Being Mind-full of Each Other        

     Our organist of two years, Greg Eicher, played his last worship service with us on Sunday, April 27.

     For two years, Greg has been amongst us most overtly as our organist. But he has been so much more for those who have had eyes to see and ears to hear. Greg was:                                     

·          equally adaptable to the organ or the piano;  

·          a superb tenor in our choir; 

·          an enthusiastic participant in worship, even from the organ bench;

·          a cheerleader of the choir, the music program, and Trinity worship;

·          someone who could debrief with me after worship;                       

·          one who came in to practice hours upon hours on our organ and who sought to use our new organ’s varied capability to its utmost;

·          a musical scholar who chose his selections with care and theological integrity;

·          one who created different ‘voicings’ on the organ for each verse of each hymn, depending on what the verse was about;

·          an ordained pastor in his own right;

·          an award-winning scholar from his seminary;

·          a tireless worker through his job with Public Health for HIV/AIDs care and support;

·          a devoted father of two;

·          a gracious human being.

Of course many in Trinity will have their own accolades to add to this briefest of lists. As we said good-bye to Greg, we were mindful of the great gift he has been to Trinity. But perhaps some in Trinity only knew Greg as ‘the organist’ who played the music so we could sing our hymns.

Now we have a void; not only at our organ, but in our church community. Now all of the gifts and graces Greg brought with him  and shared with us, are gone. While some of us may not have known Greg well, there will be a certain something missing now that he     has left.

Each of us is like that, in what we add to Trinity. Each of us has stories and talents, quiet offerings, unique gifts. Every time I do a memorial service, I will invariably receive comments like “I never knew that about him!” … “Why did I have to find out too late what an interesting person she was?”

And, equally, when any of our membered community moves away, leaves, or becomes inactive, we all lose something, and experience that “void.”  Every time someone asks me, “What ever happened to so-and-so?” .. I know it is because they feel the void of their personality, their gifts, and their graces.

None of us know how much time we have with each other, or at Trinity. But to have no regrets means that we cherish each one amongst us in the moment; that no one is just a place-holder, a kindly face, or a name on the      membership list. Doesn’t that give a whole new meaning to “Fellowship Time” after church, if you made it your      mission to get to know just one person better each week?

And none of us can assume that our presence is not important, no matter how much or how little “we think” we do or mean. By virtue of saying “Yes!” to those                  membership vows of our Presence, our Prayers, our Gifts, and our Service, God weaves us into this community in such a way, that our absence creates a tangible hole that affects everyone.

Perhaps I am preaching to the choir here, and You are here every Sunday, and know each person like a member of your own family. But perhaps someone is reading this who hasn’t been amongst us in the full spirit of membership for too long. Your presence is valued; your absence has been our loss.

I hope that Greg Eicher’s full presence amongst us, and now his leaving might be a reminder to us of being mind-full of each other, and grace-full in the sharing of ourselves in the Trinity community. 

On the road with you,

           Rev. Pamela