A Tragic and Interesting Day

[SoCaliUPC]

Today was a rather tragic and interesting day at church. We arrived to church this morning with the presence of police cars and an ambulance at the entrance with a host of people outside in groups just in a silent shock. One of our faithful members died at church this morning. The first morning service ended and in the 15 minutes or so between that service and Sunday School he passed out and went to his eternal reward.

Because the death happened at church and people were around, the police sent a crisis staff and counselors to talk to the family. One of the counselors said that in all of her years she has never seem so much support for an individual and their family. Pastor said...we are a family.

He was a great teacher. A private man but had a wealth of knowledge. He was creative and detailed. Doug Church will be missed...but he went out of this world doing what he loved...we went to our first morning service and was about to go teach his Sunday School class of new converts. What a life and what a testimony.

I end with a Doug Church quote that was displayed in his class...live your life according to the gospel and sometimes use words. If you knew Doug Church...he was a man of few words...but his life preached what he believed.

[simplyme]

Wow that doesn't happen often not in my experience.
I guess ya'll have SS after service? That too isn't seen often, but my former church went to that..seeing that more people come to service than SS so as long as he already had 'em there..they'd attend SS..it seemed to work, lol although people can always leave anyway..but NOT IF there's LUNCh being served afterwards, lol *which is what we did 95% of the time*

Sorry to hear about broChurch but if one had to go .. that'd be a good way to go., doing GOD's work, amen!
What a witness THAT was! No sermon needed.

[rgcraig]

That's really beautiful!

Death is hard on the ones left, but what a testimony!

[RevDWW]

Wow.....thanks for giving us his quote.

[SoCaliUPC]

Originally Posted by simplyme

Wow that doesn't happen often not in my experience.
I guess ya'll have SS after service? That too isn't seen often, but my former church went to that..seeing that more people come to service than SS so as long as he already had 'em there..they'd attend SS..it seemed to work, lol although people can always leave anyway..but NOT IF there's LUNCh being served afterwards, lol *which is what we did 95% of the time*

Sorry to hear about broChurch but if one had to go .. that'd be a good way to go., doing GOD's work, amen!
What a witness THAT was! No sermon needed.

We have two morning services....one at 8 and the other at 11. Sunday School is between the two services from 10-11.

It is so hard to be left, but it is so peaceful knowing that your loved one is with the Lord...

[Thad]

well written socali.


aren't the church family originally from eastern canada??


somehow these types of events seem to bring a church closer together at least for a short while anyway.

[Thad]

Anyone remember Old Brother Rode from Modesto???

he was the founder of the Modesto, Ca church (pastored by Bro Keyes now).

i remember as a child he passed away in the pulpit singing " Love lifted me". he had asked God to let him die in the pulpit and Granted his request

[CC1]

SoCali,

Thanks for sharing this. I will be praying for this man's family. Sounds like earth lost a wonderful man and heaven gained one.

[SoCaliUPC]

I don't know where he was from.

I guess another thing stood out to me. He was a very quiet man but touched sooooo many people. The tears that were seen from people, I commented...for someone who did not talk a lot....look at the lives he touched. He was definately a quiet leader.