“Focusing On What Truly Matters”
Psalm23; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
And so we gather here this morning, shocked at the sudden loss of a fellow pastor of this flock and a teacher and preacher for Central Point Pres. Skip was a son, husband, faithful minister of the word and sacrament, and bearer of God’s kindness. We are thankful for the time he spent with us on this earth and for the time we were able to know him, even though our time may have been brief.
The passages in today’s bulletin give us solid footing amid this sudden loss. The 23rd psalm reminds us as we travel through the valley of the shadow of death, our Good Shepherd is with us, offering peace and support as we grieve. Further, we have this vision of comfort: at the end of this life, we shall dwell in God’s house forever.
The passage from 2nd Corinthians reminds us where to keep our focus in the life we live on earth.
When I was about seven years old, my Grandfather Archie used to take me down to play golf on the beach. I got one old club and a ball, and Grandpa did the same. We’d look for a space without any people, and he would point to a target, say a big piece of driftwood. Then, we’d try to get the ball there in as few strokes as possible. When I get ready to hit a golf ball, I still hear his voice, saying, “Keep your eye on the ball.” He didn’t want me to worry about my swing, where the ball might go, my grip on the club, or anything else. He wanted me to learn to keep my focus on what was important in golf- the ball, and think of nothing else.
I think that is also Paul’s message for us this morning- keeping our focus on what is essential versus what is not. Too often, I get caught up in what I see in the world and lose focus on what matters. I look at what can be seen- the presidential race and worry about the country I love. I worry about our church property and how to keep it well cared for in the long run. I worry about our Sunday morning attendance and the current number of members we have, and I worry about our future. I worry about proper syntax when I write a sermon. I worry about the potential for fires as the heat index remains high and our grass is dry in the Rogue Valley.
I worry about the callousness I see for those in need as people clamor for the unhoused in our area to be thrown out of the public parks without offering a solution to give them a place to sleep. And I find myself disheartened about the state of things.
I end up this way because I focus on what I can see but have taken my eyes off of what truly matters- that which I cannot see- the faith and hope I have in a risen savior, the knowledge that although my outer nature is wasting away, my inner nature is being grown, renewed and strengthened each day by God’s Spirit; the understanding deep down that even though one day my earthly tent will be destroyed, there is a house from God, eternal in the heavens waiting for me. Paul also tells us to keep our eye on what truly matters in this life- the unseen and eternal things. Then, despite all the worries and concerns this world shows us, we do not lose heart despite shock and sudden grief.
When something like an unexpected and sudden death happens, it is an opportunity for us to reset our focus- not on things seen, but on that which is unseen; not on visible temporal, earthly frustrations, but on eternal promises of life everlasting.
For Christ has gone before us to prepare a place of eternal rest—a place of green pastures with cool waters, a place where we shall dwell in the house of our Lord our whole lives long in eternity. So, for us now, it is a time to weep and mourn and focus our eyes on unseen, eternal hope.
The Reverend Sayer (Skip) Strauch died on July 9, 2024. He was sixty-one years old.
Skip was born March 26, 1963, in Bethpage, New York. He graduated in 1985 from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics, then in 1997 with a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Skip was ordained by the Presbytery of San Francisco in 1998 to serve as the Pastor of Clatskanie Presbyterian Church, Clatskanie, Oregon. Skip served there for four years and then was called to First Presbyterian Church, Corona, California, from 2002 until 2004.
Skip then returned to the Presbytery of the Cascades in 2004, working on a New Church Development in Vancouver, Washington, started a spiritual formation and coaching ministry, authored The High Definition Family, and then served as interim pastor at Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church, Hillsboro, First Presbyterian Church, Creswell, and at First Presbyterian Church, McMinnville.
Skip was a faithful presbyter, serving the Presbytery of the Cascades on the Board of Trustees, as chair of the New Church Development Team, and as a member of the Transformation Team. Skip was one of the founding members when the New Church Development and Transformation Teams were combined into the New Ministries Team in 2013. He taught a Bible study for Central Point Presbyterian this past Lent. And, as we all know, most recently had completed three months of sabbatical coverage at First Presbyterian Church, Ashland.
Skip is survived by his mother, Claire; his stepmother, Nancy; sisters Diana and Cindy; younger brother, Mark; former wife Heidi; and their children - daughter Emma, Twins Ian and Nathan, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles. We pray for them, especially as they travel through the valley of the shadow.
We are thankful for his final earthly ministry with us, his leadership, and his faithful service in Christ Jesus. We are grateful that he now experiences things that we cannot yet see, but we hope in. Skip is with Christ Jesus. Well done, good and faithful servant. Alleluia. Amen.
