A Message from Bob Henderson                              Friday, May 27, 2016
 
Dear friends,
 
When I was young, Memorial Day was something of a mystery to me. I knew the pool opened, the deep end would be demarcated by flag streamers, and hot dogs would be on the grill all afternoon. But I didn't understand much more. For me, the best part was the Monday holiday, typically a temperate blue-sky day perfectly designed for an exploratory bike ride or a pick-up game of ball.

I began to understand a number of years later, almost by accident. It was 1983. I was driving through Washington, DC late at night, where the Vietnam Veterans Memorial had recently opened to the public. On a whim, I decided to visit.

If you've been there, you know that the memorial takes you on a descending walk in a V shape as the black wall bearing the names of those who died gets higher.  The walk was intimate and close. Just a few steps in, I saw mothers, fathers, siblings and other family members --  many of whom had clearly traveled great distances --  searching for their loved one's name. When they found it, some would gently caress its outline as if tracing their loved one's face. Others knelt in quiet prayer. Still others wept openly and loudly while a few just quietly stared at the name and shook their heads in sadness.

The experience was poignant, and I knew I didn't belong. It was as if I'd entered a long delayed funeral as an outside observer. I quietly put my head down and exited as quickly as I could, allowing the genuine mourners to do what they deserved to do without curious onlookers.

I learned something that day that I should have known already: remembering can be healing. It can be restorative and helpful. But it isn't always. Sometimes remembering is just painful and limiting. Sometimes it merely rehearses perceived wrongs and reinforces an unhealthy worldview.

This weekend, we'll explore how Jesus wanted his friends to remember him, what he said as he prepared to leave, and what his message might mean for us. You can read about it here. 

I look forward to seeing you.
 
Warmly,

 
Bob Henderson, senior minister

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Paused for summer
Bob Henderson preaching 
Bob Henderson preaching 
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