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| A historian and a history teacher, Allan Shirk's first book was the story of the man who created the first self-tying baler in Allans hometown of New Holland. |
Here is the moving tribute shared at his memorial service by Todd Friesen, one of the pastors of the East Chestnut Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where Allan was an active member:
Two weeks ago, several of us gathered in a circle around Allan’s hospice bed, joined hands with him, and prayed for God’s traveling mercies as he moved ever more fully into the light of God.
We remembered the words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness…but will have the light of life.” A light that, as we heard in the scripture text today, is stronger than any darkness.
This theme of moving into God’s light was a great comfort and solace to Allan during his final 6 weeks of life, as his health declined rapidly after his cancer diagnosis. And the theme of seeking God’s light, I believe, is crucial to understanding who Allan was and how he lived his 79 years among us.
Before we look more at Allan’s life, let’s just remember what a central theme light is in the Bible, mentioned more than 200 times. Genesis opens with God saying: “Let there be light.” On Mt. Sinai, Moses’ face shines after entering the radiant cloud of God’s glory (Ex 24, 34). The accounts of Jesus’ resurrection are all radiant with light as well.
Perhaps light is such a prominent theme in Scripture because it helps us begin to contemplate the great mystery of God. Because just like God, light is untouchable but real, overcomes darkness, makes vision possible, and gives life to all. And just like light, God permeates our lives.
These past couple weeks, I’ve often wished I’d been able to have a couple more heart-to-hearts with Allan. I’ve wondered: Was Allan such a seeker of God’s light because he and Ruth Ann experienced the deep darkness of grief and tragedy so early in their lives together…with the loss of their first daughter Jennifer, in a car accident caused by a drunken driver?
After their move to Oregon that followed, Allan often found solace in the beauty and light of the ocean. His brother-in-law Glen remembers how “he would sit [on the beach], watching the ebb and flow of the waves. Slowly, the waves became special touches of God that contributed to Allan’s healing of deep sadness and grief.”
In fact, throughout his life, Allan continued to focus on…and to seek…the light. One of the ways he did this, as we heard in his obituary, was by nurturing a deep life of prayer and contemplation with God in the morning, with a cup of coffee in hand and his journal nearby.
Both of his daughters also remember that another way their father paid attention to the light was though his love of photography. Melissa remembers how he would go around with his manual Canon camera seeking out “the perfect light.” Beverly says that through that lens he helped others to see what was beautiful—and sometimes overlooked—around them.
Allan also “sought the Light” by choosing, wherever he was, to be part of a faith community focused on following Jesus, the light of the world. A community where each of us can join our tiny flickering lights—so that together we’re able to shine with a light greater than our own—the light of Christ! In a sermon two years ago, he shared that he was deeply dedicated to our congregation, in spite of our obvious flaws and shadows.
And we all experienced this light in him—didn’t we?—whether from the twinkle in his eye, his loving kindness, teasing wit, or enjoyment of a good prank. He reflected God’s light wherever he was—as a teacher at Western Mennonite School and Lancaster Mennonite and LMS, as a good neighbor on Walnut Street, Kreider Avenue, or Sundrop Lane, a colleague at Longeneckers’ Hardware in Manheim, a dear member of this church, and a grandpa to his three beloved grandkids: Ethan, Owen, and Wynona.
When I think of Allan, a slightly paraphrased version 2 Timothy 4:7 comes to mind: Allan sought the light, he finished the race, and he kept the faith.
Let me close with a brief story. Early last month, in the midst of his declining health, Allan and Ruth Ann turned on the TV one night and—lo and behold—they came upon a concert by the Oak Ridge Boys, whom they’d seen at a fair in Salem, Oregon back in the 70s.
And when the Oak Ridge Boys launched into singing There Will Be Light, Allan & Ruth Ann both immediately knew they were sharing a “God moment” together. This song, Allan later told us, described the dark night they were experiencing and encouraged them to refocus their eyes on “the eternal city…where God is the source of all Light.”
And dear friends, it is into this marvelous Light that we are now releasing our dear Allan today.
When the world is dark
As a moonless night
There will be light
And when you see
No hope in sight
There will be light
Joy comes with the morning
And outshines the darkest of nights
So hold on till the morning
There will be light
Two weeks ago, several of us gathered in a circle around Allan’s hospice bed, joined hands with him, and prayed for God’s traveling mercies as he moved ever more fully into the light of God.
We remembered the words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness…but will have the light of life.” A light that, as we heard in the scripture text today, is stronger than any darkness.
This theme of moving into God’s light was a great comfort and solace to Allan during his final 6 weeks of life, as his health declined rapidly after his cancer diagnosis. And the theme of seeking God’s light, I believe, is crucial to understanding who Allan was and how he lived his 79 years among us.
Before we look more at Allan’s life, let’s just remember what a central theme light is in the Bible, mentioned more than 200 times. Genesis opens with God saying: “Let there be light.” On Mt. Sinai, Moses’ face shines after entering the radiant cloud of God’s glory (Ex 24, 34). The accounts of Jesus’ resurrection are all radiant with light as well.
Perhaps light is such a prominent theme in Scripture because it helps us begin to contemplate the great mystery of God. Because just like God, light is untouchable but real, overcomes darkness, makes vision possible, and gives life to all. And just like light, God permeates our lives.
These past couple weeks, I’ve often wished I’d been able to have a couple more heart-to-hearts with Allan. I’ve wondered: Was Allan such a seeker of God’s light because he and Ruth Ann experienced the deep darkness of grief and tragedy so early in their lives together…with the loss of their first daughter Jennifer, in a car accident caused by a drunken driver?
After their move to Oregon that followed, Allan often found solace in the beauty and light of the ocean. His brother-in-law Glen remembers how “he would sit [on the beach], watching the ebb and flow of the waves. Slowly, the waves became special touches of God that contributed to Allan’s healing of deep sadness and grief.”
In fact, throughout his life, Allan continued to focus on…and to seek…the light. One of the ways he did this, as we heard in his obituary, was by nurturing a deep life of prayer and contemplation with God in the morning, with a cup of coffee in hand and his journal nearby.
Both of his daughters also remember that another way their father paid attention to the light was though his love of photography. Melissa remembers how he would go around with his manual Canon camera seeking out “the perfect light.” Beverly says that through that lens he helped others to see what was beautiful—and sometimes overlooked—around them.
Allan also “sought the Light” by choosing, wherever he was, to be part of a faith community focused on following Jesus, the light of the world. A community where each of us can join our tiny flickering lights—so that together we’re able to shine with a light greater than our own—the light of Christ! In a sermon two years ago, he shared that he was deeply dedicated to our congregation, in spite of our obvious flaws and shadows.
And we all experienced this light in him—didn’t we?—whether from the twinkle in his eye, his loving kindness, teasing wit, or enjoyment of a good prank. He reflected God’s light wherever he was—as a teacher at Western Mennonite School and Lancaster Mennonite and LMS, as a good neighbor on Walnut Street, Kreider Avenue, or Sundrop Lane, a colleague at Longeneckers’ Hardware in Manheim, a dear member of this church, and a grandpa to his three beloved grandkids: Ethan, Owen, and Wynona.
When I think of Allan, a slightly paraphrased version 2 Timothy 4:7 comes to mind: Allan sought the light, he finished the race, and he kept the faith.
Let me close with a brief story. Early last month, in the midst of his declining health, Allan and Ruth Ann turned on the TV one night and—lo and behold—they came upon a concert by the Oak Ridge Boys, whom they’d seen at a fair in Salem, Oregon back in the 70s.
And when the Oak Ridge Boys launched into singing There Will Be Light, Allan & Ruth Ann both immediately knew they were sharing a “God moment” together. This song, Allan later told us, described the dark night they were experiencing and encouraged them to refocus their eyes on “the eternal city…where God is the source of all Light.”
And dear friends, it is into this marvelous Light that we are now releasing our dear Allan today.
When the world is dark
As a moonless night
There will be light
And when you see
No hope in sight
There will be light
Joy comes with the morning
And outshines the darkest of nights
So hold on till the morning
There will be light
Amen.
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