, the same year my wife was born.  My children are all in their twenties, as are Chris, Carrie, and Kevin.

For perhaps obvious reasons, I have titled my meditation today, “101 ½ Reasons Why Alice Ruth Was Special.”  If it seems like that might take a long time, my answer is, “She lived a long time.  She deserves it.”
 
1.      Long Life:  As Pastor Bill said, “From horse and buggy to moon flights.  Wow!”

(Note: Reflections by Carolyn and John McAllister are posted at the end of this meditation.)
My suspicion is that this is the first funeral you have ever attended where the Scripture reading was a genealogy.  It is certainly the first such funeral I have ever preached.