O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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Most of the readers of this blog will have never heard of Nancy Bailey, let alone have had the privilege of knowing her.  This is unfortunate, because Nancy was one of those rare Christians who actually lived up to that name.  A disciple of Jesus, wife, mother, grandmother, friend and dedicated member of my church, Nancy was a soft-spoken woman with a deep and abiding faith in her Savior.

Nancy never had a bad word to say about anyone (and I mean that literally).  Present every Sunday for worship, Nancy sang in the choir and gave sacrificially to the work and mission of her congregation.  But more than that, she lived her faith every day of the week.  One of her ministries was sending cards to the sick or grieving in our church and community.  I am sure there were few people in our own church who did not receive a card of letter of encouragement and good wishes from Nancy.

In fact, I myself was the recipient of at least 30 cards from Nancy during my six years here at Pottstown First UMC.  She honored me with her cards and kind words on my birthday, every holiday, whenever I was sick, and many times in between these events.  Nancy also gifted me with various books over the past six years, and though her taste in literature was not my own (Cats in the Parsonage, volumes 1 and 2 were two of her gifts to me), this was just one more way for Nancy to show her appreciation and love.  Another way was this:  without fail Nancy would greet me after a worship with a “Another great sermon, Pastor Will.”  And unlike some who just mouth words like these, when Nancy said them, you could tell she meant it. It was also a rare occasion when you were greeted by anything other than Nancy’s warm smile and twinkling eyes.

This is not to say that Nancy did not have her bad days or times.  She did.  One of those times came a few years ago when her beloved husband Larry died. Nancy was a long time in recovering from this loss, and in some ways, she never did.  And though she never lost her faith, Nancy was very lonely without Larry.  She missed him terribly, and at times expressed the fact that she did not understand why Larry had had to die, especially in the way he did (cancer).  But what she lacked in understanding, she more than made up for in her ultimate belief and trust that God was in control.

This morning between worship services, I learned that Nancy was dead.  Another member of the church had gone to pick her up for worship, only to discover a small pile of papers on Nancy’s front porch.  Fearing the worst, this member called for help and Nancy was soon discovered sitting in a chair just inside the front door.  With her housecoat wrapped around her, Nancy seemed to have died quickly and peacefully.  It looked as though she had just sat down and left behind this life for one far more wonderful and glorious, a life about which John the apostle had this to say:

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Nancy has now been reunited with Larry, and though it will be very hard for her friends and family to say goodbye, we all know that Nancy is now happier than she has been in several years.

Related to all this was Jim‘s sermon this morning.  Using the texts from Nehemiah, I Corinthians and Luke (to read them, click here), Jim spoke on the theme of “The Word of God has come,”  and in closing he challenged his listeners to embody the Word of God in their lives.  Of all the people in my congregation, Nancy Bailey was one of those who truly embodied Jesus.  Her simple, yet persistent, caring and encouragement, served as example for anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear, that the gospel is most powerful, not when it is proclaimed, but when it is lived.

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O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servant Nancy Bailey, and grant her an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Into thy hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Nancy. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech thee, a sheep of thine own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of thy mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

Amen.