One of the many wonderful, oft-quoted stories told of the great British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is the following from Rev. John R. Claypool, former pastor of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama, from the early 1990's:
"Winston Churchill had planned his funeral, which took place in Saint Paul's Cathedral. He included many of the great hymns of the church and used the eloquent Anglican liturgy. At his direction, a bugler, positioned high in the dome of Saint Paul's, intoned, after the benediction, the sound of 'Taps,' the universal signal that says the day is over.
But then came the most dramatic turn: As Churchill had instructed, as soon as 'Taps' was finished, another bugler, placed on the other side of the great dome, played the notes of 'Reveille' - 'It's time to get up. It's time to get up. It's time to get up in the morning.' That was Churchill's testimony that at the end of history, the last note will not be 'Taps,' it will be 'Reveille.' The worst things are never the last things." We now play
Taps for another year gone. Reveille brings in the new year ... 2008. The old year is now in the history books, with all its triumphs and all its failures.
Like most of you, I had many failures during 2007, marked with feelings of defeat and sadness. And, like most of you, I had many successes, marked by feelings of encouragement and hope.
Such are the ways of man!
I look back on the past year with sadness at the loss of some good friends, with regret at not acting on opportunities now gone by, along with failures in achieving goals I had for myself and for our church.
I look forward, however, to happiness at the making of some new friends, to the joy of new opportunities that will be offered me, to the coming successes of goals I will achieve, and goals our church will achieve ... God willing.
Sue, Jessica, and I wish each of you a sense of renewal in spirit and vitality in 2008. We wish you all a sense of hopefulness in experiencing what God has in store for us. May he take us on a wild ride, as we ally ourselves with him in helping bring hope and peace to our beleaguered world.
With the awareness of Churchill, let us be alert to the sound of
Reveille, awakening us to the new possibilities that this new year holds for us. There is no greater calling than that of the Christian – to love God and our neighbor near and far, as God has loved us, and to bring peace on earth and good will toward all God’s people.
God be present and powerful in everything we do in 2008!
May you be blessed richly in this new year of opportunity!
Pastor Ron |
Howland United Methodist Church