A couple of years ago, Vineyard USA Coaches offered to provide three pastoral coaching sessions for free to interested pastors. I jumped at the chance and found myself in monthly Zoom meetings with a coach and two other pastors. The coach’s name was Stacie Seaman. When our three sessions were up, she offered to extend our sessions. They continued through November 22 of this year. Stacie was diagnosed with cancer in October, and in November, she told us she was scheduled to have a port put in, which, she said wryly, was when you knew you were really a cancer patient. Stacie passed away December 13, at the age of 64. I watched the livestream of her Celebration of Life Service yesterday from Greeley, CO. It was their 45th wedding anniversary.
I tell you all this, knowing full well that you didn’t know her. Well, it turns out, I didn’t know much about her either, apart from her Coach status. The video testimonies during the service revealed a dedicated wife, mother, nurse, caregiver, IT consultant, project manager (and husband manager), travel agent, writer and director of a writing club called Inklings, zealous grandmother, and lover of Jesus and worshiping him at the Greeley Vineyard Church. Family members also added that their Thanksgiving and Christmas tables typically included complete strangers who were included at Stacie’s irresistible invitation. All these details are fresh on my heart as I write.
Jesus, too, is like that. We read, last week, the story of his birth from Luke 2 (like most Christian homes and churches around the globe). Just two months ago, we read from Chapter 1 (vv. 13-16), of John’s Revelation, another revealed aspect of our Savior (no longer the sweet babe in the manger; upon seeing him, John collapsed as though dead!). Now, John had seen many miracles, accompanied Jesus to his Transfiguration, seen him crucified, then risen from the dead, and taken up before their very eyes into heaven, but, still, he was ill-prepared to witness this fuller-yet reality of Jesus’ holiness and supremacy.
Thirty years previously, the Apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Collosae, attempted to describe Jesus in larger-than-life terms. We’ll look at his expansive view of the Redeemer tomorrow, 10 AM, 3, PM, 4 PM. And what a great way to celebrate Day 7 of Christmas, with Communion together! PD
