Funeral and Fellowship

Today I attended a funeral.  I, along with a previous pastor, administered services for a funeral for a 95 year old who had held a position of prominence in the church many years ago.  It was an honor and privilidge to participate in this event.  This church member had lived a good, long life and was loved and reverred by both friends and family.  

In the process of being contacted to conduct the funeral I developed a wonderful relationship with the son.  His respect for the role his father had played in the life of the church I now serve flavored our every conversation.  Sometime between that initial contact and the meal after the funeral I had come to grow to love and respect the entire family.  It was truly a joy.

There were many conversations regarding the late father's love of the church and life in general that brought a smile to my face.  In the interactions between myself and the extended family there were great fun, happy memories, and just plain good Christian fellowship.  The contrast between this funeral and others is great.  It was truly a joy to help bury this wonderful man. 

When one lives a good, long life in Christian love, sending them off to be with lost loved ones in paridise is an honor and privilidge.  Today I was thus honored and privilidged.