Gary Swartzlander
4th November 2006, 05:45 PM (17:45)
2 different e-mails from our Pastor today with news at both ends of the spectrum.
The good news first; each week the Pastor sends out a weekly update to the church board and staff. This weeks update contained the following:
"A couple of Sundays ago we had more than twenty first time attenders in Kids!First. Crystel had planned a salvation message for that very day. In the course of the three morning services twenty-five children invited Jesus into their lives. Praise the Lord!"
In our 3 Sunday morning services we normally have between 200 and 250 children from new born to 5th grade.
The sad news was received in a follow-up e-mail. I had heard this last night and the e-mail confirmed it.
"Dear Church Board,
I hate to pass on news like this via email, but I have some bad news to share and I wanted you to know as soon as possible. Our day custodian, Keith Johnson, passed away unexpectedly sometime yesterday. Keith left work early Friday morning because he wasn’t feeling well. (Pastor) Ken tried to check in on him during the day. Ken went to Keith’s house, but couldn’t get in until late in the afternoon. When Ken located a friend of Keith’s who was a locksmith and finally got into the house they discovered that Keith had passed away. We believe it may have been a heart attack, but we really can’t say for sure."
Keith was 51 years old.
Sometimes the emotions of church work and life catch us going both ways at the same time.
The good news first; each week the Pastor sends out a weekly update to the church board and staff. This weeks update contained the following:
"A couple of Sundays ago we had more than twenty first time attenders in Kids!First. Crystel had planned a salvation message for that very day. In the course of the three morning services twenty-five children invited Jesus into their lives. Praise the Lord!"
In our 3 Sunday morning services we normally have between 200 and 250 children from new born to 5th grade.
The sad news was received in a follow-up e-mail. I had heard this last night and the e-mail confirmed it.
"Dear Church Board,
I hate to pass on news like this via email, but I have some bad news to share and I wanted you to know as soon as possible. Our day custodian, Keith Johnson, passed away unexpectedly sometime yesterday. Keith left work early Friday morning because he wasn’t feeling well. (Pastor) Ken tried to check in on him during the day. Ken went to Keith’s house, but couldn’t get in until late in the afternoon. When Ken located a friend of Keith’s who was a locksmith and finally got into the house they discovered that Keith had passed away. We believe it may have been a heart attack, but we really can’t say for sure."
Keith was 51 years old.
Sometimes the emotions of church work and life catch us going both ways at the same time.