When I got to church today, Pastor had already begun the opening for Sunday school. Their lesson was the story of Ruth and Boaz, a love story. I will always remember the time Pete was reading from this book in our Bible study and got choked up while reading the final chapter. Such love, and Ruth would be an ancestor of the Savior!
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This morning our Bible study course is one we have covered in the past on various occasions, the most recent time being a year ago at Monday morning's class. We never finished because when the offices were moved, the Bible study got misplaced. Fortunately Pastor borrowed "Come Worship Christ" from the other church, this time using the version marked "Catechism" which means my previous worksheets will not match. Rats! Right off the bat we had the privilege of hearing our former pastor's voice ring out as the video was played. Very nice to hear that again!
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After the class I went to get the bulletin board set up on the easel in the breezeway. I noticed the greeters were not in place so I went to stand in until they got there. Had a great chat with Linda H. whom I have not seen in some time as they normally attend at Christ Lutheran. I got to greet Paul's mom and step-dad who are visiting from Saginaw, it had been awhile since I saw Sue. She was going with us ladies to try on clothes at Bealls after worship.
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I took attendance and then sat down behind Twila and Jean. But before that, the congregation sang the first hymn for Good Shepherd Sunday, which was "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb".....oh, oh, a funeral hymn!! My timing was just right for checking attendance in the nursery so I did not hear them sing the part "....and when my short life is ended.....He shall fold me to His breast, there within His arms to rest." Oh, my goodness, what a memory-filled weekend this became! We are following readings from Revelation with today's being the ones telling about the saints wearing the white robes and circling around the throne, singing God's praises. We are told that we will never hunger or thirst again and 'He will wipe every tear from our eye...", which is repeated in the liturgy used in the Order of Funeral Service. It gets me every time and today was no exception. Pastor's sermon was based on this reading and several times he referenced tragedies and even mentioned the sudden, tragic loss of child, which made me move in my seat. After church Cliff came up to me and said he was sorry that this happened, that he felt for me. I thanked him for that, but really, the comfort and hope expressed in these verses are what help me, us, to go on. Not only when an old person dies, but young people and little children, too. All of us can look forward to being in that choir around the throne wearing the white robes.
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The sermon hymn was introduced by The Maestro, Robbie, singing the first three stanzas before the congregation joined in, "The King of Love My Shepherd Is" , which he did masterfully. More like, powerfully. Our closing hymn was "For All the Saints Who From Their Labors Rest", but only the first three stanzas. I wanted to keep going but I guess will settle for the three. I turned around to look at my friend, Carol, but she was busily dabbing at her eyes. A couple weeks ago Robbie had played both "In Christ Alone" and "Jerusalem the Golden" for our post-service music and I thanked him for that. I told him those were two of the 19 hymns I had chosen for my funeral and asked him to play for my service if he outlived me. He agreed and asked me to send him the list of hymns so he can practice! Well, today he found out that our closing hymn is in my Top Ten of the funeral hymns, so he can start rehearsing now! So, those of us in Bible study heard Pete singing, we revisited a portion of Timmy's funeral, got a picture of heaven, and then sang one of my funeral hymns. It was a good day!
