Do This When You Remember Me

Sermon by Rev. Steven McClelland  on Isaiah 43: 1 – 3a, John 15: 13 – 16 – Do this When You Remember Me – Focus on why the stories of our lives are important to remember.  When we remember each other we remember God too.  Check out Simona Frenkel and the choir following the sermon.  

When Jesus gathered his disciples around the communion table for the last supper. He told them no longer do I call you servants for a servant does not know what the master does, but now I call you my friends. And after he had finished talking with them he left them a new commandment: “Do this in remembrance of me.”

When I conduct a funeral or memorial service I remind the folks of how important it is to remember their loved one in the stories that we share with one another, because as with Jesus we live our lives based on stories. And in remembering our loved one in the stories we share with each other that is how we keep the person’s memory and spirit alive and among us.

I don’t know where I heard this but this is what was said, “You will remain present as long as someone speaks your name. If that is true then telling the stories of someone who was close to us becomes very important.

When we remember someone, it means that you have carried something of who that person is to you, that they have left some mark of who they are on you. It means that you can summon them back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between you. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.

For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I’m feeling most irrelevent, it’s your remembering me that helps me remember that I actually matter much less exist. When I’m feeling sad, it’s my consolation. When I’m feeling happy, it’s part of why I feel that way.

If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget me, part of who I am will be gone.

On the cross hangin next to Jesus the good thief said for all of us: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” Luke 23:42). No prayer better said. And so today we remember those saints who have graced our lives. We gather as our Biblical ancestor’s gathered to be reminded that our scriptures are the living diary of the human experience with God, embracing all that we feel, embracing all that would break us, and all that makes us.

To remember God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah, that God has called each of us by name. That when we pass through the waters of chaos they shall not overwhelm us that whether we make our bed in the depths of sheol or on the mountain tops of joy we will be remembered.

To remember with the Apostle Paul that there is nothing in all of creation, be it the miracle of life or the mystery of death, be it the heights of joy, or the depths of sorrow that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

To remember Jesus’ promise to us: “An lo I am with you now and until the close of the age.”

As the writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us: For everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven: To remember for Scottie there was a time to be born February 9, 1926 and there was a time to die April 2, 2018, to remember the time of Chester’s birth June 1, 1928 and the time of his death July 14, 2018, to remember Roland’s time on earth, born March 1, 1925 died August 25, 2018. To remember Isobel’s life span July 25, 1928 – September 7, 2018. For there is a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh…” Now is the time to remember the lives of these saints who touched our lives.

I hope some of my rememberences will spark rememberances for you. And I hope you will share yours with me. The first thing I noticed was that they all lived into their 90’s. And that’s amazing when you consider that through their entire childhood, there were no vaccinations, there were no antibotics. Doctors could tell you what was wrong but do very little about it. So that they lived into their 90’s is a miracle in and of itself.

But the greatest miracle was who they were as people. Scottie, whose Scottish burr always made me smile. He could have read from a phone book and it would have been pleasant to listen to his voice. He reminded me of my Scottish heritage and thanks to Betsy Ruffle at a World Communion Service here in this sanctuary I have this wonderful picture of Scottie and me dressed to the nines in our ancestoral clothing. Kilt and sporran, a bonny Prince Charles jacket, a kilt shirt, kilt hose, bracers and boots.

Scottie always had a smile on his face and joke at hand. He’d come through the receiving line following worship and say things to me like: “Steven I hope you don’t mind that when I went to make my offering I asked the ushers to make change for a dollar bill.” “Steven Dotty is a bonnie”, which means beautiful. And you’re a fine laddie.” Scottie wanted to make you laugh and in so doing he spread light and love. If love were a coin then its flip side would be laughter! When you laugh you feel joy. You feel good like you’ve been blessed and you feel alive. You feel what God wants you to feel.

This gift Scottie had and shared freely with everyone he knew. But he also had the melencholy that a lot of Scotts share and would often tear up when he’d remember sitting in his Scottish church pew with his mother. But then a smile would cross his face and he’d say: “Beautiful memories!”

Remember me Lord! Remember that is not good for humans to be alone!

Isobel shared that same quality. She was proud of her Scottish heritage and had a wry sense of humor. She loved caring for people and served as a nurse throughout her whole life. She was an unoffical deacon of this church. She and Bill were among the first people to take me around to visit all of our church shut-ins. People like Peggy Dunham another Scottish lassie who celebrated her 103 birthday with me, Bill and Isobel. Isobel baking and bringing her amazing Shortbread cookies to celebrate.

Roland Jungeblut, for those who never got to meet Roland he loved good conversations and by that he loved talking about history, politics, theology, psychology, science. He loved attending our Thursday Bible studies and Sunday worship services and though he was never a member he might as well have been. And when Roland and Virigina could no longer drive here it was Isobel and Bill who would bring them to worship and our fellowship dinners.

When Roland found out that I had attended Union Seminary he told me how he met the great theologian – Paul Tillich. One of the giants in the world of theology & psychology that I studied about at Union. Turns out that Roland dated Tillich’s daughter when he was attending Columbia University. He gave me a letter signed by Tillich. I asked him what it was like meeting Tillich and his response was: “He was hard to understand because of his thick German accent, but I always understood him when it came to dating his daughter.

Roland rowed crew for Columbia University in New York, became an insurance adjuster upon graduating and was a proud veteran of World War II. He was part of what Tom Brokaw called the “Greatest generation.” He loved traveling the world – Europe, Canada, Asia, Australia and of our course the great American National Parks.

He always asked great questions – the kind that make you pause and think before answering. Today when so many people simply want to tell you what they think. Roland wanted to know what you thought. He was incredibly smart but would have been embarrassed at my saying that. He was a great conversationalist. A rare thing today.

And then there was Chester. Mr. Powers. One of a kind. So many things spring to mind. The picture I have of him on V.E. Day 1945 being lifted high in the air by a marine who kissed him on the cheek. Chester all decked out in his Phillip Morris bell hops outfit at the Cadillac Hotel in Detroit where he worked as a young man.

He went to the 1948 Detroit World Series. But he loved and followed the Mets and the fun we had going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Bobbie, Chester an me. Three amigos. Ordering Blubs better clarified by our waitress as: “Did you mean blueberries?” And then checkin into the Baseball Hall of Fame the weekend that the Women’s professional baseball league was celebrating their 70 year anniversary. You’d have thought Chester had entered the Kingdom of Heaven that day!

I remember the ticket taker asking Chester if he had any I.D. so he could get a seniors discount as we went to buy our ticktes to the hallowed ground where in the center of the hall of fame, enshired in a simple glass case, was Willie May’s glove from the 1954 World Series, with the simple inscription – “The Catch.” He must have stood at that holy grail for 10 minutes just staring at it. Reliving the catch over and over in his mind’s eye. Reminding me of the quote: “Baseball is the only sport you can see on the radio.”

But back to Chester’s I.D. Chester never drove so he didn’t have a driver’s license. Instead he carried in his pocket a Polaroid Vacation Bible School photo that had his name written on the bottom margin. Much to the ticket taker’s surprise Chester whipped out the picture and asked her: “Will this do?” She said, “Yes!” and then asked him if he’d like to be a friend of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Chester asked: “How much is that?” She replied: “$50.00” He shot back without any hesitation: “How much to be an acquaintance?”

He attended every Bible Study, Fellowship event, worship service unless he was sick, which was rare. I see him whenever someone comes to light the Christ candle only to have it stay lite or when it failed to light for him. Sometimes the torch would be lite so high that I’d think: “He’s going to set himself on fire!

He’d just shake his head and give out a sigh and head down the steps – our accolite! He was small in stature but a giant in humor and heart. I remember my first class back from my kidney surgery in 2000 and Chester saying to me: “Steve for a young fellow you sure get really sick.” To which, Scott Davidson said to me: “It’s kind of like having salt rubbed in a wound isn’t it?” Made me laugh. Chester made me laugh more than anyone I ever met.

I remember another time when I was talking about the goodness of God’s creation in our Bible class and Chester shot back: “Come on over to my place and I’ll show you what God’s good creation did to my floor box.” He wanted to be involved in everything. This church was his family!

He was the great, great, grandson of General George Longstreet. Second in command to General Lee at Gettysburg. On his apartment wall he proudly hung his great, great grandfather’s wedding certificate. And let me tell you if the lights were ever out on the church steeple you’d hear about it the next day.

Even after he was hit by an S.U.V. this little man bounced back, not to the degree that we all hoped for in terms of being able to come back to his apartment across from the church but always with that intent and hope in mind.

I was his pastor but he would always remind me: “The greatest preacher I ever heard was your father. Remembering the specific sermon – “Keep on Truckin” that my Dad preached here at my installation service.

We shared Christmas’, Thanksgivings’, Trips and Adventures together. I never thought of Chester as my senior. He was my simply my buddy. He could shock you with his honesty and make you laugh with an insight into your life or his. He too would tear up – anytime he spoke of his church and what it meant to him. He would always ask about my family. How were my Mom and Dad doing? When was I going to see them again?

And when I’d visit him he’d show me the cards that my Mother had sent to him. Upon hearing of his passing my mother sent me a card saying of Chester: “If ever there was a loving disciple, it was Chester. He always made me feel so cared about and loved.”

In time he began to live out of his past. He’d forgotten that I was his pastor, but then he’d introduce me as his doctor. Not a bad trade! And eventually toward the very end I was just a friendly face, who received more from him than he would ever realize. But even then he’d always come back to remembering that some day soon he’d be coming back to his apartment and to the church he loved. He loved this place and its people.

There are no easy ways to say goodbye. Nor should there be. Grief is as much a part of this life’s intended experience as is the joy of having lived it in the first place. It’s the price we must pay for love; it is the cost of commitment. But it’s what makes life meaningful. It’s what makes life worth living in the first place.

Scottie, Chester, Roland and Isobel all lived four score and ten or more years. A full life by any measure! And for them the Apostle Paul’s words ring true: “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is set up for me a crown of righteousness.

So to all the saints who have gone this way before us! I say to you – Here’s to that day when we all shall meet and dine together again. So be it. Amen.