Listening for the Trumpet

"Make two silver trumpets...and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp."  Number 10:2

Listening for the Trumpet
By Rev. William Dohle

I don't know what it is about the trumpet that attracts my family to it, but, as of now, we have two trumpet players in my family.

My brother, Samuel, is by far the best trumpet player in my family.  He took up the trumpet in Jr. High when my mother informed all of us kids that we were going to choose an instrument to play.  He chose the trumpet.  He played it in marching band and even after.  In fact, to this day, my brother still gives trumpet lessons, though he hasn't really found another "group" to play with in awhile.

My son, Matthew, also chose the trumpet when we asked what he wanted to play.  He's less enthusiastic about it than Samuel is, but still does a very good job with it.  I'm so proud of him sitting in the chair, ready to play!

Of course trumpets have taken on a different role in our world than they had in the time of the Exodus.  In the book of Numbers trumpets weren't used primarily to play music.  At least that's not why God instructed his people to make them.  Trumpets were made to gather people together.  To bring them out of their individual lives and unite them in a communal life.

When both are blown, the whole congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.  But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble before you.

These trumpets was a way to rally the people together.  To unite them.  Imagine going about your day in your own tent when you head the trumpet blown.  Not one trumpet, but two.  In the days before loud speakers, this would have been an important tool to have.

Not only do these trumpets rally the people together for meetings, but at other times too.

When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the lord your God and be saved from your enemies.  Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginnings of the months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of well-being; they shall serve as a reminder on your behalf before the Lord your God. (10:9-10)

Notice who also is listening for the trumpets?  It's not just the people.  It's God too!  The people "will be remembered before the Lord your God" during war time, so they may be saved.  And during festivals they shall serve "as a reminder on your behalf."  These trumpets call the community together, not just among its human participants, but also with God too.

Communities of faith gather together today in much the same way as they did back during the Exodus.  As congregations and communities, people of faith gather, either on Sunday morning for Christians or on Friday for Jews and Muslims.  And we gather with the sound of music.  At the church I currently serve, we have a tall bell tower that rings before services each Sunday, reminding people in our neighborhood that the people of St. Paul are beginning to worship the Lord.  In Muslim countries, the sound of chanting can be heard throughout the day as Muslims are encouraged to stop what they're doing and pray.

Music is important to gather people together.

Still, I wonder sometimes how much we pay attention to that sound.  How busy are we with our own lives?  Do we even hear the trumpets sounding overhead?

I wonder what Israel would have been like if, after the trumpets had been sounded, everyone just continued doing exactly what they were doing before.  Nobody really cared about anyone else, just their own tribe and family.  They peeked up from their cell phones and nodded, or perhaps they didn't even blink as the trumpets blared overhead.  How far would the people have journeyed through the wilderness then?

Not far at all.

We too need to stop what we're doing and pay attention sometimes.  God's trumpets are sounding still.  God still calls people of faith together.  Are we too busy to listen and respond?  Or will we take the time, stop what we're doing in our lives, and join the crowd that has gathered to worship and work for God's kingdom?

It's our choice.  The trumpet still sounds.  Won't you join us in the courtyard?

Gather us, O Lord, into your sacred community that together we might work to further your kingdom.  Amen.

Let me see it!

Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp.  Numbers 9:17

Let me see it!
By Rev. William Dohle

"There are signs everywhere!" Matthew Perry's character declares in the classic 1990's film, "Fools Rush In!"  After declaring his disbelief in signs, he is bombarded with things that point him in the direction he needs to be going.

Sometimes I wish God spoke so clearly to me.  Sometimes I wish there really were signs that told me things like what school should I send my kids to or how should we spend our summer.  Or even more complex things like where God was and what God was doing in my life.

Sometimes I wish God were that clear.

Like how clear he was for the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness.  For all the hardship they must have faced, one thing they never had to wonder about... Where is God?

God appeared in a cloud over the tabernacle during the day and in a pillar of fire at night.

God would instruct them when to move and when to stay.  If the cloud moved...they moved.  If the cloud stayed...they stayed.

Such a simple, easy way of living.  All you needed to do was what God told you to.  And everyone knew what God wanted based on where the cloud was!

It's not that simple today.  Today we wander around aimlessly sometimes, searching for where to go and what to do.

After high school... do I go to college or a trade school?  Should I join the military?  A band?  Should I live at home or find my own place?

After college... should I get married or not?  How desperate am I for a relationship?  Should I date?  And who?  Where will I live?  Where would I work?  What would I like to do with my life?

In life... how many kids should we have?  Where should they go to school?  Should I take this new job opportunity or not?

After retirement...do I find another job?  Stay home?  Where do I volunteer at or do I volunteer anywhere?

These are all questions of direction!  Questions of purpose and place.

How easy would it be if God's direction was as simple as a cloud over your head.  Move and follow.  That's all you'd have to do is move and follow.

There is a process of determining where God might be calling us.  That process is called discernment.  Here we think about our options and then pray about them.  After a time of prayer and scripture reading, we make our decision, praying that it's the right one.

There are no voices heard in discernment.  No clouds over our heads or over our churches.  But a decision is made and then put in the hands of God.

We always say we've followed God's call after we've gone through discernment...but have we?  We say after we've discerned a decision that God lead us there.  We say we're following God.  But we have no cloud to follow, no pillar of fire before us.  Our discernment could very well be our own subconscious yearnings manifesting themselves.  We think we're following God when we're following ourselves.

How do we know for certain?

Maybe we should ask ourselves this question: If left on my own, would I have made this decision?  Of all these options, which of them if God actually physically chose it for me would I be adverse to?  Which of them is serving me?  And which of them is serving God and my neighbor?

That would be one way to follow after God's cloud and fire.  After consulting with Scripture and through prayer ask ourselves, "Is this God calling me out of my comfort zone or me driving me back into it?"

The Holy Spirit still leads us, I believe, into the wilderness and places we otherwise wouldn't go.  God still goes ahead of us guiding the way.  We just have to look up and pay attention to where he is or where he's gone.

Holy Spirit, guide me, direct me, and lead me into your pathways, for Jesus sake.  Amen.

Let's Party...everyone!

"...you shall have one statue for both the resident alien and the native."  Numbers 9:14b

**The image to the side is because the writer is an unashamed Doctor Who fan.  Apologies to those who are not.**

Let's party...everyone!
By Rev. William Dohle

Suppose you had a party to attend...only you didn't really want to attend it.

Everything had been made ready for you.  The food had been catered.  The venue had been reserved and ready.  Maybe they even bought a DJ for the event, to liven the night up with music.

Everything was ready...save one thing.

You really didn't want to go.

You knew you SHOULD.   You knew you should make an appearance at least.  People would be missing you if you weren't there.  But you really truly did not want to go to the party.

What would you do??  (**Tell me in the comments or via email...what WOULD you do?**)

Would you go to the party, even for appearance sake?  Or would you make some excuse as to why you couldn't go?  And what kind of excuse would you make?  You got sick the night before?  You have some pressing engagement?

Or maybe you could say that you just touched a dead body and that you were unclean and unable to celebrate.

Oh wait.  That's what some people said the night the whole of Israel is commanded to celebrate Passover.

"Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse, so that they could not keep the passover on that day.  They came before Moses and Aaron on that day, and said to him, "Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the Lord's offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?"(Num 9:6-8)

Now pause there a moment.  True, it does sound like these people honestly WANT to celebrate the Passover with everyone else.  After all, they say, "Why must we be kept..."  But keep in mind too that they KNEW they might be kept from celebrating that night BEFORE they touched the corpse.  And they didn't consult with Moses before they did it, but after.  It's like saying, "Why must we miss the party just because we have a prior engagement?"

Moses goes to God with the question and God says:

"Speak to the Israelites saying: Anyone of you or your descendants who is unclean through touching a corpse, or is away on a journey, shall still keep the passover to the Lord.  In the second month on the fourteenth day, at twilight, they shall keep it."(9:9-11a)

Notice what God says.  God is saying, "It doesn't matter!  Come to the party!"

"It doesn't matter what rules you broke before you come.  It doesn't matter if you're clean or unclean.  It doesn't even matter if you're away on a journey or whatever.  Come and celebrate with me!  Come to the party!"

And for those who decide not to party with God??

"But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet refrains from keeping the passover, shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the Lord's offering at its appointed time; such a one shall bear the consequences for the sin."

In other words... there is no excuse not to attend!  No excuse at all.

Unclean??  No problem!  Come and celebrate!
On a journey??  No problem!  The celebration awaits!
Even resident aliens residing with the Israelites are invited to the party!

Why??  Because it's God's party!  It's a feast celebrating God's deliverance of God's people from slavery.  And its rolls are wide open!

It's interesting how Jesus connects up with this image.  Parties run all over the Gospels.  And most interesting is how the failure of the excuse is held up too.  For Jesus, it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, slave or free, male or female, tax collector or zealot, Jew or Greek, black or white, Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal.  It doesn't matter who you are or what or have or haven't done.  You haven't an excuse NOT to attend this party!  For the doors have been burst wide open.  The banquet is set and ready.  All has been made ready.  And everyone(and I do mean everyone) is invited to attend!

Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, for setting such a large and wide banquet and including all creation on the guest list.  Give us wisdom that we might accept your invitation and then bring all our friends to your feast of life.  Amen.

The Need for the Young

"...from the age of fifty years they shall retire from the duty of the service and serve no more."  Numbers 8:24

The Need for the Young
By Rev. William Dohle

The church I serve has a problem.  A rather big problem if you take statistics seriously.

In the November 2014 issue of The Lutheran, the problem is described as the "aging clergy wave."  Basically as the Baby Boomer generation nears the retirement age, more and more clergy and passing beyond.

"In the Northeastern Iowa Synod, for example, 60 of the 138 pastors under call to a congregation are age 60 or older..."(p. 19, The Lutheran, November 2014)

Other synods report the same numbers.  By and large, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America which I serve is an aging church.  Soon, most of the pastors will be at the age of retirement or beyond.  Soon we will struggle with finding clergy to serve all the parts of our denomination.

The Synod I serve, the Central/Southern Illinois Synod has faced the same issue.  Recently, they have taken a utilitarian approach the retired ministry, offering retired ministers interim positions and part-time calls.  The three Assistants to the Bishop, for example, are all retired pastors.  Not a single pastor not retired, besides the bishop, is employed by this synod.

In other synods, the same thing is going on.  Retirement is being postponed or replaced in favor of  continued ministry.

"We are seeing sort of a rehabilitation of age, and 70 is the new 60." says Bishop Kirby Unti of the Northwest Washington Synod.

While this may seem to have solved the problem of "what do you do with all these retired guys and gals" the issue still remains.  Our clergy are an aging population.  And while it's nice to have people or experience to turn to, the fact of the matter is we rely too heavily upon those who are older in ministry.

And I wonder...why?

Perhaps it's a number thing.  There are more older clergy than younger.  Perhaps we rely on our retired people because we have to.

Perhaps it is a matter of trust.  After all, the younger generation brings with it a whole host of new and different ideas.  Raised in the digital generation, they are more apt to use multi-media in their sermons.  Their creeds might not be as polished or neat as that of their older collegues.  And, if statistics are right, they tend to be more tolerant on issues of sexuality and community than the older generation is.

Perhaps we don't really want things to change, at least in our lifetimes, so we've entrusted it to those who won't change.  Maybe the thought of the church becoming something different is frightening and we'd rather have the pastors who've been schooled in the old instead of those trained in the new.

Or perhaps they young bring with them a host of costs and obligations that the older generation does not.  Younger pastors are more likely to have young families.  Sometimes that involves giving them parental leave or providing for expenses you would not have to provide with a retired person.  Sometimes it involves mobility.  Younger pastors are more likely to be "geographically restricted" than older pastors may be.

Whatever the reason, we are very much going against a tradition of retirement dating all the way to the book of Numbers.  A tradition of retirement that emerges out of commands God gives to Moses for the Levites.

The Lord spoke to Moses saying: "This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall begin to do duty in the tent of meeting; and from the age of fifty years they shall returne from the duty of the service and serve no more.  They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service." (Numbers 8:23-25)

Why would God have instructed Moses this way?  It seems rather odd to put limits and restrictions on the ages of the people who serve in God's temple.  It seems like God is micro-managing things or something.  Why would God care what the ages of his servants were, so long as they served?

Maybe God is setting a limit for their own good.  In the same way that God sets the boundries of heaven and earth.  In the same way that he sets apart the Sabbath day as a holy day.  God is setting up an age boundary here, separating the age of work from the age of retirement.  Why?  Well... God knows that we'll work ourselves to death if given the chance.  If left to our own devices, we will run ourselves out dead with no rest, even for the aging.

God is saying, "Enough!  There has to be a time for rest and retirement!  You can't keep doing what your younger collegues do.  You have to give yourself a break!"

How I wish our church would learn that lesson!  The lesson that comes from retirement.  I'm not sure if we can right now.  It might require a rethinking of the way we do synod and church.  It might require a change.  But I think we rely too much on those who are retired and eventually the time for rest will come for them, willingly or not.

Wouldn't it be grand if the older our clergy became, the more we learned from them what it means to rest in the Lord?!  Wouldn't it be great if the lesson our retired clergy were teaching us was: "This is what it means to rest in the Lord.  This is what it means to get older and retire from work.  This is what it means to give the reigns over the younger generation, for good or ill."  Instead of "this is what it means to work until you die!"

God gives us rest, not just to us each week, but also to us when we reach the age of Sabbath.  God still gives the gift of rest.  Are we willing to let go and let others enjoy that gift too?

Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, for you have set the limits between rest and work.  Teach us those limits that we might embrace both.  And when the time for rest comes in our lives, give us the grace to let go and trust the work to the next generation.  Amen.

"They're Gonna Need Help..."

After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.  Numbers 8:22

"They're Gonna Need Help..."
By Rev. William Dohle
Last Sunday was awesome at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Peoria!

It began with a tremendous service, with carols played by Debbie.  Then the sermon itself led right into the band's song where seven musicians each walked forward, one by one, to sing a Christmas version of "Halleluiah!" by Coen.  Talk about spine chilling!  Wow!

Then came the Christmas program itself.  The treats were already made and set out by our talented Ms. Amie, our youth director.  The kids all arrived via their parents and, an hour later, a cast of more than twenty, directed by three ladies (Ms. Amie and the two Jennifers), led us to the manger via posted signs.  The band sang again, this time recorded over the sound system.

It was awesome!

What was even better was how many people there were involved in the whole thing.  I can't even count the number of talented individuals it took to put it all together on Sunday.  From the band to the ushers to the organist to the kids to their parents to our youth director to the director ladies to the costume makers to all of those who attended.  The work

That's amazing!

It's something that couldn't have happened with just one or two of us.  It took a whole village of people to make it all work!

That's the insight this passage from Numbers gives us.  God sets apart an entire tribe of people, the Levites, to assist Aaron in tending worship.  Aaron from the beginning was always THE man.  He was THE mouthpiece of Moses, relaying everything that Moses tell him to the people and to Pharaoh.  When the tabernacle was set up, Aaron was THE MAN who tended the tabernacle and made sure that sacrifices were made properly.  Aaron seemed to be the ONLY person who could do the job too.  Even Aaron's own sons didn't do it right.  And they ended up dead!

So can you imagine the pressure that Aaron had riding on his shoulders.  He needed help!

And God answered him.  God set aside an entire tribe of people, the Levites, whose sole purpose was to help Aaron and become priests in his stead.

After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting. ¹⁶ They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman. (Num. 8:15-16)

And they are given to the people and to Aaron.  As a gift and a helper!

From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary. (Num. 8:19)

Can you imagine how relieved Aaron must have felt, knowing that the work of God was being done by others, not just him?  Can you see the smile on his face when he finally gets to sit down and relax after a hard day, knowing that others are caring for the people in his stead?

I am so blessed to have so many able-bodied people sent by God to do the ministry of God at St. Paul with me.  I'm not alone!  I have an excellent praise team!  An amazing two organists.  An astounding pianist.  A secretary who does an amazing job.  A youth director who continues to surprise me with her many gifts.  A council who takes their role as leaders of the congregation seriously.  Parents of our students who understand they have a part to play in their kids' faith development.

Not to mention all the people who assist with various tasks.  The greeters.  The ushers.  The acolytes.  The Assisting Ministers.  The women's groups who all lead their own studies without me.  The men's group who know how to run a kitchen.  And even some talented substitute preachers and teachers who can fill in when I can't be in two places at once.

There are more, of course.  The list goes on and on.  I am not alone.

I know what it's like to feel totally responsible for services.  It's not a good feeling.

But thankfully, we don't have to feel totally responsible for anything.  We have a community.  Paul describes the church as a body and just as the body has many members, so the body of Christ does too.  We cannot do everything by ourselves.  We need help.  And God has answered our prayer.

Praise God that God has not put the whole world on our shoulders, but has given us a community that can shoulder the responsibility along side us so that, together, we might welcome God's kingdom and the finishing of all creation!

Thank you, God, that you have consecrated your community.  Send us forth as leaders and support staff to do your work.  Amen.

God's True Seat

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  Psalm 103:8

God's True Seat

By Rev. William Dohle

It's Christmas time and the radio is filled with Christmas favorites.  There are so many.  White Christmas.  Rudolph.  Frosty the Snowman.  Not to mention all the religious ones.

One of the songs sung this season really makes me cringe.  Its a popular song too, so many people know it.  It goes something like this...

You better watch out.
You better not cry.
You better not pout. I'm telling you why.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He's making a list and checking it twice.
Gonna find out whos naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping.
He knows when you're awake.
He knows if you've been bad or good.
So be good for goodness sake!

Have you ever listened to the lyrics to that song?  The man described in that popular Christmas song is insane.  He's a stalker.  He keeps a record of what you do right or wrong.  And he punishes you accordingly.  He's right too because he watches you when you're sleeping and when you're awake.  And he's going to be right too because he's checked his list...twice!

Talk about a scary guy!

Maybe that's why my youngest is so afraid of sitting on Santa's lap.  He knows who this guy is.

Most of the time we don't pay much attention to the lyrics we sing here.  Santa is seen as a jolly happy soul in other songs.  A dear old man.  An elf bringing gifts to the young girls and boys.

But occasionally we let our theology into our Santa songs and then...disaster strikes!

You see, this vision of Santa Claus is the way many people view God.  An old man in the sky keeping record of our wrongs, to punish us when we do bad and to reward us when we do good. 

Many people(and I put myself in this category at one time) view God as a Being eternally angry with humanity.  With his eye on us from his judgment seat in the sky, he sets out to record the rights and wrongs we do.  The rights he might reward(if he feels like it).  But the wrongs he will surely punish!

And so must repent. We must come groveling back to God.  We have sinned against him.  God is angry with us.  And, even if we believe that Jesus somehow deals with this anger, we're still left with a God who, like the Santa in the song, is eternally upset and on the watch for what could possibly anger him.

So what do we do with this?  Is this biblical? Is this the God we find there?  Or not?

Perhaps a better question to ask would be...where does God sit?  If mercy is in one seat and condemnation in another, does God sit in the seat of condemnation, to destroy us?  Or does he sit in the mercy seat, to show us mercy?

The book of Numbers tells us plainly where God sat in the tabernacle.  And, I would argue, where God still sits.

"When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak to the Lord, he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat..."(Num. 7:89)

The "mercy seat'.  That's what they called the place between the two cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant.  The MERCY seat.  Not the judgment seat.  Not the seat of condemnation.  Not the place where God sits when he's REALLY mad at you.  No.  God's voice comes out from the place where mercy sits.

What if we saw God sitting here instead of in the place of condemnation?  What if God was seen as being first and foremost merciful(as he is described all over the Scriptures), instead of first and foremost condemning?  What if this was our view of God?  How would we live our lives?  And, better still, how would we treat our neighbors?

This is where God resides...in mercy.  His mercy is given first, even before we come to repent of our wrongs.  God forgives and loves and gives of himself before we can even respond.  "While we were still sinners..." Paul tells us.  And that mercy doesn't stop either. God's mercy, his steadfast love, endures forever and ever!  It never ends.  Even when we don't respond to it.  Even when we turn away.  Even if we stop repenting, God's love remains.

That's just who God is.  God is gracious and merciful.  He sits in a better seat than the Santa in the song does.  God sits there instilling, not fear, but love and trust into our hearts.

So, as you sing this carol with your friends, keep in mind.  Someone more good and righteous and giving and compassionate and loving is coming.  Someone greater than even Santa Claus himself is already here.  He is here to show us mercy, not judgment.  To give to the good and the bad alike his greatest gift, eternal life, not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done for us!

Merciful God, shower us with your mercy.  Give us grace to see you smiling down upon us.  And help us to be merciful to others, as you are to us.  Amen.

Golden Memory

"...and the chiefs offered offerings of dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the chiefs offered their offering before the altar."  Numbers 7:10

Golden Memory
By Rev. William Dohle

I have a challenge for you...

Next time you're in church, count how many "Memorial plaques" you can see.  Memorial plaques are usually rectangular in shape.  Gold in color.  They have engraved on them a name(or many names) and above them it usually says, "Given in Memory Of..."

Every church has them.  Sometimes in the strangest of places.

The altar may have one.  The piano may have one too.  The baptismal font is often given in memory of someone.  And the stained glass windows may have one next to them too.  Occasionally, especially in older churches, you'll find one on the back of the pews too.

In our church they can be found on the benches outside, on a rack that holds prayer shawls, on the podium, the player piano downstairs, and on a candle set used in lent.  (And I'm probably missing a number of them too!)

So...why do we have these things scattered around our churches today?  Why are memorial plaques important to us?  Why should they matter?  Especially when, often, the family doesn't attend church much anymore and, sometimes, the people mentioned on the plaque have long been forgotten.  Why are these little metal pieces important?

Perhaps the answer to this can be found in the book of Numbers, chapter 7.  Here we read about some ancient offerings and how they were recorded.

"And the Lord said to Moses, "They shall offer their offerings, one chief every day, for the dedication of the altar."(7:11)

Now, the text could have just stopped there.  God commanded every chief to bring their offering to the Lord.

But...no... the text continues.

"He who offered his offering the first day was Nihshon, the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.  And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense, pone bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old."(7:12-17)

So...why does Numbers insist on listing every single one of the things they were commanded to bring?  And why does it insist on doing this, not just for Nihshon, but for every other chief of every tribe of Israel.  All 12 of them!?  Why?

Perhaps the reason for this mention is the same reason we place golden plaques on things we give as memorials.  Because we want to be remembered!  No one may know any of the tribal chiefs, but their names and what they gave are recorded for all time in the text.  We may not remember who they were, but we carry their names around with us in our Bibles.

In the same way, we may not remember those we memorialize on our little golden plaques, but their impact to our community can still be felt.  We still use the pieces their family donated.  We still read their names occasionally and wonder about their lives.  We still remember them.

As much as we speak about heaven and sing about our glory after we die, truth be told, every one of us wants to be remembered in this life as well.  We want others to think about us and remember us.  We want to have an impact here.

These plaques tell the world that THESE people aren't forgotten.  Somehow they live on.  In the piano that is played in church.  In the benches that sit out front.  In the candles that sit upon the altar.  These people are still apart of us.  We remember them.  They made an impact on this place.  And they still impact our lives.

That remembrance and memory is a little piece of eternal life.  It's tangible eternal life and claimable.  It's something we can see and touch.  It's not based on faith as much as on sight.  We can see it.  We can touch it.  Though others may not remember who we are, at least they can read our names and wonder what impact we made here and why this community remembers us so.

So, here's the questions I'll leave you with.  Why do we desire this little piece of eternal life for our loved ones as we do?  What does that say about our faith in God's memory?

God of Memory, you remember us in our low estate, both in this life and in the world to come.  Be our memory when we have forgotten, that the world might one day be remembered in you.  Amen.