#131 A celebration

It was our final class in the study of the Gospel of John. It was an evening of celebration, review and games. And a lot of laughter. My husband said, “Isn’t this more fun than Lutherans are allowed to have?” One of the optional final activities was to prepare an outline for another group to study John--senior choir, Sunday school, an adult small group, etc. I was very impressed by the creativity and talent of my fellow class members.

Patty said she did a study of “sheep and shepherd” and came up with six handwritten pages. For a young class she would incorporate the movie "Babe“. She brought in the video, explained the story to us, how Babe the pig, with a sheepdog foster mother, came to be good at herding sheep. Then showed a few minutes of the story where the male dog’s terrible experience trying to save the sheep destroys his own dreams of being the sheepdog champion. “He is not THE good shepherd, but he was a good shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep,” she explained. Her enthusiasm for her project, and a wonderful husky voice had the class mesmerized.

Another couple prepared a “cheer” for a young class based on John’s name, and we were their audience, raising our voices enthusiastically as Donna (a former teacher) led the cheer and husband Bob worked the flip chart. Another former teacher proposed an event for a children’s choir where they would reenact Jesus walking on water and the storm. Some children would be waves, some wind, some apostles, one Jesus and one narrator. Then she went around the room and handed out candy lifesavers to everyone.

But the evening had started on a very somber note with the announcement that Rick Allen our 2002 church council chair had died of a heart attack at age 47. The class was stunned that this vibrant young father had been taken so quickly with no warning. Rick knew and believed all the wonderful “I AM” statements in John’s gospel. And we know that today he is having more fun than we’re ever going to have on this side.