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Jean Grigg Memorial

Jean Grigg Memorial
Text Philippians 2: 5-8 Message

"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges."

Jean F. Grigg. born September 21, 1919 in Wyoming. The daughter of Emery and Bertha Faulkner Peterson. She married Kenneth Grigg, Dec. 19, 1953. He died Feb .3, 2005. Survived by a son, David (Shirley) DeMent, Long Beach CA. one grandson, Aaron DeMent and three great grand-children. Her parents, two brothers and two sisters preceded her in death.

Worked for Aldrich Company, Wyoming for 20 years and at the Wyoming Grade School as library assistant.

A member First Cong'l UCC where she played the organ for 60 years. She was past president of the Wyoming Music Club.
She died March 23, 2007

We gather here today in this sanctuary where Jean Grigg played the organ for 60 years. She and her sister, Florence DeMent shared the ministry for awhile. I should have asked her a long time ago - when that started and when it ended. But I did not. Lenore Fluherer and Nina Hatch remembered how Jean and her sister Florence used to play duets on Easter Sunday. I only know that she played the organ during my ministry. She stopped some time before 1986. This is why the Philippians text. She like her Lord was a servant.

The best way I know is to tell you the story about one the reasons I was glad to serve here, and what I learned. When we came to candidate, I discovered that the church had a pipe organ. I always wanted to serve in a church with a pipe organ. I thought it would be so much better than the electronic organs in my two previous positions as pastor. It seemed better to have a pipe organ than an organ that everything was electronic.

Jean was an excellent organist and a good friend. She was also a good teacher. In early days of my ministry, she taught me what being a person who played a pipe organ meant. It meant playing not just with your hands, several keyboards, a numerous stops , your feet, and your whole being. She also helped me find that out that pipe organs require a lot of care. She struggled with that machine - with its bad moments due to weather or humidity or heat when it became difficult to produce music. I remember Sundays when after trying everything she knew t0 make it play right she would move to the piano. I remember it had problem pipes that wouldn't always play and what one had to do to make it do right. I helped a couple of times cleaning and tuning the instrument with a repairman. So having a pipe organ wasn't always so "neat."

She must have been always teaching because during my ministry here, and since, I keep running to people with whom she worked, or in her time with the Music Club, or just out in the community that she has either done something together with that person or been in a group that was actively working in community. She was and is an "angel unaware." Since she never mentioned any of those things - she may have truly not known about her influence or her help.

I know that having her at the console of this organ always felt right when I was conducting a service, or performing a wedding, or any other kind of service that went on here. I am truly grateful to have known and worked with Jean Grigg, organist par excellence, friend indeed and sharer of blessing brought about by her faith in her Lord.

"She set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, she stayed human."

More Sermons of George W. Hirst
Created by KKris. Last Modification: Friday 19 of December, 2008 11:52:28 EST by KKris.