HELLO!

When I arrived at the office this morning Kaitlin shared with me that St. Luke’s in Tantallon were anxious to speak to me. Their minister is on Sabbatical, and their supply minister is ill. Since I was already to share the Words of Remembrance about my good friend Mike, they wondered if I would preside at the service as well. For those who might not know, I was once the minister at St. Luke’s (2006-2013), which is where I met Mike. It will feel a little awkward being there, as I typically do not return to churches I once served. The exception here is Mike, a dear friend. https://thechronicleherald.remembering.ca/obituary/mike-trenaman-1093820106 The major reason I do not return to churches I once served is this, the potential for “hurt feelings” when I fail to remember the name of someone who stands in front of me and demands, “you don’t know my name, do you?” That happened to me, when I returned to the church I served in Digby and I vowed to never let it happen again.

One of the many aspects of Mike’s personality and virtues I remember is the effect, almost magical, he had on community. He was a Scout leader, a banker, a teacher’s assistant, a church volunteer, a handyman, and a great friend. In each of these roles he would 1) offer a peaceful, calming, warm presence, 2) offer to help in any way he could, be it with financial wisdom, a tool for everything, coordination of plant and yard sales, 3) get to know you, what you loved, what you needed, how you made sense of the world, and 4) make you laugh. Mike typically answered the door (he lived very close to us) in a t-shirt that looked like a tux, black shorts, and a warm smile. He dressed like this January to December. At Halloween he and Daphne would come to our home, in black t-shirts, each with “333 only half evil” on them, and as they entered our home both would say in union, "Together we're pure evil.” Mike found the shirts, he delighted in these puns, he loved to put people at ease and share laughter.

Bethe is away and thus the United Churches for Dartmouth videos she and the other five UCC clergy create, on a rotating basis, fell to me today. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EvaDegxah/?mibextid=wwXIfr Kaitlin recorded and posted it. The theme is welcome, in particular the welcome we offer at the front door of the church, it makes all the difference. I salute our Usher team, the veterans we have are top notch and we have 6 new ones, all who came to our church in the last 6 months. We are richly blessed at Woodlawn by the way we channel Jesus’ love, helping to nurture a sacred space, a place of belonging.

The welcoming spirit I offer has been deepened by the presence of many gifted saints, including Mike. May we all welcome, all celebrate new life.

Peace, Kevin