Jim Behrenberg Service

Scripture Readings

New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition Ecclesiastes 12

7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.

New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition John 14

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

Who Jim Was

Jim was deeply involved in Beulah

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Jason Freyer, and I am both a pastor here, and a child of this congregation.

That means that while I work here as pastor, there are some who remember me from when I was a kid.

On the first Sunday I got here, Jim Behrenberg introduced himself to me, and let me know that he was the oldest living member of Beulah at that point.

I gulped and said “Oh no…do you remember me when I was a goofy kid?”

And he sat and thought for a second, and said “Yeah, but I’m gonna choose to only remember the good stuff!”

There are hardly any places around here where we can’t still see Jim Behrenberg’s fingerprints.

Member Number

We have a system here of membership numbers, which you are assigned when you join.

Over the years, we’ve had a lot of people come running through this place.

Our most recent new members class was just held this winter, and the newest member’s number is 7170.

Jim Behrenberg’s number was 40.

He’s been here for a long long time!

What he was involved in.

He was deeply involved in looking after the cemetery.

He was on the archive committee.

He was on buildings and grounds.

We keep unearthing documents and contracts with his name on them.

And he was also a leader in the church.

He was both an ordained elder and deacon here at Beulah.

Deacons are the officers most involved in care in the congregation, and I can’t think of a better person to be in charge of care than Jim Behrenberg.

Every Sunday when I met folks at the back of the Sanctuary, which has a questionable heating system, Jim would shake my hand and say “I’ve got cold hands, but a warm heart!”

Amen, and amen to that!

The elders are the leaders of the church, and also a source of deep encouragement for me as the pastor.

Hanging in my office is a photograph of the moment I was installed here at Beulah Presbyterian Church, when all the ordained elders are invited to come down and lay hands on their new pastor.

Both because he was something like 8 feet tall, and because he found his way to be first in line, Jim is front and center in that photograph, he’s the first thing I see when I look at it.

I’m betting I’m not the only one that Jim encouraged, am I?

I bet I’m not the only one he spoke a word of thanks over.

I bet I’m not the only one who got to shake that cold hand and meet the warm heart.

I bet I’m not the only one who felt the love that flowed out of Jim.

That’s because Jim was more than what he did around here.

Jim was who he was because of who he knew.

Who Jim Knows

Jim Knows Jesus

Jim knows the God of the universe made known to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jim knows that Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us, including a place just for Jim.

(I have reason to believe that such a place has a functioning heater, so that might take care of that cold hands thing)

Jim knows that Jesus wouldn’t want our hearts to be troubled in this moment, but rather to celebrate a life incredibly well lived.

Jim knows the Jesus that promises to come again and take us to himself.

Jim knows the person who makes it possible to keep this all present tense, the one who taught us that even though we will die, we will live in him.

Jim knows the way to the place where Jesus is going.

And I think his ability to know Jesus in a deep way is how he could tell me that he was going to choose to only remember the good stuff.

We live in a broken world, true.

But we also live here with Jesus who is all about redemption.

We live in a place of sadness, for sure.

But we also live here with Jesus who reminds us not to let our hearts be troubled.

We live in a cold cold culture, no doubt.

But we also live with the Spirit residing in our hearts, bringing endless warmth.

What about us?

Let’s remember the good stuff.

I don’t know this for sure, but I’m betting that Jim Behrenberg was responsible for the right kind of trouble frequently in his life.

In fact I heard that Joyce Behrenberg was fond of saying that she had three kids, but raised four.

I’m guessing that there are some really good stories in this room.

I’m guessing there were adventures from years of deep love as a family, as friends, as brothers and sisters in Christ.

And so my encouragement to us today is to remember the good stuff.

It turns out that sometimes that’s a choice, to remember the good stuff.

And so today, tomorrow, and for as long as you can, let your mind wander to the good stuff when it comes to remembering Jim.

But, don’t keep those good memories to yourself.

Let’s share our stories with each other.

I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous when the family asked if we could have this service in the chapel.

This is of course beautiful, but there aren’t as many seats in here as there are across the street.

And I had a feeling that this would be a standing room only service.

Jim impacted so many lives around here.

And so, whatever you do, don’t keep your good stuff memories to yourself.

Grab someone and tell them a story about Jim that is meaningful to you.

Tell them a story that puts a smile on your face.

Tell them a story that warms your heart a little bit.

Tell them a story about Jim that points toward Jesus.

(You won’t have to look too long to find those)

Let’s keep our hearts warm.

Cold hands, but warm hearts.

That’s only possible when Jesus gets a hold of us, isn’t it?

So my encouragement to you my friends today is to allow the Risen and Reigning Christ take hold of you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Know that Christ has prepared a place for Jim, and for Joyce, and for you, and for me.

Know that Christ will come back to take us to himself.

Know that even when we die, we will be blessed to live in him.

And know that all of it, all of it flows from the never ending love of God.

May the God of all peace welcome Jim into his embrace this day.

And may the love of Christ be ours this day and forever. Amen.