Download and read the Spring 2007 issue of Youth Breezes

Click here to visit other Youth Ministry resources available from Franconia Mennonite Conference.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Zion Mennonite Spring Flea Market is being held on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost to rent a table is $10. You may also donate your treasures from your attic, basement, or garage to be sold. Be sure to stop by and do some shopping. For more information, contact the church office at 215-723-3592.

Zion Mennonite Church invites the community to free Outdoor Family Movie Nights. Our first feature film will be on Friday, June 22, at dusk, featuring the movie, “Night at the Museum” starring Ben Stiller. (In the case of inclement weather it will be shown in the church Fellowship Hall). Remember your blanket and chairs. The movie and popcorn are free; drinks and candy will be sold for a minimal cost. For more information, call the church office at 215-723-3592 or visit the website at www.zionmennonite.org.

Job Opportunities

Penn View Christian School is seeking a full-time Middle School Principal (grades 6-8) beginning in August of 2007. The school desires energetic and creative leadership for the middle school program including the spiritual, academic, and extracurricular aspects. Serious candidates will have teaching and administrative experience with an advanced degree. Penn View offers a Christ-centered, academically excellent education for 650 students in early childhood through eighth grade. Send resumes to Robert Rutt, Executive Director, Penn View Christian School, 420 Godshall Road, Souderton, PA 18964 or tholman@pennview.org Phone: 215-723-1196. Website: www.pennview.org .

Mennonite Mutual Aid (MMA) is seeking a trust and investment advisor in the Southeast Pennsylvania/Franconia area office, responsible for investment management and trust and estate administration. Qualified candidates will have a bachelor’s degree and prior related experience; knowledge of trust and investment services; Series 65 license (or willing to pursue); willingness to travel. For more information about the responsibilities and qualifications of this position, please visit the website at www.mma-online.org.

Dock Woods Community seeks a social worker to provide social work services to our residents. This role will assess and provide interventions for psychosocial needs across all levels of care. Position requires an MSW or a BSW with equivalent combination of education and experience. Long-term care or health care experience strongly preferred. Dock Woods offers competitive salary and benefits. Interested candidates should fax resumes along with salary requirements to 215-565-2413 or e-mail eprice@dockwoods.com.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Sheldon Good
scgood@franconiaconference.org

A record-setting 10 students will begin their internships through Franconia Mennonite Conference next week as part of the Mennonite Church USA’s summer inquiry program. Two college students will work directly with the conference, while eight will intern at various ministries across the United States.

The ministry inquiry program is an 11-week internship traditionally available to any student attending a Mennonite college. Students interested in a specific area of ministry — usually, but not limited to, pastoral ministry — are able to gain hands-on experience by working alongside a supervisor in their respective discipline. The inquiry program is offered year-round but is most popular in the summer, and all participants are given a stipend for their work.

“The conference is blessed with the presence and ministry of 10 interns,” said Franconia Conference executive minister, Noel Santiago. “This represents the value our delegates place on ensuring that young adults have the opportunity to not only connect with the church, but to help shape it as well. Along with the gifts, vision, passion, questions and ‘new eyes’ they bring to our various context, inquiry program participants contribute to the ongoing unfolding of God’s reign as we seek to Equip leaders to Empower other to Embrace God’s Mission.”

This year, through a grant from Eastern Mennonite Seminary, three Franconia Conference students attending non-Mennonite institutions have been given the opportunity to participate in the ministry inquiry program: Tim Moyer, a sophomore at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia from the Blooming Glen (PA) congregation; Felicia Moore, member at New Beginnings Community Church in Bristol, PA, who is in her second year at Indiana University of Pennsylvania; along with Philadelphia Praise Center attendee and first year Penn State University student, Andrew Liemon. Moyer will work with Franconia Mennonite Conference, while Moore and Liemon will assist with ministries at their home congregations.

Moore is thankful for the grant and is excited about her opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in a ministerial role. “I chose to do the inquiry program because I saw an opportunity to learn and grow,” she said. “I hope that this experience teaches me more about the numerous talents in the Franconia Conference and how churches relate to each other.”

Two students will intern with congregations in the mid-west: John Tyson, a sophomore at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) and a member at Souderton Mennonite congregation, who will intern at Christ Community Church in Des Moines, Iowa; and EMU sophomore Jordan Good, a member of Bally Mennonite congregation, who will spend his 11 weeks with Walnut Hill congregation in Goshen, IN.

Three students will work with congregations on the East coast: Jessica Cassel, a sophomore at Bluffton University, will work in the area of youth ministry at her home congregation, Souderton (PA) Mennonite; Emily Derstine of Plains Mennonite congregation, a sophomore studying at EMU, will spend her summer in suburban Washington, D.C. with Nueva Esperanza/New Hope Fellowship; Peter Koontz (don’t know his congregation), a Goshen College junior from Elkhart, IN, will intern with Oxford Circle congregation. Both Derstine and Koontz are working in congregations that are Franconia Conference Partners in Mission.

Along with the nine students in the ministry inquiry program, there will be one Goshen College student who will participate in each of the college’s unique inquiry programs — camping inquiry and service inquiry, both students listed respectively: Mercy Oyama, a Goshen College sophomore from West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, will work alongside various managers at Spruce Lake Camp; Krista Ehst, junior at Goshen College and member at Perkasie (PA) Mennonite congregation, will work alongside Moyer at Franconia Conference.

All of the participants will begin their work at the end of May and finish towards the beginning of August. Eight of the students are sophomores in college.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

The Peace & Justice Committee is again hoping to support another season of the Vegetable Basket program, bringing consumers in touch with growers from this area. This year we are planning to work with food distribution organizations, hoping to serve those less fortunate in the Bucks and Montgomery County region. Please keep this in mind as you are planting and caring for your crops. A complete schedule will be coming in June. We hope to begin collections in July and run until early October. For more information, contact Bob Moyer at 215-766-0827 or email bobpax70@verizon.net.

See outdoor movies after dark on four First Fridays this summer and bring the kids along. Perkasie Mennonite Church will show the free family films on June 1, July 6, August 3, and September 7. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy free popcorn at the Fourth and Chestnut Street, Perkasie location. Check out titles and details by calling the church at 215-257-3117 or check www.perkmenno.org.

Perkasie Mennonite Church is filling a paper recycling unit and invites the community to bring paper, magazines, glossy flyers, and junk mail for recycling. Profits will go for school kits for needy children.

Karen’s Place, the coffee shop ministry of Doylestown Mennonite Church will be open on Saturday, June 2, featuring the college radio-acoustic rock Dan Harney Band. This will be the 7th Annual Hawaiian Night with prizes, giveaways, and our “Best Dressed Hawaiian contest.” The show will be taped for a future TV broadcast on WBPH (TV60) from Allentown. There is no admission charge. For more information, please call the church office at 215-345-6377 or visit the web site at www.karensplace.org.

Enjoy a scenic tour of historic Montgomery County barns on Saturday, June 16, on a guided day-long tour sponsored by the Mennonite Heritage Center, Harleysville. Led by barn experts Alan Keyser, and Jeff Marshall, the tour will feature six Pennsylvania barns. Participants will park at the Mennonite Heritage Center and board a deluxe school bus for the 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. tour. The tour fee includes a box lunch and drinks. The cost per ticket is $22 for Mennonite Historian of Eastern Pennsylvania members, $28 for non members. Registration is limited. For more information, call 215-256-3020 or check www.mhep.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Mennonite Heritage Center museum shop Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

“Harrisonburg, VA, May 18, 2007—Lee Eshleman, one half of the acting duo, Ted & Lee, died on May 17, 2007. Lee took his own life after succumbing to a long battle with depression. He leaves behind his wife, Reagan, and their children, Nicolas, Sarah and Gabe, along with countless friends and fans around the world.

Lee has been acting with Ted Swartz, since 1987, when they were introduced to do some comedy pieces for a retreat. Since then, the duo formed Ted & Lee TheaterWorks and have written and performed dozens of sketches and plays, including their most well-known plays, Fish-Eyes and Creation Chronicles, as well as a Christmas show (written and performed with Ingrid DeSanctis) called DoveTale, and their most recent show, Live at Jacob’s Ladder, a musical written with Ken Medema and performed with Ken (and Jeff Raught).

Ted & Lee performed regularly at retreats and conferences for just about every denomination, and were featured performers at national events including DC/LA (for students) and Youth Specialties’ National Youth Workers Conventions.

Lee was an active member of Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and is remembered by others as a funny, compassionate, thoughtful man who cared deeply for his family and was passionate about acting and sharing the story of God with others in creative and compelling ways. Along with Ted, he performed all over the country and in Kenya and Japan.

Lee performed a wide range of characters in their shows. But of his favorite, Lee once said, “I think it’s Nigel Nevilson; just so darned enthusiastic about everything. He’s a good-hearted, optimistic and slightly unhinged soul. Anyone who can find God in Green Eggs and Ham is good company. And when I really cut loose in character, Nigel pulses with all the spontaneity and basic sunny-ness that I sometimes suppress in my real life.”

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 21 in the Lehman Auditorium on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va. There will be a visitation at the Lindsay Funeral Home, Harrisonburg, from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday evening, May 20″.

Press Release taken directly from http://www.tedandlee.com/pressrelease.asp

see also the Mennonite Weekly Review

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

(click the header to read all stories)

Read the articles online:

• A reflection on the journey: Called and calling into ministry -James Lapp
• God’s transforming calling-Noah Kolb
• Investing in people in Vermont’s Upper Valley- Brandon Bergey
• Struggling with suicide: Picking up the pieces, looking for the gift- Jennifer Smith
• Choosing a path toward pastoral ministry and joy-Mark Derstine
• “I love learning more every week.”- Mike Ford
• Following a call: From Vietnam to Phnom Penh to Allentown- Jessica Walter
• An intersection with God- Angela Moyer
• Seeking and finding God’s unfailing love- Brent Camilleri
• Ofelia García Hernandez: Leading as a compañera and a partner- David Landis

Click to View/download the printable PDF

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

James Lapp
jmlapp@comcast.net

It’s hard to say when I first experienced a call to pastoral ministry. Was it as a child playing church on the stairs or imitating my parents going to “ministerial meetings?” Was it in frequently overhearing, right from birth, conversations about church and leadership, including the stresses and joys of Franconia Conference? Might it have been the model of my father and many guest ministers in our home? Maybe it began when I went to college and majored in Bible and gingerly spoke of preparing for “Christian service,” a kind of euphemism for pastoral ministry. Certainly the invitation from Richard Detweiler to serve as a summer intern with him at Perkasie Mennonite Church in 1960 contributed to a growing clarity and sense of call.

The reality is I was part of an era that did not announce plans to someday become a minister. Whatever sense of call I had needed to await the recognition of others and the processes of the church. To be sure, going to seminary signaled a readiness for pastoral leadership. This openness to ministry was first affirmed and confirmed in the fall of 1961 when I was called to pastor Belmont Mennonite Church in Elkhart, IN, and licensed by Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Ordination on July 7, 1963, followed graduation from seminary and acceptance of the call to serve as pastor at Perkasie. At the time I was the only minister active in Franconia Conference with a full seminary education.

Much has changed during these past 44 years in Franconia Conference. Education is now an expectation, with core courses a conference requirement for credentialing. While we have long had a history of plural ministry (“the bench” as it was called), the whole concept of team ministry pushes this model to new levels often not experienced in the older forms of plural ministry. We also seem to call fewer younger people to ministry. It is almost unthinkable now to have a 19 year old, or even 24 year old pastor like I was when first licensed. The phenomenon of adolescence and young adult years has modified the processes of calling leaders in the church. Or has the church become less willing to risk with inexperienced leaders?

Certainly the thought of women becoming credentialed leaders seemed remote in these early years of my ministry. To have been married to an ordained minister (my first wife Nancy), and now married to an active pastor, Mim Book, as well as to have a daughter, Cindy, ordained to pastoral leadership, creates a new reality for the church and for me personally. I am gathering feelings, insights and ideas about being a pastor’s spouse that I someday may decide to publish. I reflect with much joy and satisfaction on my years as a minister. After 20 years as a congregational pastor, Nancy and I served as campus ministers at Goshen College for a number of years. Perhaps the title “church bureaucratic” best characterizes my denominational leadership from 1987-95. Having left Franconia Conference in 1972, I returned in 1996 to serve as Conference
Pastor. It is hard to imagine a better context for my last long-term ministry function. Joining the conference staff team, working closely with overseers and pastors, and eventually leading the conference ministry team resulted in much joy and fulfillment.

To be sure, these past 11 years were also not without their challenges. Three years after we moved to Southeastern Pennsylvania, Nancy died of multiple myeloma. During the same era the conference struggled with relationships with Germantown Mennonite Church. There are times when I wonder which was more painful as both resulted in significant grief and loss.

As I near the decade of three score and ten, I sense the call to a new transition. Thus far I have resisted speaking of retirement. Rather I imagine a life with less demands, more flexibility, and opportunities for ministry that are life-giving and make good use of my gifts. For starters, after 25 years I am returning to a half-time pastoral leadership role for five months at Blooming Glen church (April through August). Frankly this new challenge stimulates me. At this stage of life, freedom in preaching and limiting ministry to the things I most enjoy, seems appealing. There need to be some perks that go with aging!

My resignation from the conference staff coincides with the dawn of a new season. Seasons of change are usually accompanied by some stress and uncertainties. The changes at Franconia Conference will be no different, however it is clear that the 21st century necessitates fresh strategies for ministry. The models we have used, including the conference ministry team I led, were largely borrowed from mainline churches, and have likely reached their maximum potential. How to retain the important values of older systems while adapting to new forms of leadership is the challenge. New leaders with familiar faces will best discern and discover creative ways to make this happen.

Meanwhile, to use Biblical language, I “watch and pray” for the dawning of the Kingdom of God in greater fullness. We have only begun to develop a “culture of call” in the conference and most of our congregations. I am impressed with younger women and men who exhibit high commitment to Christ and the church and hold strong promise that will surely result in a positive future. It is exciting to anticipate a record ten Ministry Inquiry Program participants (college students) connected to our conference this coming summer. The 2007 winter issue of Growing Leaders with the four articles by younger leaders bodes well for the future of the church.

I confess to impatience with the obstacles that women experience in fulfilling their call and excising the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I sense the old assumptions around leadership and authority in the church are being called into question and our quest for greater leadership effectiveness necessitates discernment for a new consensus around the values and patterns that will best serve us as God’s people. I applaud the greater professionalization of leadership while caution against emphasizing style over substance in our leadership practices.

Being at this stage of life invites self-critique about how and where I have invested my energy and gifts. Mostly I feel a deep sense of reward for the opportunities I have been accorded. I never imagined the path God’s call in my life would take as I view it in retrospect. While I have regrets about some specific actions on my part, I mostly reflect on these years with gratitude and joy. And to realize, like Paul, that I have not “reached the goal,” I continue to press on toward the “prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) To now leave the work of Franconia Conference in the hands of others brings personal freedom seasoned with confidence in new generations of leadership that will follow. Thanks for the privilege of being a co-worker with so many of you during this past decade of ministry. I will always treasure these relationships and the trust I have been shown.


James M. Lapp officially ended his term as Senior Ministry
Consultant with Franconia Conference on March 30.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Noah Kolb
nkolb@franconiaconference.org


What constitutes a “calling” and how it is recognized and nurtured has been of interest in the Church from the beginning. Why did Jesus call only 12? How was James chosen as lead apostle at Jerusalem? What criteria did Paul use to appoint leaders? These were just the beginning of the elaborate processes of choosing church leadership throughout church history.

Young educated Anabaptists appointed each other launching the radical wing of the reformation with evangelists, pastors, and lay persons moving across the countryside sharing the Good News as a gospel of peace and transformation. The focus on leadership by persecutors caused the Anabaptists to constantly refocus pastoral leadership so each flock had a shepherd. The deep concern that each congregation has quality leadership still shapes the Anabaptist tradition. We devise systems to make sure persons who hear the call are indeed called, prepared, supported, and publicly affirmed with credentials. Shifting cultural and global dynamics demand that we keep asking questions, observing how God calls ministerial leaders and how persons respond.

When I read the stories of how persons continue to respond to God’s call to ministry in this issue of Intersections, reflecting on my own journey and those many persons I have walked with, several themes focused my attention.

• The call to ministry in the church persists.
  As James Lapp noted, in the past, the call was not something you talked about. What mattered most was the call of the church. Almost all who in recent years heard the call focused mostly on the personal inner call from God, which was then confirmed by an outer call. What matters most today is that both the inner and outward sense of call comes together in public affirmation for fruitful ministry.

• It is exciting to see diverse groups of people; young and old, women and men, laborers and professionals, and persons of different faith backgrounds, cultures, and colors; responding to the call to pastoral ministry. There’s an array of gifts, experience, and wisdom. How can such a splendid diversity of called persons transform a historically Germanic people of faith? Can we become God’s new creation?

• The cultural differences are impacting how we hear, respond, and affirm the call of God. Women face certain obstacles and expectations that men do not. Economic demands may keep persons from responding in early years. Faith traditions use different language to express the call. Precise language and terms can no longer define who we are. We need to relate deeper to find the connections.

• The call is increasingly focused around unique gifts and ministries that reach beyond traditional clergy roles. There is less demand for the general pastor. The call is often a response to a specific kind of ministry. Congregations call for pastors who lead and can carry the vision, minister effectively to youth and young adults, or are experts in pastoral care, worship, or administration. Even as we ask which ministries of the church we should grant credentials for, the stories of call increasingly blur the lines between credentialed and non-credentialed ministries.

• The called are sustained by the grace and presence of God. Almost all of the persons who shared noted their journeys have not always been easy. The call does not lead to “happy ever after” endings. It is often attached to a deep passion that, when lived out, gives a sense of fulfillment. Frequently, the passion is hindered in some fashion. Most accept that as part of the training, growth, and shaping of ministry. Occasionally persons may step out of the call when it becomes overwhelming or unfulfilling. Can we who call the called be as gracious as God who loves and sustains those who struggle in it?

• The call is seen more as a segment of one’s whole life, rather than a lifetime commitment. In the present reality few persons commit themselves to a life-long career. This seems to be true in the call to pastoral ministry. Many persons expect a life of two or more careers and increasing numbers of persons answer the call in their 40’s, 50’s and even 60’s. Some who began ministry in their early years later move to other careers in or out of the church. What happens to the call or the passion? Does God give a new call or is the passion shifted into another channel? How much of this is a reflection of the shifting dynamics of the culture in which one is called?

God continues to call persons to pastoral ministry and the church continues to figure out how to affirm those called. As one deeply committed to calling and affirming those God is calling the task feels more like putting a 500-piece puzzle together rather than a 100-piece. But the joy of doing it and seeing the picture is worth it all.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Brandon Bergey
bbc@vermontel.net

Stephen Covey writes about the Knowledge-Worker age in his book titled The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. He believes Western culture needs to adjust its perspective on human resources. For example, if you’re familiar with any accounting software package like QuickBooks or Peachtree, you’ll notice that buildings and equipment are considered capital. Payroll, however, is considered expense.

In an age of relationships, in which Google, a company whose only notable capital—besides the buildings they own—are servers, we must begin to recognize the significance of the employee, at all levels. Employees freed to use their minds and creativity, working in organizations and jobs that they care about and are good at can change the world. When we free people to frame their work in a way that makes sense to them, we allow them to become integrated. This integration of being or personhood results in the development of voice—someone’s ability to know what they want and say what they mean. In a Christ-following organization these employees who are released to find their voice can build the Kingdom and do more than change the world. They will change paradigms, hearts gaining clarity of vision that brings focus and fulfillment.

Bethany Birches has been investing more intentionally in its facilities, staff, program, board and campers. Last year we experienced a 16.4% growth in attendance over the prior summer. As a statement of faith and hope for the years to come, we have made a decision to hire a year-round program director. This decision will require a total additional investment of $50,000 over the next three years. For years, different board members and parents have talked about the need to connect with our campers on a more regular basis, not only during summer. Young Life has set a good example in this area. Many traditional religious camps rely on the churches they are connected to for the relationships with campers to continue. Many of our campers, however, do not attend church and we are not Young Life. How then, can we continue to plant seeds in these kids’ lives after they leave summer camp? We have been running snow camps for almost 20 years as a way to reconnect with kids who are here during the summer. Recently, we’ve started envisioning ways to keep in touch with the teens of the area throughout the year through semi-monthly gatherings.

Why keep in touch with campers during the year? There are only about 600,000 people in the state of Vermont. This amounts to roughly 65 people per square mile. Simply put, there are not a lot of people around. Teens often talk about their desire to connect with other teens like them. I’ve heard many teens here at camp talk about the need to find good role models and positive influences. These desires motivate their return to camp year after year. If we have the capacity to help youth build relationships with each other and continue to build on the experience and spiritual growth they have here during the summer, why not explore these opportunities?

Soon after I came to Vermont, a Young Life guru in the area told me “Bethany Birches Camp has made a bigger impact on the lives of the youth in the Upper Valley (a region in Vermont and New Hampshire) than any other one organization.” I believe we can continue to make a difference in the lives of the children and teens of Vermont and the surrounding region. Our board believes that hiring a program director will give us the staff capacity to follow more faithfully wherever God is leading. What is your situation calling you toward (Matthew 16:1-4)?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Jennifer Smith
jsmith@pennfoundation.org

Charismatic. Selfless. Fearless. Great sense of humor. Deeply spiritual. Larger-than-life. These adjectives describe a man whose gifts and calling touched more lives than he ever realized. They tell the story of a devoted husband, father, grandfather, clinician, and colleague who had an eccentric affinity for chasing storms during his leisure time and an even stronger passion for serving others while “at work.” These words don’t reveal the deeply troubled part of a genuinely compassionate man who spent his life helping others but who, in the end, could not help himself.

On February 16, 2007, Bill Blumenthal, Associate Director of Penn Foundation’s Recovery Center, chose to take his own life. He left behind a shocked, angry, and grieving network of family, friends, and colleagues struggling to understand Bill’s decision and to overcome their own feelings of helplessness and guilt at not being able to save him. As one man put it at Bill’s memorial service, “Bill lost his way. That means I also lost my way.”

About Bill
During his 15-year tenure at Penn Foundation as an addictions counselor and administrator, Bill positively impacted countless persons struggling with debilitating addictions and their families.

He brought a unique perspective to his role; like many of his clients, Bill had struggled with addiction and depression. Through his experience of recovery, Bill heard his calling to become an addictions counselor.

Where Were the Warning Signs?
“How could this happen, especially in an environment
like Penn Foundation where there are countless professionals trained to detect signs of suicidal risk?” The answer lies deep in the despair of a man suffering from a recurrence of depression that led him, unknown to those around him, back into relapse.

People, both at work and at home, had noticed Bill struggling with an increased level of stress but nothing that signaled the depth of the problem. He had gone back to his psychiatrist and was being treated for depression. What no one suspected was that, at some point, Bill had also started self-medicating with prescription medicines his doctor did not prescribe and that he was, in fact, in active relapse. Until the night before he took his life, Bill kept this fact hidden from everyone around him. When it came to light, Bill could not face the implications this had for his family, his work, and his life. And his depression had narrowed his ability to conceive that there might be a way out of his despair.

As hard as it is to understand and accept, what happened to Bill happens to a lot of people with the difficult and complicated illnesses of addiction and depression. They often believe that there is no resolution to their pain.

Picking Up the Pieces
After learning of Bill’s tragic death and acknowledging the range of emotions that would inevitably follow, John Goshow, Penn Foundation CEO, immediately sought outside professional help for Bill’s colleagues. “I did not try to control anyone’s feelings,” explains John. “The important thing was to give staff time to heal and the opportunity to grieve in their own way.”

In addition to offering individual and group counseling to employees, staff were invited to 15 minutes of daily prayer every morning for two weeks. Although he was struggling with his own unanswered questions and emotions, Chaplain Carl Yusavitz found comfort in talking with staff. “We were all having the same emotions and in that, learned to take care of each other,” says Carl.

Moving On
“The important thing for any church or organization
forced to endure a tragedy like this is to be open and honest about it,” advises John. “It’s acknowledging that emotions are going to be raw; it’s embracing those emotions; and it’s providing several different avenues to navigate the overwhelming grief.”

Adds Carl, “Scripture can offer tremendous comfort in the midst of a difficult time such as this. It can come alive in a way that it never did before. God uses life situations to speak to us, and the Bible provides the text.”

“When I was fighting cancer, Bill once asked me ‘Where’s the gift?’” says Cyndy, Bill’s wife of 21 years. “At the time, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. But it stuck with me. I think about that question now as I deal with Bill’s death. There are gifts even in the hardest times. If we can learn something from Bill’s experience that can be used to help others facing these issues, then that is truly a gift.”

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!