Thursday, May 1, 2025
“I am the resurrection and the life”
Dear church,
The resurrection story continues to take shape in my life, in our lives, and we, the Wagner family, send you heartfelt thanks for all your support and understanding. Sam’s recovery is remarkable. We can still see progress every day. For example, he had annoying involuntary movements on his left side, a result of the hypoxic brain injury. It was hard for him to control his left arm and hand. Imagine your hand just doing what it wants and jerking out at will… I have seen those involuntary movements calm down significantly just in a matter of the last few days. Sam eats like never before. He was never a big eater, always underweight, and the reason for that was his M-cast (mast cell activation syndrome) and how it affected his stomach. Now he can’t get enough food. He wolves everything down.
Sarah’s friend Anna wrote this about Sam on his birthday card… Anna helped us out in the first two weeks and hadn’t known Sam all that well before the incident. She wrote this for his 23rd birthday:
“Happy birthday, Sam! As long as I know your sister, she really talked a big game about how singularly funny, intelligent and good her brother Sam is. I’m so glad I get to see it for myself now.”
What is so remarkable and touching about this note is not only how true it rings for everyone in our family, but more importantly, that Anna was able to recognize these traits when he was still in ICU. And I would agree, those traits were recognizable almost right away. It was such a relief! I can’t tell you just how much. Yesterday, Sam was given clearance to go to Moss Rehab. We expect/hope that it will happen before the weekend.
For the next two Sundays. Pastor Carlson will lead services at St. Peter’s. I much appreciate that. I have been very tired at times. Please keep in your prayers Jack Allen who is down at Jefferson Main and Polly Beckham, a member of our Prayer Team who is recovering from a fall and fractured bones.
Finally, this Friday, Pastor Dayle Malloy will lead a Celebration of Life Service for Florence Ulrich at the Peter Becker Community. Florence was a long-time member of St. Peter’s, she was the oldest member and died recently at the age of 101. While I can’t attend the service, I asked Dayle to share this with Florence’s family and friends:
“Dear family and friends of Florence,
It is due to unfortunate circumstances that I can't be here in person today as I would like to. As pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in North Wales for almost 18 years, I had many opportunities to visit Florence, share communion with her, chat and learn about her life. She was as kind and polite a person as they come. No mean word ever left her tongue. In the early years of my ministry in North Wales she came to church every Sunday. Later, I visited her in her house three blocks from the church. And finally, she stayed at Peter Becker, although her heart was attached to her old neighborhood in North Wales. I do not have enough words to express my appreciation for the support and attention that she received from her daughter Susi. Florence mentioned frequently how lucky she was and what good children she had.
Florence was also the first person who reached the milestone of a centennial birthday during my many years as pastor. That was on January 25, 2024. She often told me about the longevity genes in her family, and she was no exception, obviously. I also bonded with her over the old Philadelphia neighborhood where she grew up. I believe it was on Marwood Street in Olney, and I was pastor not far from there in my first parish in the 1990's and early 2000's..
If we could learn to be as polite, patient and kind as Florence was, the world would be a better place. Now she rests with her Savior and the people who parted from this earth before her, including her husband Stuart.
Rest in peace, Florence!
You had a long run. We love you.
Pastor Andreas Wagner”
Have a most blessed week,
Pastor Andreas Wagner