by Pastor Dan Baumgartner

On Saturday, May 23rd the Bethany community and guests gathered to worship God and honor the life of our beloved sister in Christ Maxine Talbert. Maxine was a longtime Bethany member, arriving at Bethany when now-grown daughter Emily was just a baby. Maxine loved singing and was an integral part of the choir for many years, as well as in a longstanding homegroup.

Maxine had a long and fascinating journey of faith which blossomed in the years since 2003. She dated her real understanding and experience of Christ’s mercy to Maundy Thursday of that year. Other parts of Maxine’s life opened up as well as she developed a passion for ministry and friendship with the people of Kenya, in Seattle and Africa. She shared this passion with Bethany’s Director of Music, Gary Talbert, and they were married in the Bethany sanctuary on New Year’s Eve, 2006.

Our community will long remember Gary and Maxine sharing in worship after Maxine had received a terminal prognosis for her cancer. They not only pointed us to Christ, but invited us to walk with them towards the end of life on earth and into eternity. [To listen, click here.]

Bethany member Gil Ward was doing mission work in Honduras when he heard of Maxine’s death, and wrote: “When she let her light shine, it went off like a Roman candle. What energy. What warmth. What sparks…still…I can just see her, in bright colors, “marching in the light of God.”

It is our amazing privilege of the family of God to get to be with people like Maxine, and it is with grateful hearts we say goodbye…for now.