NotSoThoreau

I got the word yesterday that Pastor George Hollenberry had died of a heart attack. He was the pastor of the Little Church in the Valley, the church I attended. He was a good friend to Jeffrey and I. Jeffrey used to take him out on hikes through the woods and I know Pastor loved the idea of John’s Boys, the men’s group Jeffrey started. When I learned of Pastor’s death, all I could think about was that he and Jeffrey are now hiking together again, free from pain now.

When Jeffrey first got sick, Pastor gave me $100 out of his own pocket, so that I would have gas money to go see Jeffrey. I’m sure that he also got the church to give me funds to pay for funeral expenses. He went to see Jeffrey twice in the hospital and would have gone more often if he could. He was there with me, when I got word that Jeffrey had died. I’ll never forget his kindness to me. And I feel terrible for his wife Mary, as I know the pain she must have now. At least he had his family around him when he died.

Pastor was a true Christian, the kind that live out that life, not just preach about it. He always told us that we should support and encourage each other. He always tried to encourage faith in those that didn’t know Christ. He didn’t hesitate to do unpleasant work when needed. When the church basement would flood, as it did every year, it was Pastor that would wade in with a sump pump to clear things out. The church suffered a loss when Jeffrey died. It suffered a blow when we lost Pastor. I do not know how we can even come up with another pastor. There’s no way that anyone could replace him.