Dear Family in Christ, 

 

It is said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” In my case towards you as the Parma Lutheran Church family, it is true. As many of you know, I spent the majority of April in Greensboro, North Carolina, mourning the passing of my mother-in-law, Hilda, and then flying out to Mesa, Arizona to gather with family at my father’s bedside as he made his final earthly journey. Upon returning home after the passing of my father, I drove back to Greensboro for my mother-in-law’s funeral, and then the next day we buried both my father-in-law and mother-in-law. It has been an emotionally and spiritually  difficult month. But your outpouring of prayer support, cards, calls, emails, and texts conveyed your heartfelt care and Christian love to my family and I. During my time away, your love shared across the miles meant a lot to Melanie and I, and my heart for you did indeed grow fonder. But it does not end there.

  

Back in November my father-in-law passed into God’s glory. After his funeral we gathered for a reception and lunch in the fellowship hall of my in-law’s church. My wife, Melanie, sat at a table with her cousins, and I sat at another table across the room with my daughter and other family and church members. My wife told me later that one of the main topics of discussion at her table was her cousins’ displeasure that I wear an earring. They made comments, such as, men shouldn’t wear earrings. Fast forward a few months to April to my mother-in-law’s funeral at the same church. Keep in mind, the gospel of Jesus Christ provides us great freedom. But scripture tells us that our freedom ought not cause another to sin. (See 1 Corinthians 8:9) So at my mother-in-law’s funeral, I didn’t wear an earring, so as not to cause anyone to stumble. At the end of my mother-in-law’s funeral as we were filing out of the sanctuary an older gentleman came up to me and commented that I wasn’t wearing an earring. I thought that was an interesting comment. But at the time didn’t think much about it. Then a few days later, Melanie and I attended worship at that same church, and the same gentleman came up to me again, but this time upon seeing that I was wearing my earring, he commented, like it was a joke, that I was now wearing an earring. I assured him that I got his message that he didn’t like the fact that wear an earring. 

 

I never would have guessed that wearing an earring would be so scandalous to cause such rude comments from family and especially from a member of the church we were visiting. After some prayerful thought and mediation on these events I came to a conclusion. It is this: I’ve served the people of PLC for nearly five years. In all that time no one among us ever complained or commented in a negative way, (at least not to me), that I wear an earring or that I grew my hair long. Moreover, I’ve asked every visitor if they felt welcomed and embraced among us. Everyone, without exception, responded with a resounding YES! The words we write on the front cover of our bulletin are not empty words or a meaningless slogan when we write, “All welcomed. All accepted. All loved.”  Jesus welcomed, accepted, and loved all people, and so do we! In all honesty we may not all understand or appreciate the mode of dress or lifestyle of everyone. Maybe some of you don’t like old guys like me wearing an earring. But instead of voicing disapproval, we follow the model of Jesus by welcoming, accepting and loving all people. My time away from you over much of the past month did indeed reveal to me that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And the longer I stay among this church family, the more I love and appreciate you.  

 

Amen.

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Journeying with you in Christ,

Pastor Jay