October 15, 2017            James Wood Eulogy                               

          This was not my sermon for October 15th, I was at a memorial service for my father, but earlier I did speak at a memorial for James Wood at the Somonauk High School, and these are my remarks.            

     James Wood was an educator, and a Christian. Over the years, when the United Church of Christ surveys their members, they find that they have the highest percentage of educators in their membership. I’m not suggesting all educators should be members of the UCC, we need educators in all our denominations and churches.

         Now most educators understand, that to allow the voice of one denomination, or one religion, into the schools where they teach, isn’t in the interest of religious freedom. Many of them understand, that the combination of the Roman State and Jewish Religion ended with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And so they don’t preach religion to the children with whom they are entrusted. They know there are better ways.

         The first better way, is to display the spiritual qualities of Christ in their daily life. They greet the children with a smile when they come to school. Their genuine concern is for their welfare and education. They listen, they have common sense, they conduct themselves with self-control, they seek to be fair to all concerned, they say what needs to be said, and their tongues do not wag. Those who do this, come to be respected and loved by the community in which they serve.

         The second better way, is their life in the church. They know that people will find out, about their relationship with Christ’s Church. I asked members to give me memories of James Wood, and I got over a dozen notes. He served as a deacon two terms, trustee four terms, and endowments 2 terms. He made and paid his pledge in January, and then gave to the church the rest of the year, over and above his pledge, many times anonymously. He bought tickets for church events, and handed them out. If he saw something at the church that needed to be done, he did it. When the church asked for volunteers, he didn’t assume it meant someone else, he assumed it meant him, and he followed through.

     He spoke encouraging words to at least a dozen members of the church in their times of trouble, and probably a great many more. Numerous notes that I read, spoke of his thoughtfulness for others, and his quiet, unassuming spirit. And when his son passed, when many people would give up on their faith, his faith helped him to get through that time of tragedy, and he did not waiver in his commitment to God.

         Two notes spoke specifically of his time driving a school bus, one of a lost child who didn’t normally take his bus but was supposed to get on his bus to go to a grandparent. The note said, that when Jim was informed, he found the child and was half-way to their house before the grandparent could make it to town. The other note was about a child who when asked who the most important person at his school was said, “James Wood - my bus driver”. I’m sure part of that was because the school was named after him, but I am also sure it was because he was the most important person at the school. The note went onto say, that he was like a father to them all, and that all of them were his kids.

         A few months ago, I remarked about the wonderful Christian Spirit of this community. And again today, I’m going to remark about it. Outside town there was a Food Resource Bank Harvest Day. These people from numerous counties and churches have raised nearly 1 million dollars over the last 20 some years, and their efforts bring lifetime food security to the lives of nearly 20,000 people a year. It’s no nonsense Christian behavior. It doesn’t push a political agenda, or lift up any one religion over the other, it’s all about the mission, feeding hungry people. I think you have this Spirit in you, because of wonderful Christian people like James Wood, who set the example. His mission was all about educating the children of this community, and he did it because that’s who he was, an educator and a Christian.

         The apostle Paul says that our recognition of this Spirit, produces the first fruits of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This spirit working in us, can work amazing miracles in our lives, even greater miracles than the one’s Christ did. Don’t ever lose this Spirit! It is the Spirit of Life! Remember these Christians who have made your community what it is, let the memories of them create you anew, live in their Spirit, and they will never be separated from you. And in this we can be assured, if they are still alive in us, and we experience their presence in our lives, there is indeed a resurrection to eternal life that is our through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.