Funeral Service

Today was the funeral of Godfrey Jubelin, a man whose family attends and serves at a church, but a man I had never met. The family had been visited by my co-pastor, Kyle Woodward, but he is out of town this week, so they called me in. Stepping into something like this would usually seem like a burden to me, but since meeting this family I have been so inspired by their story. The man who died, Godfrey Jubelin, was married in Ocean View and had kids, and then left them all to start another family. He had 25 years growing another family in another part of Cape Town, and still called his kids frequently but never visited Ocean View. Then his second wife got sick and died, and then he was diagnosed with cancer. Facing death alone, he approached his first family here in Ocean View and asked if he could come back to them. So his ex-wife allows him back in the house, and the entire family cares for him for the last month of his life. And when I asked them how they did this, how they took him back and forgave him, they just said simply, 'Well, Jesus has forgiven us, so how could we not forgive our father?' Like it's really that simple, but to them it is. They honestly feel that it was a privilege to have Godfrey with them for his last month of life, and had great grief as we celebrated his life today. It is striking and beautiful. I feel so honored to have done this funeral today and serve this amazing family. Below is my 'sermon' that I shared at the funeral. I am humbled and thankful for this place of ministry and the amazing saints that God allows me to know and serve.

Click here to read the sermon.

Lots of love,
Sarah