Together in Christ - Glenn Lunger

Have you ever noticed that although the 23^rd Psalm uses the words “I”, “my”, and “me” frequently, that the Psalm is not about I, my, and me in isolation, but rather about our place in community?

A shepherd doesn't have but one sheep, he has a flock.

The sheep does not pasture or drink or face danger alone, but with a flock, and with the shepherd to provide the help and guidance needed.

A banquet-goer does not eat alone; a feast implies a crowd;

whatever the difficulties are (the enemies), they are faced together.

What is the point of having an overflowing cup, that is, more than one could possibly need or want, if it cannot be shared with someone else?

And the “house of the Lord” is not so much a place as it is a full set of relationships with all those who are the blessed of the Lord.

We should especially value those who remind us of these things by what they say and do in their lives.

This may be a key and important way of remembering Glenn as he lived and worked among us.

He was a community-builder, in the name of Christ.

He told me stories about his adventures getting summer playground activities underway.

He heard “that will never work” so many different times that it only made him even more determined that the event he had in mind would take place.

He wanted to be sure that his pastor understood things about this community and so he and Ruth hosted Donna and I on a Herdic trolley tour that first summer we were here.

He helped Ruth with those stacks of School Kit bags for years, things that benefit people we'll never even meet in the world community.

He told me about spending untold hours scheduling students for the coming year in those times before computers could foul things up, trying to get every detail right so that things would go well for each student.

There was a story in the newspaper written in appreciation for his encouragement and diligence.

He enthusiastically welcomed us when I showed up one day with some catechetical students in tow to visit and to give a house-blessing in their new apartment.

He participated in the life of the congregation in as many ways as he could for as long as he could.

His last words to me 12 days ago were, “thank you so much for coming to visit.,”

as I sat with daughter in law and granddaughter

representing the Lord Jesus and his people in St. Mark's congregation at his bedside in Mechanicsburg.

He understood and lived in ways that said that it is not about “I, me, and my” so much as it is about “us” together in the kingdom of God.

The “place prepared for you” of which Jesus speaks in John's Gospel is the fullness of the community established in Christ's death and resurrection.

Some many remember hearing the old story about a person being shown the difference between heaven and hell.

The two rooms looked identical, tables in both rooms laden with all kinds of wonderful food.

There was a problem with everyone's arms in both rooms, though.

Their arms could not bend at the elbow.

There was wailing and anguish in the room marked “hell” because the persons at the table could see and smell the food, but couldn't get any of it to their mouths.

They were famished.

In the room marked “heaven” the residents were just as handicapped as the folks in the other room, but there was laughter and conversation and all were full and satisfied.

They didn't even attempt to feed themselves with their stiffened arms, but instead reached across the table to feed someone else and in turn to be fed.

Glenn did that in so many ways, not the least of which was in helping in the Vietnamese resettlement effort 30 years ago.

Practical things to build up the community....those were his specialty.

And so here we are together today.

It got underway 20 years ago when Glenn and Ruth sat down with Pr. Brandau to plan for this day, and reaffirmed it all 10 years ago when they sat with me.

“Look,” they said, “the community of our church will already be gathered for worship.

Let's make it easy for them to stay together a bit longer for this memorial service.

Let's choose strong hymns and powerful lessons.

Let's make it about Jesus and the community he calls together as his body the church.”

It's not about “I, me and my”; but rather about Christ and his community that he builds, using our efforts as some of his building blocks.

Glenn and Ruth are reminding us today to get on with our parts in all this.

Thanks for so much, and for that reminder, Glenn. AMEN.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.