Mom was an exceedingly practical lady. I doubt she has a mansion in heaven. Rather, I imagine her in a small house with a fishing pond out back and a comfy couch in the living room. I’m not sure if we’re supposed to sleep in heaven, but mom won’t think much of heaven if she can’t nap on the couch.
Back in the 1980s, Mom received a letter from our church. At that time, the leadership was doing their best to get an accurate number on the membership of the church. The letter informed her that, since she hadn’t attended in years (as long as I could remember), her name was being removed from the membership. I expected her to be offended, but I should have known better. She told me, quite simply, “I’m not there, they shouldn’t have to count me as a member.”
Mom working hard on Christmas boxes
Now, you need to know that years later, mom returned to church and threw herself into the life and activity there. She cooked for funeral dinners, donated for our projects, and volunteered as a greeter. She blessed me by being there, week after week, listening to me preach. I am almost certain that she was in church more often than me!
Membership Meant Something to Mom
All this to say, membership meant something to mom. It wasn’t simply about her name being on a roll somewhere. It was about her being an active and vital member of the life and impact of Kansas Christian Church. For her, church membership wasn’t like being a member of a club. Rather, she knew what Thom Rainer writes on page 12 of I Am a Church Member, “With church membership, everyone has a role or function. That’s why some are hands, feet, ears, or eyes. We are all different, but we are necessary parts of the whole.”
I would add, “And some are Mom.”
