Since Ash Wednesday...

1. A former member of my congregation died in California.

2. The cousin of a new elder died after a long illness. I will lead her memorial service this Sunday in a nearby community.

3. A charter member, 94, a great old fellow, and the former baker of our communion bread, died this morning. His service will be Saturday or Monday. For his daughter, who is in her mid 60s, this means she has lost her husband, mother, only sibling, and father all in 24 months, having lost her son four years earlier.

4. Another charter member, 91, who is widowed and lives alone, and who has just gotten back to independence after a broken hip, is back in the hospital with what, at first glance, appears to be a recurrance of spinal cancer--and she is in excrutiating pain that, thus far, even morphine can't control.

5. Three other charter members, all women, ranging from 67 to 86, just had hip or knee replacement and are in therapy centers spread across the city.

6. Another charter member, 77, has an aoritic aneurism that has grown substantially in size and so he is facing very delicate surgery in the near future.

Enough already boss...these folks, and their pastor, have had enough...