In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he says, "Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (1:3-4). Many times this text becomes the theme of caring people who experience God’s care and in turn become caregivers to others. This is definitely the dominant motif in the symphony of Kim's life.

I first came to know Kim and her husband Dick as active members of the Christ Church choir. Dick suddenly fell ill in 1999 and it was at his bedside that I really got to know her daughters and their fine families as we drew together to pray for Dick’s healing. To our great sadness, Dick went to be with our Lord. After his funeral Kim asked if we could meet on a regular basis to talk about some of her questions. To my amazement I found that during her 25 years of service in the choir, she had never felt the call of Jesus to come to his Table and receive communion. She had some questions that she needed to ask about our Lord and following Him. It was during these times of talking that Kim, with a smile on her face and one in her heart, told me we needed to call these "swimming lessons" as she wanted to be baptized.

All of her four daughters, her sister and brother in law, her brother, many other friends, and her choir family were in attendance. During the sermon, I observed I never before felt I was so "preaching to the choir." The choir ministered beautifully with great hymns of faith and we felt as if we were in heaven as their music gave voice to the great joy we felt as she, through the sacraments of initiation and nurture, joined the family of God’s children.

The date of the celebration was scheduled the night before she was to be presented to our bishop in his regular visit for confirmation, and it happened to be the exact one year anniversary of her husband’s entrance into heaven. We knew Dick was worshipping in the community of the saints as he participated in this blessed event from the balcony of heaven. Some even felt they could hear his voice joining in with the choir as he had done on earth.

Pray for Kim as she serves "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort" by bringing His comfort to others just as she has received it from God.