Recent weeks at the Fairfield Church have reminded us of God's words in Ecclesiastes, which tells us that to everything there is a season. This scripture reminds us that our joys and our sorrows, our struggles and triumphs are all part of the plan our Father designed to help us grow and prepare for heaven.
We've held on to that, given the recent joys and sorrows that our congregation has experienced. On her 15th birthday, Salenia Daniels was baptized into our church. Her mother and some of her friends and classmates from Liberty High School attended the service. The pews were filled to overflowing as the handbell choir from Upper Columbia Elementary played for the service.
A few weeks later, we celebrated an 80th birthday with Shirley Thiel, M.D., who with her husband Francis Theil, M.D., ministered to the medical needs of the area for many years. Her children and many people had great stories and memories to share.
Less than a week later, our newly baptized Salenia was killed in an automobile accident riding with friends from school. Since the Fairfield Church could not accommodate the large crowd expected to attend the memorial service for Salenia, we worked with Paul Anderson, the Zion Lutheran Church pastor, in a joint service. More than 400 people came to the standing-room-only service.
We pray that the church's witness through this heartbreaking tragedy will now serve to be a season of sowing seeds, and of healing and finding peace, headed toward an eternal season of harvest.
