145 No easy transitions

Pastor Barbara said this morning during her transition from the sermon to communion, as the microphone wouldn't unclip and then the clips fell on the deck, as the wind whipped her notes and hair, "Each week I prepare a smooth transition from sermon to communion. . ." and the wind took the rest of her words. But informal church on the lakefront singing camp songs is wonderful. Today we sang "Hallelu, Hallelujah!," "Down in my Heart," and "This is the Day." Gwen at the electric keyboard is always joyful and led us in rounds. And it was a glorious day, overcast perhaps, but the mighty Erie was singing God's glory with white caps and a bit of spray baptizing our efforts to outsing her.

No easy transitions. A staff member died on the same high-way I was driving last Sunday. We prayed for his widow, children and grandchildren. It was a shock to all our little community, but not to Jesus, who was waiting with open arms for his child who had served him many years. It will be a difficult transition for his family, but it was effortless for him.

Jesus has done it all, as the hymn says. He has lived the perfect life and paid for our sins on the cross so we can confidently make that transition as though we had lived without sin. And make an effortless, smooth transition when our time here is over.