A fellow Episcopal Priest just surprised me with a simultaneously strange and delightful discovery: An Instagram account called “Tips From Dead People.” 

Stay with me here! 

My clergy friend discovered this account when preparing for the funeral of a parishioner. As she searched the internet for the parishioner’s obituary, she discovered someone—a stranger—reading the obituary on Instagram. You should know that the obituary was read aloud with heart-felt respect. Indeed, the reason the obituary was selected to be read aloud is because it a) described a beautiful life, and b) was beautifully written.  

My clergy friend sent the Instagram video to the grieving family, who responded with joy! Over 11,000 people (and counting) had heard the story of their mother/grandmother—and it would have tickled her pink. 

I commend the obituary of Mabel Mae Grummer to you (Click for text or video). It is a story worth sharing. 

And each of you has a story worth sharing, too! 

Perhaps the discovery of “Tips From Dead People” struck a chord with me because we have been actively collecting the stories of people whose ashes are buried in our Memorial Garden. Church Archivist Sandy Sacra and Church Fosser Rob Fraser have been working together to document the lives of “those we love but see no longer.” I cannot wait to share their work with you—along with the story of how our Memorial Garden came to be, how we have cared for it over the years, and how we are caring for it now. 

Our church has a story. I have been learning the story of our church for nearly a year now, and I love what I am learning. I still have so much to learn.  

My prayer this week is threefold:  

I pray that you will share your story with your church. It is a story the church needs. Our stories are the connective tissue of our community of faith. The more we share, the more connected we are. 

I pray that you would get curious about the stories of those around you. Be curious about the person you have only just noticed—someone who may be visiting St. Martin’s for the first or second time. Be curious about the person who you have seen every week for years but have never had a “real” conversation with. Linger during coffee hour and notice who isn’t talking to anyone—ask them their story. 

And finally, I pray that you would spend a few minutes in the Memorial Garden on your way to/from church this week. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the people who have shaped who we are as a church, and who can continue to shape us if we remember their stories.  

See you Sunday, 

Click here for the worship bulletin