A Time for Everything
In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, we read…
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
During this cancer journey, we have experienced many of the truths of these verses. Over these months, we have gone through a time to weep and a time to mourn. Fortunately, that time to die hasn’t happened yet. But this season has certainly been hard.
Last Sunday, we experienced the flip side. It was a time to build, a time to laugh, and a time to heal. Allow me to explain.
An Invitation
A few months ago, I was approached by Maury Brenneman, the lead pastor of Fellowship, the church that I had led for 34 years. He said that he and the current elder team wanted to correct a wrong.
“You and Gwen faithfully led this body of believers for nearly 3 ½ decades,” he said. “Yet when you left in 2018, you were not properly recognized nor celebrated. We want to do that in a special service if you are willing.”
“We’d like you to return to our pulpit and bring the Word to the Fellowship family. And then we’d like to bestow on you the honored title of pastor emeritus.”
Needless to say, I was blown away. After all of these years, I had pretty much come to the conclusion that such a moment would never happen. Yet, amazingly, it had.
A Celebration
When the morning of March 1 came, Gwen and I were both nervous. What would this be like? How would we be received? After all, we’d been gone for nearly 8 years.
When we pulled into the parking lot thirty minutes before the service, it was clear that word had gotten out. The lot was quickly filling up.
As we walked into the building, the excitement was palpable. Anticipation was sky high.
We were swarmed by well-wishers in the atrium. Making our way to the front of the auditorium, I was greeted not only by current attenders but by many old friends I hadn’t seen in years.
The crowd kept pouring in, and eventually the place was packed. When I walked onto the platform to be introduced before preaching, the room exploded with a standing ovation. It was one of many.
Though I had to preach from a stool because my stamina is so weak, I was able to get through my talk. And, according to many, it was “the perfect word for that day.”
Afterwards, Gwen joined me on the platform, and we were presented with a scrapbook filled with notes as well as a picture which will be put on display. Then I was anointed with oil and affirmed by the elders and the congregation as pastor emeritus.
After the service, we went out to the atrium and sat on stools as people lined up to greet us. For over an hour, people poured out their love and gratitude on us, telling us how we had impacted their lives.
What a moment of celebration! Yet it was also something more. It was a moment of healing.
A Restoration
As some of you know, Fellowship fell on hard times after we left. Many longstanding members eventually drifted away, disappointed and disillusioned.
And then Sunday happened. On an occasion when the goal was to honor Gwen and me, hundreds of former FMCers returned…to worship together, to learn together, and, yes, to fellowship together.
There were tears of joy, hugs of reunion, and moments of reflection. And during that time, something truly remarkable occurred: healing flowed.
Later on, social media posts abounded as to what that day meant to so many people. And it wasn’t just about Gwen and me…it was about us as Fellowship—what we had once been and what we could be.
If you wish, you can access part of the service HERE. It includes a great video clip about FMC’s history, a special introduction of me, my sermon, and the pastor emeritus ceremony.
After the high of Sunday, it’s back to everyday life. I have another infusion this Tuesday, and we will consult with my oncologist. We don’t know what we will be told about my prognosis. I’d appreciate your prayers for that moment and for the Lord’s healing touch.
But for now, we are rejoicing and grateful for such a wonderful time to build up, to laugh, and to heal. I will never forget it.
Watch Dave’s message and pastor emeritus celebration HERE!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Here’s how you can pray for us in the coming days:
PRAISE God for a beautiful day of celebration and healing with the Fellowship family.
PRAISE God as well for His blessing on Dave’s teaching the prior week at Avalon.
PRAISE God for the strength He is giving Dave in these days that is allowing him to return to his coaching ministry.
Dave’s next treatment day will be March 10. PRAY that the immunotherapy is effective and that God will bring complete healing.