I have been a member of the LCMS since birth, when my godfather, my parents’ pastor at the time, baptized me into new life in Christ. Jokingly, I refer to myself as planning to be a “cradle to grave” Lutheran!

I am sure many of us at St. John, both long-term and more recent members, can identify folks whom we admire as being excellent examples of faith. Certainly, there is no “perfect Christian”, either among clergy or laity, but we can all think of at least one person who has been encouraging to us in our faith walk or formative in how we got to be where we are. These people live their lives purposefully in trusting gratitude towards God and His deep love given to us through Christ. They live differently than the world around them!

St. Peter, the rock upon whom Christ built His Church, tells us that we as Christians “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) I really like the King James Version for this, which goes so far as to call us “a peculiar people,” special and identified as God’s own. The love we bear to the world around us and the way that we care for others as the hands and feet of Christ sets us apart, and Marie Holcomb showed us how we can do that even after we win our victory in Him.

Marie simply loved worship, and all things musical. Thinking ahead in estate planning, Marie included a Christian Preamble, or declaration of faith, in her will. Part of this gift was described for St. John, and so allowed us to use this blessing to benefit our worship and school music program. In working with Marie Holcomb’s family, St. John decided to use a portion of her gift to purchase two new timpani drums.

As we prepare to remember all of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have finished their earthly struggles in Christ on All Saints’ Day (Nov. 6), we will dedicate our new timpani drums, even as we remember Marie.

If Marie’s story strikes a chord with you and you would like to know more about how you can include St. John and our many ministries in your gift planning, please contact Ivonne Zimmer, our director of development.

Ivonne can be reached at (317) 352-9196 ext. 13, or at