Icebergs & Seasons of Grief
Dear church,
Hi there!
I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some things that are in my heart. In the last eighteen months, we have been upended by a myriad of different unusual events that we have experienced collectively. On top of a worldwide pandemic that affected our lives here in Douglas County, we have gone through an unpredictable economy, a contentious election, last summer’s wildfires, and the list seems to go and on. As our gatherings have been interrupted in the past, we haven’t had as much face time with one another as we previously enjoyed.
I want to take this space to share with you some things that are on my heart and a place where I can fill you in on what’s underneath the tip of the iceberg. When we see the tip of an iceberg we can’t really put into perspective all that might be under the surface. And while our Sunday morning gatherings are amazing, they don’t often give us the time to get below the surface. I pray that this space gives us that opportunity.
As you may have noticed our church family is in a season of grieving and mourning right now. We’ve recently seen many members of our church family pass away. Many of these have been anticipated as different members of our church family have had illnesses over the past few years. As we mourn and think through the memories of those who have passed away, it reminds me that being a part of a church family means we don’t say goodbye alone. I am privileged to be at the bedside of many who have passed away alongside family and friends. The shared experience of saying goodbye to a loved one should never be taken for granted. It is a gift to be part of a church family. And it is a gift to say goodbye to loved ones together. Earlier this week I prepared for a memorial service that we will be having at the end of the month for one of our dear church members. In my study and preparation, I came across two beautiful verses from Romans. In the fourteenth chapter, Paul encourages the Roman believers with these words:
“For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” ~ Romans 14:7-8 NIV
These verses comfort me so much during these seasons of grieving and mourning. Some quick observations:
*We don’t live for ourselves alone (we get to do life together!)
*None of us dies for ourselves alone (we answer to God – on all things from death to life and everything in between)
*We belong to the Lord (this is why Jesus lived and died and rose again victoriously over death – so that we can find our home in Him)
The book of Hebrews reminds us to “consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds” and to “encourage one another”. As we go through this season of grieving and mourning, let me encourage you with a few things you can do to encourage yourself and those around you.
Pray for the families of those grieving.
~Pray for the family and friends would be able to grieve and mourn.
~Pray that they would find comfort and healing from Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father.
~Pray for peace and rest as they go through grieving and mourning.
~Pray that they find eternal hope in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Send a note or card to the family who is grieving.
Oftentimes it’s difficult to take phone calls after someone close to you has passed away. Sending a card or note is a beautiful way to let them know that you love them and are praying for them. If you need an address of a family, just give the church office a call and we’ll be able to help you with that.
Call someone in your family and tell them you love them.
When someone in our church family passes away, it reminds us how brief life is. Use this reminder as a way to reach out to your family and tell them how much you love them. You’ll be grateful you did and you might just be the gift of encouragement someone else needs to get through their day.
I love you, church.
It’s the joy of my life and the high privilege of my life to serve as your pastor.
As I wrap up this first edition of ‘Dear church’, let me remind you about this coming Sunday. We’ll conclude our series ‘The Master’s Plan’ by covering the Apostle Paul’s final words in Ephesians 6:10-18. It’s a powerful passage of Scripture that reminds us how to remain strong and how to stand in the face of spiritual adversity. We’ll also uncover an amazing story behind one of the most well-known songs we sing. I’m really looking forward to sharing it with you.
See you Sunday!
Until then,
Pastor Daniel
(In upcoming issues of ‘Dear church’ I’ll tell you about our new teaching series ‘The Next Step’ and ‘All In’ and New Bible Study Opportunities beginning in September & October, PLUS a little bit about what our elders have been studying and some new things I’ll be studying this fall)
