Maybe I Can't Go On Vacation

First I want to start off with... I promise, next week I'll write something a little more uplifting. There are good things happening too. I promise to highlight them next week.

However, this week is not one of those weeks.

I'm on vacation this week. My much needed vacation. Yesterday I got an email that said, "Custodian's name: Important" from my secretary. I know he would not contact me unless necessary and the title is a little jaring, so I opened it.

The email informs me that the congregations 47 year old custodian died of a heart attack in his car in front of the church yesterday morning. His girldfriend found him and came into the church to tell the secretary. He called the property chair and informed me. The property chair sent out an email to the congregation informing everyone - he did this before he himself contacted me. I have had power struggles with the property chair since my first day and it was hard for me to not read this move as one of those power struggles, but I quickly let it go.

I ended up calling the girlfriend to see if she needed any help or wanted to plan a funeral (the custodian does not have a church home). She was pretty flustered and couldn't focus on the conversation. I told her to call back and I thought she didn't. But, this morning I realized that my ringer was turned all the way down (remember - turning off the church cell phone?) and she did in fact call back last night.

Today my family and I are really doing a vacation thing. We are staying a hotel downtown and doing touristy things with the kids for two days. My plan is to call her before we levae and at least get if they want a funeral and tell her that next week would work for me (he is being cremated) and to just talk to her about how she is doing. But, then I am off for 2 days.

The last two times I was on vacation something happened. Back in June a parishoner passed away and in October someone ended up in the hospital. I know this happens, but it does make a pastor feel bad that it happens while on vacation.

This death not only means a funeral, it also means a job hunt (for a 6 month position). And, it's pretty tragic. I think this will be the youngest person I have done a funeral for.

The custodian was a wonderful person. I am shocked and sad. He lived a hard life and was working at turning it around. I had long conversations with him about his past and his current situation and I am going to miss him.