"Tears In Heaven"

Found out this evening that my old pastor, Max Shumake, passed away over the weekend.

Max was a phenomenal man. He'd tried his hand at photography, music (he played a mean sax), and who knows what else before he became a Presbyterian minister in Shawnee. He had prostate cancer, and he'd had it for years. For awhile, we thought he'd beaten it--thanks to chemo and various other treatments, the cancer had gone into remission. But a couple of years ago, it came back in full force. He ended up having to retire about a year and a half ago because his health had declined so much. Apparently he'd had a real bad turn a couple of weeks ago, and just slipped quickly away.

Max was the man who taught me that theology and religion could be fascinating not just on a spiritual level, but as an academic and intellectual pursuit. He was a warm, friendly man who made church interesting and fun. He always opened his sermons with a joke. His sermons were more like intellectual treatises than the typical fire-and-brimstone-repent-or-else stuff you usually get in Oklahoma. He'd bring in major theologians, scholars both secular and spiritual, various other religious texts, and any number of random and bizarre sources just to make his point.

I wish I'd been able to attend the funeral. Apparently it was this afternoon at 2.00, but mom didn't find out until late yesterday and had no way to let me know. I couldn't have made it to Shawnee in time anyway.

I'm sad to see Max go. He was a genuinely good man in an era when such indivuals are all too few. He had patience, love, and virtue. He was a teacher, a guide, a guru. I'll miss him dearly, but I know he's gone on to a better place.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Jars of Clay, "Goodbye, Goodnight"