Distracted

I am late this week with my BLOG entry.  Sorry about that.  We had a big funeral last night that occupied most of my week.

Many of you know that in December of 1996, the pastor of Northminster and his wife were murdered in their home.  The trauma to the congregation was massive.  Ron Smith was called to be the interim pastor and served here for five years.  It was not an easy interim.  During those five years many people left, unable to handle the sorrow.  The investigations and trials took several years.  Ron helped Northminster work through the pain, the anger, the loss, the hopelessness and more.  He prepared the church for a new stage of life.

Ron died last Sunday and we had his funeral last night.  For many people his death brought up the whole tragedy again.  I spoke to one of our 15 year old girls before the service and told her she was too young to have buried two pastors.  It has been a difficult week for the church.  Memories, nightmares, sorrow, loss, pain, fear all over again.

I wasn't even here through all that history but the loss of Ron had a deep impact on me as well.  It is always difficult to bury a colleague.  For some reason it always makes me wonder what will be said at my funeral and who will say it.  When someone we respect and admire dies it feels as if a part of us has died with them.

I think that must be how Biff felt when Jesus died (I am moving back into the Book Study in case you missed that segue).  How did you react to Biff's reaction to Jesus' death?

Have you experienced the death of anyone close?  Was your reaction similar?  Different?