Good Shepherd Sermons & Blogs
We remember those we love by helping others.
Dear ones:
During my sabbatical, I was sad to hear of the death of Jim Manning at the age of 93. Jim had been worshiping with us for nearly two years.
When I came to Good Shepherd, I instituted a policy for funeral services: when we celebrate Holy Eucharist, we always take up a money offering. This may strike some folks as strange in a situation where we typically welcome so many guests. But it is absolutely in keeping with the centuries-old traditions of our worship. Especially in a culture like ours today, with a gigantic gap between the rich and the poor, the church needs to make every opportunity to gather from those who have and give it to those who don't.
That said, funerals and weddings and such are times when we may meet a lot of folks who are not particularly invested in the financial well-being of the church and may even find such an ask offensive. That's why I encourage those planning funerals to identify an outside destination for the offering, typically a nonprofit organization that their deceased loved one supported.
In my absence, that happened with Jim. And I want to share with all of you a thank-you note we received via email this week:
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Dear Rev. Hosler and congregation of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd,
Thank you for your recent donation in memory of the late Col. James Manning. We are deeply touched by your generosity and honored by your support.
Because of gifts like yours, we are able to serve nearly 3,000 community members across the Pacific Northwest who rely on us for dialysis care. Your contribution helps us continue offering free education about chronic kidney disease and the choices available to those affected.
Thanks to your kindness, all our patients have access to life-changing support, regardless of their ability to pay. We are humbled by your partnership in making this vital work possible.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Rachel Mckeon
Donor Relations Coordinator
P.S. If you have any questions about the work we do, I would love to connect and learn more about what is important to you.
