To Everything There Is A Season

Hey McFarland, Pastor Wayne here with an update for February 21, 2022.

Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions, yet it was a day of celebration for different reasons. In the morning worship service, we welcomed Bertie Spradlin’s extended family as we baptized Bertie’s great-granddaughter, Claire Elyse Tindell. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to welcome this family with a long-time connection to McFarland as we celebrated this infant baptism.

Claire was a delightful child. When I took  her into my arms as I prepared to baptize her, I was prepared for her to start fussing and crying. However, she just looked at me and smiled (Charlene says that I have this effect on children – sometimes they look at me and laugh our loud 🙂 ). She was so good as I took her up and down the center aisle to show her off to the congregation.  Since her parents are not part of our congregation, I charged the extended family with the responsibility of living out the example of discipleship that will lead her to confirm her faith at an accountable age and I asked the McFarland family to pray for Claire and her family. 

Later that afternoon, I attended the funeral service for Wendetta “Wendy” Shoulders. Wendy is one of the folks who joined McFarland during my tenure and who joined the church because of the ministry of the Free Store. The funeral service was a celebration of her life and an acknowledgment of her faith in the hope of the resurrection. 

It was a long day. But it was a good day. It was a day of celebration, a day of worship and praise. It was a day that exemplified Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a, “There’s a season for everything and a time for every matter under heavens: a time for giving birth and a time for dying (CEB)”. And in all things, God was praised. That is the purpose of worship: to praise God in all things. Yesterday, we praised God as we welcomed Claire into the family of God and we praised God as we celebrated Wendy’s life as someone who loved God.

It was a good day, indeed.