Anyone who knows the author of this blog site knows that I minister to a rural congregation called Zeandale Community Church. We have been with ZCC for over ten years and it has been a great experience. Connection with this church and other churches has brought numerous opportunities for ministry.
A week ago I conducted a funeral for Pat Zarger, who had been a long time resident of Zeandale. In fact, the property the church bought across the street from the church belonged to Pat Zarger's family. It was a great experience for me to visit with her family as well as conduct her memorial service. As always, the experience of working with the men at Yorgensen-Lundeen-Muloan funeral home was a pleasure. They are a great group of people to work with. I enjoyed lunch with the Zarger family at the VFW.
This week was a big week in the Waller household. Their older daughter, Dianna, married Joseph Cox and many months ago, Dianna asked if I would do the honors of the ceremony. Therefore, we had wedding rehearsal on Friday, August 31 followed by a great outdoor supper at the house where the married Coxes would live. Saturday afternoon the wedding was conducted at the Central Congregational Church in Topeka Kansas. The Central Congregational Church is a beautiful old building with a great deal of educational stained glass windows. The dark wood interior set a warm spiritual tone to the whole service.
However, the night before the wedding someone had tried to steal the air-conditioner for the building. While he/she was lifting the motor out of the air-conditioner, the system kicked on. The thief was frightened, dropped the motor back into the frame, and ran. That meant that only one-half of the building was air-conditioned. On a warm September day in tuxedoes and long dresses that can be a problem.
Again, it was a great experience. We had a good time and more good food at the reception and a chance to meet and make new friends. The life of ministry.
On Thursday morning of August 30, I received a call from the Parkview Funeral Home. The funeral director there asked if I could have a funeral for "Pops" McCoy who had just passed away. I was contacted because Dr. Cam McConnell, senior minister at First Presbyterian Church, being out of town, unable to hold the funeral, suggested I might hold the funeral. Cam and I are good friends. I teach at the Presbyterian Church on a regular basis and Cam was sure I would fill in if possible. I told the funeral director I would do it, but I would not have time to meet with the family. That was fine because the family was not going to arrive until Saturday anyhow.
Saturday then was a busy day. Sermons to get ready, an important wedding, and a funeral. That's what we call ministry. For me it is a great life. I have a very supportive wife who usually goes with me to all these events and God grants to us a good time in his work. We were able to help the McCoy family at a time of loss, send off Joe and Dianna happily married, and come home with a sense of accomplishment for a great day.
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