Here's to Bernie
February 22, 2010
Going through some old files, I found a newsletter article my brother had written in one of his early churches. Jim wrote:
"One of our members named Bernie had cancer surgery. Several weeks later he called to see if he could sit in my office during worship. He can't sit in the pews and thought my office chair might work. Sunday morning came. I saw their car pull up and the ordeal began.
Crawling out of the car, pulling himself up to a standing position, taking the few steps into the office was painful to watch. Finally, he collapsed into the office chair, sweating with the strain of it all, but at least he was there to worship with the family of God.
When the service was over, the ordeal went on in reverse--struggling to get back to the car and home.
Then Sunday afternoon the phone rang. It was Bernie. He called to thank me! He called to say how good it felt to be in worship and how much he appreciated all I did for him.
Now, do you understand why I am so unsympathetic to some the cheap reasons folks give for not being in worship? Here's one for you, Bernie."
During Lent we are focusing on our commitment to "prayers and presence", our commitment to spiritual formation and worship as central to our life together. I encourage you to make weekly worship part of your Lenten discipline. Even better, I encourage you to make weekly worship a part of your on-going life of faith, saying "Here I am Lord, with my prayers and presence."
Three cheers for Bernie. See you in worship.
Jack Harnish
