Funeral Sermon: Russel

1 Corinthians 12:27-28

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 

Luke 9:46-48 46 An argument arose among the [disciples] as to which one of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.”

            Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who welcomes us.

            Russel was a tremendous welcomer. 90% of my Sunday mornings began with walking into the fellowship hall and seeing him sitting in one of the comfy chairs in there. As soon as he saw me he would let out a big, Hellloooo Pastor. Which I would respond with a big Hellloooo Russel! Then I would grab a cup of coffee and sit down to see how the world was treating Russel. We would chat about the weather, how he was feeling, news around town, and various other things. And then after a while it was time to get ready for service. I would head to my office to change into my Alb and Stole, and Russel would head to his office, the center doors to the sanctuary. He would get his bulletins ready, usually only able to hold 10 or so at a time to make sure he didn’t drop them, and it would take a few seconds to pick one out of the pile he held, after he shook the person’s hand and gave them their own big Hello and Good-morning of course. And despite the work that it took to hand out bulletins nothing would stop him from doing that.

            Everyone had roles on Sunday morning, I would lead service, Barb or Dawn would play, whoever was greeters would welcome one side of the door, Martin would help with bulletins, offering, and communion ushering, someone would help with serving communion, and Russel would always welcome you to worship. Greeting required shaking hands on both sides of the door as you entered.

            And it was more than Sunday morning. Where ever you went, if Russel saw you, you got a big Hello and a handshake, a big smile on his face as he shuffled over to you. If you visited him at home, you would knock there would be a big, come in, and again once he saw who it was, there would be a big Hellooo Pastor, and I would again respond Hellooo Russel.

            1 Corinthians lists different gifts and abilities that God gives to the church, apostles, prophets, and teachers. I’ve always thought that that list should include welcoming. There are some people whose gift to the church is the ability to welcome in all who enter, and to welcome also all those who don't think they can enter. Russel was one of those people, I’m sure people who came to service some days didn’t need any other word of Gospel to be shared beyond Russel’s hello, good morning, and handshake. We could have filed in past Russel and all gone home filled with the Love of God.

            In the Gospels we find a scene where the disciples have begun to bicker just like we bicker amongst ourselves about who is better than whom, who deserves more than who, whose opinion should matter most. And Jesus picks up a child and says, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.”

            I’ve never met anyone who lived that more than Russel, and I wonder if I ever will. Russel didn’t care about your standing, or whether you were important or not, everyone was worthy of being welcomed, everyone was important enough to be cared for and acknowledged. Everyone deserved being seen and appreciated.

            I am going to close in prayer but then I would like us to share the peace of the Lord with one another, because it is in that Greeting of our Lord that Russel still walks with us, no longer cramped and crushed, but now through God he walks tall and strong, he shakes hands with a force that had so long been gone. God is before him and holds him strong, welcoming him in just as Russel welcomed us all in, with a big hellooo Russel and a handshake that contains more love than any words could state.

Let us pray,

God of Welcome, welcome us into your care in these days as we grieve the loss of our husband, father, and friend Russel, we will miss his welcomes, his good mornings, and his hellos, but we know that through you, we will receive them again, that he now walks with you, and when the time comes he will welcome us again. Give us strength in the days and months ahead as we journey in a world that will not be the same, and yet still pulses with the energy and love that Russel showed forth from you.

            Amen.

The Peace of the Lord be with you all.

And also with you.

Please share that peace.