Ninety One Years

Ninety one years
Seems like a long time
But it’s too short
Too short for those who loved him
Too short for those he loved.
Life seems to speed toward death.
That is its sting.

And yet, there is a resurrection
Promised by the Father
Purchased by the Son
Illuminated by the Spirit.
Life without end.

If joy is not happiness.
If joy is the presence of God
Then a funeral can be joyful
A funeral can be hopeful
A funeral can be a witness
To the possibilities
Of a life lived with God
Even through death.
Even in spite of death.

Ninety one years
Seems like too short a time
But when those years
Are lived in the presence
Of the eternal
Then we can stand and sing
Sing of the promise;
Praising God for the fact
That it is well with our souls.

A brother and a sister
Standing in the front
Of the support of the church,
Share their father.
The way he lived his 91 years.
His life a witness to the kingdom
His children evidence
Of his rules of life.

A man
Standing in front of strangers
Bishops and pastors
Those he’s never met.
Given courage by a man
His friend,
Who always came by his pew
And listened to him.
Making him know
That he is a child of God.
Seen. Never invisible.
Now never alone
Death will not keep them apart
As Rev. Conner will always be with him
In that pew.

A minister standing
Pastor to a pastor
Calling ministers to stand
In honor of one of their
Brothers.
A family of those
Who have heard this particular call
From their God.
Standing for a fellow circuit rider.
Standing in respect
Standing in the presence of their God
Standing on the promise
Of a life never ending.

Ninety one years
Of offering them Christ
Inviting us into the light
Of being last, always
Of living in the will of God.
Of dancing with Jesus.
A witness with his invitations.
A witness with his life.
A witness.
Proclaiming a message
Even today
As he lives with God
Dancing, flying,
As he always has.

Image: Cross and butterfly from the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, Barboursville, which was the location of the funeral for Rev. J. Irvin Conner on Monday evening.