For Christians, the word “requiem” is a voice of hope. It heralds the promise of resurrection and power of life. A requiem is not about death, rather it is a prayer that accepts the Lord’s redemptive sacrifice, trusts his resurrection, and finds abundant life. It affirms our belief that by God’s grace, we will enter a new realm of being. In this we can be confident and so remain unshaken by the challenges we face as communities of faith and as a denomination. What we now see as our troubles can give us new opportunities to seize God’s promises and be strengthened by the mission to which God calls us. The mission of Methodism will endure. We will continue to sing of love divine, all loves excelling. And we will be inspired to bring this message of hope to God’s children as we travel the road to perfection singing our “Hymn of Promise.”
