THE NOVEMBER 2012
DON’T FORGET Donnie Scearce, Lead Pastor
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Don’t forget!
“DO THIS TO REMEMBER ME…” I Corinthians 11:25c
y maternal granddad was the most genuinely joy filled man I have ever known. From my earliest memory of him until he passed away a few years ago, the one character trait that marked his life more than any other was joy. He was always prepared with a joke to tell to lighten the day for someone else. He was also tenderhearted, kind, and gentle. Whenever someone in our family said or did something out of line, he would pass over it graciously if he could or correct it gently if he must. His gentle, joyful way would win the moment. But his life was not easy. He had grown up in an economically difficult time, one of twelve children. He had known the challenges of walking with a brother addicted to alcohol and of caring for his mother in poverty. He had served in WWII with two of his brothers, and one had been killed. Occasionally my granddad would pull out The Purple Heart, an award that was given to his family from the U.S. government to honour his brother’s sacrifice. It was always a very sobering time as he would remember his brother, and quietly mention the cost of war. Remembering is important for all of us, especially this month. We have the honour of having in our congregation those who have served faithfully in war so that we may live in peace. These veterans’ names are listed below. Remembrance Day on November 11, reminds us to not forget the thousands of people who have lost their lives during WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and those who have served in the Canadian Forces since. Keeping the memory alive is certainly something that we are reminded of in Scripture. Even as far back as the Exodus, when God was speaking to Moses about who it was that was going to deliver his people from slavery, he said: “Say this to the people of Israel:Yahweh, the God of your ancestors … has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations” (Exodus 3:15). And before Jesus’ death and resurrection, so that we would never forget who it was that brought about our ultimate redemption and peace through his own death, Jesus said for his followers to participate in communion, saying “Do this to remember me.” Jesus did not want us to forget the cost of our peace. The proof of our not forgetting is perhaps summarized best by the way we live now. Hebrews 12:1 says, “…And let us run the race God has set before us.” From those like my granddad and our veterans here who have served us well, to the ultimate model of joyful sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, the moral of the story for us is as simple as it is profound: Don’t Forget.
Ben Kopp, Bob Hanway, Charlie Richardson, Ellis Pearce, Fred Roberts, Glen Rowe, Gordon Finch, Mack Dennis, Stan Adams.