An emotionally charged week.

A lot of things have happened this week or will happen that usually don't happen. Thank goodness. Some weeks are like that even in Astralia. (Alexander and his horrible, terrible very bad day...You might or might not know the book)

Tomorrow is the memorial service for Jon Walters, former minister at North. He died very unexpectly at the age of 72. Jon was a very, very interesting person who gave much to the church. His latest ministry was in Mississippi but he died on Dec. 26th while visiting his daughter here in Indianapolis. So many ministers knew him and the visitors will be many with the service tomorrow filled with great music. Jon was first a music major at IU filling the bass quartet position here at North. He was famous for singing Elija. He looked like what one thinks Elija looked like. Then another minister friend died unexpectly on the 11th. Great friend Max Case. Doug and I have know him for at least 35 years. Max had a wonderfully friendly attitude about almost anything. So easy to talk to and so interested in what everyone was about. And thirdly... this week good friend Ellen D-H. started 20 weeks of cemo. She is the Umoja director here in the states and I have traveled with her to Kenya. Just a great lady who was scheduled to make another trip this weekend with a wonderful group of VIP's here from central Indiana. She had been planning this trip for two years. It was a huge disappointment for her and husband Todd and one that has shaken the foundation of what one thinks will happen and then discovers a serious detour is in the plan. If all goes well she should finish all treatments by Sept. It's a long trip down a new road.

And fourth...Michael who was a Bread and Bowl visitor starting a AA group at North about a month ago died very unexpectly. I announced his meeting Thursday at B and B and we learned of his death the night before around 4 Thursday afternoon.

But on the other hand..Mary V. finished her cemo this week...Rang the "I'm finished" bell and then went home to a bottle of bubbly as she reported. Her doctor thinks she will have at least two years of relatively good health but surgery that was performed was not as successful as should have been. Sunday we should hear who our new minister is for North Church. It's a done deal and we'll know more on Sunday.

Today was the yearly physical and I think all is well as far as we can determine. I need to call a few other doctors for follow up but am not anticipating anything but good.

John Martin...a real charactor...who rode to church on the church bus has been placed in a secure section of the nursing home where he lives. He certainly was an interesting person that taught North a whole bunch about tolerance. John had some mental challenges. Those being exhibited by yelling out during the church service...he loved music...with no doubt in anyones mind John would yell out after any organ piece...THANK YOU MARTIN...(the organist)He was always a few paces behind when it came to litergical readings and that always was very apparent because his volume was always turned up. Well, it was not safe in so many ways for us but that is now true where he resides so the worship service will be a bit different allowing us all to know that John is not on the bus...not in the pew with Eric G and not waving to all during the service. North has a whole list of charactor persons during the 43 years that we have been at North. John is one of them and there will be more as time moves on.

Now some other stuff. Soup Kitchen was fun but lots of work...we were short on worker bees...I'm back in the bells for a while filling in now for Katie who has serious eye issues...borrowed Beth's sewing machine to make a flat Ellen who is traveling with the VIP group to Kenya. They will take pictures with flat Ellen and send them to friend Ellen who is preparing to send cancer out to a black hole. Started making flower garden patches because I can do those by hand. Sewing machine should be back at the end of next week. Pacers won and lost some games. I U won and lost some games. I'm off to the Y for a spell.