#Poem dash between the years how to#
#Poem dash between the years series#

And if I’m going to do a funeral in thirty minutes, I need a tie. Just the blue oxford pinstripe I’m wearing. The next thing I do, as I’m walking out the restaurant, is call the men’s clothing store, about halfway down Main Street heading back to the church. So the first thing I do is pull out my wallet and grab some cash and throw it on the table for my lunch and tip.

To this day, I thank God that in that moment I experienced the latter.

#Poem dash between the years how to#

You know, in moments like this, your mind does one of two things: it either goes to mush, or you are given the gift of clarity from somewhere outside yourself, that tells you what you need to do and how to do it. I take a deep breath and say, Bob, I’ll be there in twenty minutes. But nowhere did I ever learn anything that would remotely prepare me for this! Now I had four tremendous years of seminary education where I learned a awful lot about what it means to be in ministry. I hate to do this to you, I know it’s putting you in an awful spot, but is there any way you can come and officiate this thing? The casket is set up in our chapel right now. But for whatever reason they thought we were calling. We told them that five days ago, and they were supposed to call you and ask you to officiate their mother’s funeral today. And you know we always tell the family, we always tell the family it is their responsibility to secure the minister. The family came in to make arrangements right afterwards. When’s the funeral?īob says, Steve, I’m real sorry about this. And her family needed a minister to officiate her funeral, so would I be willing to do that? Anyway, she never really went to another church, so for all practical purposes our church was still her church. Bob tells me the deceased, an older lady, was not currently a member of our church, but had been in the past, long before I got there. Bob tells me there’s been a death, which is what I figured.

So I answer: Hey Bob, what’s up? Bob says, Hey Steve, I’m sorry to bother you, but I need a big favor. Bob is a great guy, but typically when Bob calls my cell it’s not because something good has happened. Bob is a church member of mine, and also third generation owner of the local funeral home in town. I’m finishing up my chef salad when the phone rings. from the church to my favorite restaurant. It’s this beautiful Tuesday spring day, and I had walked about five blocks down Main St.

#Poem dash between the years series#

The story I want to share might add a little levity to this sermon series on death and dying.

It’s nothing fancy – your standard predominately-red-with-some-blue-thrown-in-for-good-measure tie. I want to begin this sermon by sharing a story with you about, of all things, the tie I’m wearing today.