A Very Sad Day . . .

. . . in the life of our church. Our church is a family, in the truest sense of the word. The choir is a small group of our family. Some of us have been singing together for over 30 years.

Dean and Suzanne are two of our dear friends who have been in our church and our choir for the entire time. We have watched them grow their family with 4 of the finest young men you would ever want to know. All of them. They've had their share of physical challenges - many trips to the emergency room and knee/shoulder surgeries, but all because the boys are so athletic. All of them have gone to college on athletic scholarships. Three of them have graduated - the last one just this past May. One more to go. All went to the same Christian college in Illinois. Two have married lovely Christian young women. One couple is heading to Alaska for mission aviation work in Alaska in another week.

The third son, Dan - wonderful, handsome, healthy young guy, who was spending his summer working at our denomination's camp in the mountains. His plans for the fall were to go to Focus on the Family Institute (commissioned by Focus on the Family, exists to provide a unique Christian educational community that nurtures passionate and persuasive leaders who are committed to Jesus Christ, equipping them to promote healthy families, vibrant churches and a civil society). His girlfriend is spending the summer in India doing mission work. They were going as a family to Peru next month. They were one of those families who just seemed blessed in every way.

This morning, all of that changed. Their life will never be the same. My heart is just aching. I can't imagine how you continue life when your first call in the morning is to tell you that your son died in his sleep in his bed - at summer camp. Unfathomable. Absolutely incomprehensible.

Please pray for Dean, Suzanne, Ted, Ryan, Kyle, their spouses, their very large family on both sides. And for the roommate who found him this morning. And for all the staff at the camp. And for all those kids who were at camp this week. And for our church, because we are their family, too.

Thank you.