12/18/2023
Friends and Family, Near and Far, Are You Grieving this Season? I am too!
Let me be a little vulnerable for a minute and I pray the fullness of this post will make a difference for many of you this season.
I'm the senior pastor at a small church in Minnesota. For the past 4 plus months, my sister has been fighting for her life in the hospital. One of my prayer partners praying for her is my dear friend, co-worker and community life pastor Ryan Brown. Ryan is forty years old, husband and father of three beautiful amazing girls. He is our worship leader, youth pastor and men's ministry leader. A little over a week ago, he took our men rock climbing. This last summer he took them on a backpacking trip in Montana. He is an amazing man to have at my side in battle.
This past Friday, in the early hours of the morning, Ryan died from what appears to have been a heart attack. We will know more in the days to come. I am in shock! I hurt! I don't want to do this without him, but it is now my new reality. We had a plan together; a vision for the future of Cornerstone.
BUT I do not mourn as one who has no HOPE! While it is true, I have waves of sorrow roll over me and I feel sick in my stomach, I also have seen the beauty of God at work in this...already. It really stinks and yet GOD!
I want to share with you, especially those who are hurting, one aspect of God's providence in our situation. Last week Sunday, for advent on Peace, I did something I've never done before as a pastor. Instead of preaching on the Peace in Advent, my heart was to help us see the relevant, right now application of God at work. We don't need to talk about having peace, unless there has been turmoil. If there was never turmoil, we would have no reason to seek peace. And so instead of preaching, I invited a friend of mine to come have a conversation with me in front of our church on "A Grief Transformed: Soul Restoration During a Season of Great Loss."
I would like to invite you to watch what took place. CAUTION: the video begins with a short clip of our 40 year old worship leader Ryan Brown finishing "O Come, O Come Emanuel". The service ends with Ryan leading our congregation in worship for the last time with the song he chose for the day..."It is Well with my Soul".
Please comment and let me know if this helps you find peace in your season of grief. If you are grieving any loss this season, I truly believe you need to watch the entirety of this video.
Welcome To Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church of Pipestone, MN.
