We Were Blessed By His Talent
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For an openly gay musician
We Were Blessed By His Talent
1 Samuel 16:14-23; Revelation 7:9-17
(This sermon was preached for the long-time organist of a church where I was the former pastor. The new pastor had not yet been accepted in the church or community. The organist was openly gay.)
Both of these scripture passages make me think of Van. The two passages are not all that similar. The Old Testament Lesson is an episode from the life of Saul, Israel's first king. The New Testament Lesson is a vision report from John of Patmos. As different as they are, I see them coming together in Van's life and his death.
The first passage -- the little anecdote from the life of Saul -- tells of how Saul was overcome by an evil spirit (surprisingly enough from the Lord). This talk of evil spirits may be an ancient attempt to explain depression. The recommended treatment in the passage for Saul's condition was to have David play the lyre for him. Whenever a bout of depression came over Saul, David would play so that Saul "would be relieved and feel better" (1 Samuel 16:23). Even if we don't know how music might chase away an evil spirit, we do know that beautiful music skillfully played can be healing.
What David did for Saul, Van did for all of us. His organ and piano music set the mood for worship, lifted our spirits, touched our souls, healed us, and probably on more than one occasion kept the evil spirits at bay. Van could do it all -- from the most majestic Bach compositions to the lively gospel tunes of the Cokesbury hymnal. I only wish my knowledge of music was sufficient that my description could do justice to Van's talent. While I was pastor here, I had to contend each Sunday with the likelihood that Van's opening voluntary might be the most emotionally rousing part of the service. In addition to his abilities as an instrumentalist, Van often directed the choir. He was a composer as well, writing, among other things, an Easter anthem that the choir performed during my first year here. We all were blessed by his talent.
If any one particular Sunday from my tenure here stands out, it is the day when all of the electricity went out in the church. We found out later that the electricity had gone out all over this part of town. It turned out that a squirrel had nosed its way into a transformer and shorted out the grid. Van was playing when this blackout occurred. The organ made a kind of sick sound and then became silent. All of the lights went out and the sanctuary grew dark. We couldn't read the liturgy in the bulletins; we could hardly see each other. We didn't quite know what to do. With characteristic ease, Van led us in a hymn sing. With no possibility of reading the notes, and barely able even to see the keyboard on the piano, Van played from memory the hymns called out to the congregation. He saved the service.
We cannot begin to list the many ways Van will be missed. We must begin with those closest to him. Will has lost a companion. Charlie and Frankie have lost a son. Bobbie has lost a brother. Certainly, here at the church, his music will be missed. All of his clients at the hair salon will miss his expertise. I was told before that women preparing for beauty pageants sought out Van for his skill as a stylist. His colleagues at the American Guild of Organists will miss his leadership and virtuosity.
The narrator of our passage from 1 Samuel knew that music could be therapy. Thanks to Van, so do we. We do not miss Van only for his talent, of course. We miss him for who he was. We are proud of how Van was comfortable with himself. We miss his integrity. Van never wanted to hurt anyone, but I know of a time when he declined to do something someone had asked him to do. He did not think what he had been asked to do was right and so he turned the request down. We will miss his courage and honesty.
The second passage from the important, but often bewildering book of Revelation, describes a vision of the resurrection. The New Testament always affirms the resurrection, but gives us few details about what it will be like. This vision report gives us a brief glimpse of life in the resurrection. I can't help but think of Van when John tells us what the resurrected saints are doing. They spend all day and all night in worship (Revelation 7:15). I can't think of anyone who would enjoy nonstop worship more than Van would. Van was quite knowledgable about the worship tradition of the church and of the United Methodist denomination. All that Van did for this church came from his desire to facilitate good worship in this congregation.
Even though this second passage does remind me of Van, it really is about what God will do. We have come here today to honor Van and to celebrate his life. We also are here to worship God and to recognize God's power and love. This passage affirms God's triumph over death. It would be unbearable to think that death could win out. It would be unbearable to think that such talent as Van's could be silenced forever. In God's grace Van will be raised, and as Paul tells us the perishable will take on the imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:53).
This passage also tells us that God will take away our grief. John provides for us a tender image: God wiping away our tears. No doubt we are shedding tears this day. Van had more music to play, more service to give to this community, more time to spend with those he loved, and more women to make beautiful. We lost him too soon, and for that we grieve. Nevertheless, because of the promises of John's vision, this also is a day of victory. We celebrate Van as God's gift to us, and we celebrate that God will raise him from death.
For Will, Charlie, Frankie, Bobbie, the members of the choir, the members of the church, and everyone in the community, may God grant you peace and comfort. May the prayers of the church sustain you. Now is a time to put away any disagreements from the past and turn toward one another. I pray that you will allow the people of this church and your pastor to be there for you. Grief is hard and sometimes exhausting work. It seems to last forever. You will think the pain might never go away. By God's grace you will come through it. Things will never be the same, but God will bring you healing. Grieving is no time to be alone.
God gives us life and God saves us from the power of death. Even in our sorrow let us rejoice in the promises of the gospel. Let us rejoice in the assurance of resurrection and eternal life. Amen.
We Were Blessed By His Talent
1 Samuel 16:14-23; Revelation 7:9-17
(This sermon was preached for the long-time organist of a church where I was the former pastor. The new pastor had not yet been accepted in the church or community. The organist was openly gay.)
Both of these scripture passages make me think of Van. The two passages are not all that similar. The Old Testament Lesson is an episode from the life of Saul, Israel's first king. The New Testament Lesson is a vision report from John of Patmos. As different as they are, I see them coming together in Van's life and his death.
The first passage -- the little anecdote from the life of Saul -- tells of how Saul was overcome by an evil spirit (surprisingly enough from the Lord). This talk of evil spirits may be an ancient attempt to explain depression. The recommended treatment in the passage for Saul's condition was to have David play the lyre for him. Whenever a bout of depression came over Saul, David would play so that Saul "would be relieved and feel better" (1 Samuel 16:23). Even if we don't know how music might chase away an evil spirit, we do know that beautiful music skillfully played can be healing.
What David did for Saul, Van did for all of us. His organ and piano music set the mood for worship, lifted our spirits, touched our souls, healed us, and probably on more than one occasion kept the evil spirits at bay. Van could do it all -- from the most majestic Bach compositions to the lively gospel tunes of the Cokesbury hymnal. I only wish my knowledge of music was sufficient that my description could do justice to Van's talent. While I was pastor here, I had to contend each Sunday with the likelihood that Van's opening voluntary might be the most emotionally rousing part of the service. In addition to his abilities as an instrumentalist, Van often directed the choir. He was a composer as well, writing, among other things, an Easter anthem that the choir performed during my first year here. We all were blessed by his talent.
If any one particular Sunday from my tenure here stands out, it is the day when all of the electricity went out in the church. We found out later that the electricity had gone out all over this part of town. It turned out that a squirrel had nosed its way into a transformer and shorted out the grid. Van was playing when this blackout occurred. The organ made a kind of sick sound and then became silent. All of the lights went out and the sanctuary grew dark. We couldn't read the liturgy in the bulletins; we could hardly see each other. We didn't quite know what to do. With characteristic ease, Van led us in a hymn sing. With no possibility of reading the notes, and barely able even to see the keyboard on the piano, Van played from memory the hymns called out to the congregation. He saved the service.
We cannot begin to list the many ways Van will be missed. We must begin with those closest to him. Will has lost a companion. Charlie and Frankie have lost a son. Bobbie has lost a brother. Certainly, here at the church, his music will be missed. All of his clients at the hair salon will miss his expertise. I was told before that women preparing for beauty pageants sought out Van for his skill as a stylist. His colleagues at the American Guild of Organists will miss his leadership and virtuosity.
The narrator of our passage from 1 Samuel knew that music could be therapy. Thanks to Van, so do we. We do not miss Van only for his talent, of course. We miss him for who he was. We are proud of how Van was comfortable with himself. We miss his integrity. Van never wanted to hurt anyone, but I know of a time when he declined to do something someone had asked him to do. He did not think what he had been asked to do was right and so he turned the request down. We will miss his courage and honesty.
The second passage from the important, but often bewildering book of Revelation, describes a vision of the resurrection. The New Testament always affirms the resurrection, but gives us few details about what it will be like. This vision report gives us a brief glimpse of life in the resurrection. I can't help but think of Van when John tells us what the resurrected saints are doing. They spend all day and all night in worship (Revelation 7:15). I can't think of anyone who would enjoy nonstop worship more than Van would. Van was quite knowledgable about the worship tradition of the church and of the United Methodist denomination. All that Van did for this church came from his desire to facilitate good worship in this congregation.
Even though this second passage does remind me of Van, it really is about what God will do. We have come here today to honor Van and to celebrate his life. We also are here to worship God and to recognize God's power and love. This passage affirms God's triumph over death. It would be unbearable to think that death could win out. It would be unbearable to think that such talent as Van's could be silenced forever. In God's grace Van will be raised, and as Paul tells us the perishable will take on the imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:53).
This passage also tells us that God will take away our grief. John provides for us a tender image: God wiping away our tears. No doubt we are shedding tears this day. Van had more music to play, more service to give to this community, more time to spend with those he loved, and more women to make beautiful. We lost him too soon, and for that we grieve. Nevertheless, because of the promises of John's vision, this also is a day of victory. We celebrate Van as God's gift to us, and we celebrate that God will raise him from death.
For Will, Charlie, Frankie, Bobbie, the members of the choir, the members of the church, and everyone in the community, may God grant you peace and comfort. May the prayers of the church sustain you. Now is a time to put away any disagreements from the past and turn toward one another. I pray that you will allow the people of this church and your pastor to be there for you. Grief is hard and sometimes exhausting work. It seems to last forever. You will think the pain might never go away. By God's grace you will come through it. Things will never be the same, but God will bring you healing. Grieving is no time to be alone.
God gives us life and God saves us from the power of death. Even in our sorrow let us rejoice in the promises of the gospel. Let us rejoice in the assurance of resurrection and eternal life. Amen.
