Beyond the Pulpit 5.18.25
Dear Beloved CUMC Community,
Beyond the pulpit this week, I have joined you and everyone else in our community in the wake of another unimaginable tragedy. As we learned that the search for 12-year-old Jordan Sims ended in sorrow, our collective grief deepens. Our prayers are with Jordan’s family, his friends, and all who knew and loved him. We especially hold in prayer our neighbors at Henley Middle School, where Jordan was a student—a vibrant life gone far too soon.
This tragedy comes not long after another profound loss in our community, and it follows many personal sorrows that members of our congregation have carried in recent months. When the grief feels compounded—layered with heartbreak, exhaustion, and questions that have no easy answers—it is okay to feel overwhelmed. These moments test the limits of our understanding and our strength. But even here, especially here, we remember that we are not alone.
As a family of faith, we grieve not only with Jordan’s family, but with all who are shaken by this tragedy. The pain is real. The loss is immense. And yet we hold fast to the truth that God draws near to the brokenhearted and binds up the wounds of the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). In Jesus Christ, we find the assurance that death never has the final word. We are reminded, in the words of John 14, that even in our darkest hour, there is a place for us where love never ends.
I want to give heartfelt thanks for the extraordinary efforts of our first responders—those who searched, served, and stood vigil alongside a grieving community. We also give thanks for each person who has offered a meal, lit a candle, sent a message, or simply wept with others. Never underestimate the power of compassion, especially in times like these. Every act of love is a thread in the fabric of hope God weaves among us.
To our church family: continue to extend care for one another. Reach out. Pray without ceasing. Be gentle with yourselves and with your neighbors. Together, we will hold one another through the storm, just as Christ holds us.
May the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, be with each of you. And may God cradle Jordan and all the brokenhearted in everlasting arms.
With love and deep sorrow,
Pastor Christy