Resurrection—Mystery—Dreams—Mystery

Resurrection—Mystery—Dreams—Mystery

Greg Cory and I were friends for four years before his untimely death on February 1, 2010.  We will, in fact, always be friends, because as our faith teaches us, even in death life is changed, not ended.  Greg was a retired Air Force Police Officer and Dog Handler who actually served eleven of his Air Force years in Minot, North Dakota, and loved it (I never understood that).  After leaving North Dakota, Greg finished his career as a recreation specialist.  After retirement from the Air Force, Greg became a Pastor in the United Methodist Church.  When I met Greg, he was serving a church in Selma Alabama and a year later retired medically from full time ministry and moved back to Wetumpka with his wife Pat, a member of Trinity Episcopal Church where I was Rector.

At 39 years old, just after Greg retired from the Air Force, he had a massive heart attack.  His life was saved because he happened to be in the Emergency Room at a local hospital when the attack occurred.  (He was there for chest pains).  After a great deal of rehab, Greg was able to study to become a licensed Methodist Minister and serve God and the world in that way for many years.

When Greg and Pat moved back to Wetumpka he and I started playing golf together and with other friends, and eating lunch together and “solving the world’s and the church’s problems together.  Greg had a wonderful understanding of the world and of God and of people, including me.  At times, I believe he knew me better than I knew myself.  Often when I got stuck in my work as a priest and preacher, a conversation with Greg would get me back on track.  When I had tough decisions to make, Greg was a good listener and an objective counselor.  I can safely say that Greg Cory was one of the best and most faithful friends I have ever had in my life and I miss him tremendously.

On January 28, 2010 Greg and I played golf with two other friends and then had lunch together at Aw Shucks, a local oyster house.  We even got Greg to eat ONE oyster.  The first he had ever eaten.  The next day, Friday, January 29, Greg came by Trinity Episcopal Church to take me to lunch at Smokin S Barbecue for one of their real, honest to goodness hamburgers.  We had a great visit and then came back to the church, where Greg, whose sense of humor was interesting to say the least, asked my secretary, Shauna Baker, “what she was going to do when her job ended in two weeks?”  Greg thought it was funny; Shauna almost had a heart attack and then almost murdered me before I could explain that Greg “was living in his own little world. 

On Monday, February 1, Greg’s wife Pat called me at 4:00 a.m., as both her friend and her priest, to let me know that Greg had stayed up late to watch the news and apparently had another heart attack and died peacefully sometime during the night.  Lynn got up with me and we immediately headed to Pat’s and Greg’s to be with her, to pray for both of them and with both of them in this most holy and saddest of moments in human life.  Greg was 54 years old.

Two months later, I was walking “the lonesome valley” of Holy week with the congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church.  We were sharing the very human drama of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his celebration of the Passover, his betrayal and his crucifixion.  As we entered Good Friday, one of the holiest and most mysterious days of the year, walking the Stations of the Cross and sharing in the Good Friday Liturgy I approached one of the most difficult times in the life of a preacher.  The preparation of a sermon that would proclaim the mystery of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection in a way that would touch the hearts of people and preacher, and that would not be an explanation as much as it would draw us into the mystery of “the dream of God.”

As I drifted off to sleep on Good Friday evening, knowing that on Saturday I would be preparing my sermon for Saturday night’s Great Vigil of Easter, and Sunday Mornings two celebrations of the Easter Resurrection, I had no idea how I was going to present and proclaim this mystery and this Good News!  And this is when God or Greg or both gave me this dream.

Shauna, my secretary, and I were sitting in my study trying without much success to deal with some very difficult conflicts that were going on at the church.  As we continued to run into roadblock after roadblock, Greg walked into the church, as he often did, and asked if he could join us.  We invited him in, shared with him what was going on, our frustration and our hopes and dreams for Trinity and our inability to get past the many issues we believed were holding us back.

Greg listened quietly and thoughtfully.   Then gave us his thoughts and ideas and told us he truly believed that everything would work out.  Greg then asked me for a ride back to his home.  As I drove him home, the location changed from rural Wetumpka to a much larger city (as dreams often do) and I let Greg out of the car at a downtown cul-de-sac so he could walk to his apartment.  I thanked him again for his help, he assured me again that all would be well and turned to head for home.  Just as he walked away, I called to him and said, Greg I need to ask you a question.  He turned toward me and said sure, go ahead.  I said, “Greg, your dead aren’t you?” and he smiled that wonderful smile of his and said, yes.

When I awoke, I knew that Greg was right, that all would be well, that the people of Trinity would be fine, that Shauna would be fine, that I would be fine and that with confidence I could preach the Mystery and Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of the Kingdom of God!