Death of Staff member

I was a member of a church where the pastors wife died. She was only 34. We were very shocked and saddened.

 

Do you mean physically in the building when they died in the building, or do you just mean a member or attendee of a church which lost a staffer?

 

btw, In the history of our church, only two active members have died since the church was constituted in 1974.

One was a cousin who died with cancer in 2002. The other was my grandmother who died 2 weeks ago.

In that regard, we have been very blessed with a relatively young and healthy congregation. My grandmother was the oldest member since the church was constituted. That title now falls to her younger sister who turned 80 this week.

 

My Dad, who organized the Church died in 1997...

RIP Dad.

 

When I was 14 our Pastor died.. he was in his late 30's, early 40's..
And the funeral service was unlike anything I have ever seen... It was a true celebration for what God had done through him...

His dad, who had just recently been saved, was shouting up and down the aisle praising God that one day he would be reunited with his son...

It was amazing!


I have also had a close friend of mine die a few yrs after we announced our call to ministry.. I announce mine in May, and he announced his in July...

We worked together, took classes together, and were very good friends...
God took him home in 2000... he was in his mid 30s...

RIP Stanley
RIP Paul

 

A fiftysomething woman who was a Deacon and member of the music team died in January this year. Great for her but sad for the rest of the church especially the music group.

 

I never have been part of a church where a staff member has died. Hope I never am either, seeing as how my husband is the pastor and my closest friends are the other staff members.

 

My pastor in the church I grew up in went to be with the Lord the day after celebrating his 25th year as our Sr. Pastor. It was almost like God wanted 25 years, and said "Time to retire"

 

Our music director, my dad, died of cancer February 2007. He was also Chairman of Deacons and Adult Sunday School teacher. We miss him greatly.

RIP dad

 

Yes, our Minister of Music, William Powell Garrett, died of complications from shingles and an impaired immune system. It was a very hard time ... death came after a lingering period of several weeks in the hospital. I had visited on Saturday evening and had sat down for an extended conversation with his wife, who decided to instruct the doctors to withhold ventilation. After prayer and all the rest I went home, only to be awakened by her call about 3:00 a.m. What a moment to have to announce this to our congregation the next day!

Our little church (seating 300 max) was packed for the funeral, with many standing outside to hear what they could through open windows. He had been director of personnel for Montgomery County government (Maryland), which means that the County Executive and a number of elected officials came.

The most awesome time came when our children's choir sang ... whom he had called his "Darling Angels" ... and a little girl, sobbing, sang a solo part. I weep now just remembering it all (about 12 years ago). It took a long time for our people to get past all of this.

 

The children's pastor at my former church murdered his wife.