All Saints Day

November 1, 837, Pope Gregory established the observance of All Saints Day for the church. For hundreds of years, the Christian community had celebrated the lives of those who lived and served with faithfulness. That “great cloud of witnesses” encouraged believers in good times and bad to keep the faith and finish the race. In 837 CE, Pope Gregory claimed a specific day to focus that celebration and remember their witness, so that the next generation of the church would stand strong. On Sunday, November 3, 2024, Lenape Valley Church will do the same- the names of those who have gone before us into the Church Triumphant read, a candle lit, a bell rung, a witness celebrated. Each light shining in defiance of a darkness that threatens to overwhelm our nation. Each light a reflection of the Savior’s, reminding us that the darkness cannot overcome His light.

After our morning worship, our faith community will gather once more, to celebrate the most recent of our saints who has gone before us into the Church Triumphant. Dr. Robert James Wherry, Jr. was welcomed home into the arms of his Savior on Thursday, October 24, 2024. The news of Bob’s passing has rocked our faith community. His presence in our fellowship will be sorely missed and his witness long remembered. Many of us feel a deep, personal loss of a dear friend and brother in the faith. Our grief in this moment just seems to add to the gathering gloom of the day. But Bob would want his witness to bring light, not darkness. So today, I want to take a moment to celebrate one of the saints, not for his perfection, but for the grace of God we saw through his life. Bob loved words. He loved how words sounded. He loved their origins. He loved to delve into their meaning. He loved how words could work together to create a picture, to deepen an idea. One of his favorite word games was alliteration- finding words that started with a shared sound that could build an idea. Today, I will join Bob in his word game, using alliteration to explore the life and witness of a saint.

By all worldly measures, Bob was a Success, first as a student at The Ohio State University, earning three degrees of higher education, then as a naval officer. He continued his work with the navy as a civilian, using his doctorate in psychology to help design the cockpit of planes. Bob was a professor, an engineer, a writer, a leader. In retirement, he successfully learned how to paint and write poetry. He even dabbled in music composition. His hymn- Christ and His Timeless Love has been sung at Lenape Valley and will be sung again on Sunday. By all worldly measures, Bob was a Success.

More importantly, Bob was a man of Service. He spent his whole career faithfully serving our nation. In every duty station, Bob and Barbara found a church community where they gave generously. And when they moved to Chalfont, they blessed generations at Lenape Valley with their faithful service. Many knew the blessing of Bob’s service to his neighbor- what a gift to know the hospitality of Bob and Barbara’s home! In these last years, Bob served as a teacher in our midst, planting the truth of God’s Word in the hearts of our people. On his final Sunday, Bob sang with our choir at a local nursing home. Bob was the embodiment of our calling to be the mission of Jesus Christ to the world God so loves.

Bob was Sacrificial. Time… Talent… Treasure… all given in abundance. He understood that the stewardship of God’s blessings is a sacred responsibility. How he grieved the gross overspending on political ads in this most recent election cycle. He could imagine so many better uses for the $954 million spent in Pennsylvania alone. Imagine children fed, schools resourced, trees planted. Bob’s response to such waste was to invest even more in those around him. Perhaps the most poignant illustration of his sacrificial life was his dedication to Barbara. His love and care made it possible for her to stay in their home until the Lord called her to her heavenly home.

Bob was a Student. Many of us think of Bob as the consummate teacher, but he saw himself as a life-long student. He was always curious. Always studying. Always exploring the next question, never satisfied that he had learned enough. He was a man of many interests, but his greatest passion was God’s Word. His insatiable thirst for learning blessed us with an ever-deepening understanding of God’s Word.

Bob was a Spiritual leader… once an Elder, always and Elder. He lived that calling until the day he died, and even now in the legacy he leaves. He was a principled man, defined by God’s principles. He was a modern-day disciple, and a trusted brother in Christ. He was a pillar of our faith community, who worked tirelessly these last years to build us up so that we could carry on the work.

Shine… that’s what Bob did every day. His smile could light a room and warm your heart. But he made sure we all knew that his light was a mere reflection of the true Light.

Bob was a Buckeye through and through, but he still loved this Penn Stater. I will miss his Sunday greetings, and his thumbs up even after the most mundane of sermons. I am thankful for his witness that reminds me to Shine … this little light of mine- I’m going to let it shine today to honor the Savior who has welcomed Bob home.

With you celebrating one of the saints of God,
Anita