Dear Fellowship Family,
It is with great appreciation for a life well lived that we share the news that on May 28, 2024, surrounded by family and prayer at her daughter Nancy’s home in Stevensville, Michigan, Sara Collins became a member of The Church Triumphant. We ask that you join us as we hold Sara’s family and friends in prayer at this time.
Sara joined The Fellowship in 1969 and was hooked for life. She sat on the national Council as North Central Jurisdictional Representative from 1984 - 1987 and served as President of The Fellowship from 1989-1991.
Sara was integral to the work of the WorshipArts Editorial Committee from 1995 to early 2024, serving as secretary for many years, hosting an annual planning retreat in her home in West Michigan, and most recently, coordinating music reviews for the publication.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Tuesday, July 16th, at 2:00 p.m., at Stevensville United Methodist Church in Stevensville, MI. Following the service, friends and family will gather in Faith Hall for refreshments, fellowship, and remembrances. The service will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend in person by Stevensville UMC. You can join in the celebration of Sara's life by clicking here on July 16th.
Sara's life is a legacy of love and faithful service. To read more about the impact she made and the way she lived her life, you can read her obituary by hovering over the image to the right and scrolling down.
"All I have needed Thy hand hath provided: great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."
To learn more about Sara's impact on The Fellowship and our members – past and present – please continue reading below.
As memories flooded in to Nancy and Jane from members of The Fellowship, many truths stood out as universal for all who knew Sara.
Sara was a servant leader who nurtured a love of God and of the worship arts in all she worked with throughout The Fellowship's history. Her graciousness and generosity of spirit welcomed people in and helped them feel comfortable and empowered to live more fully into their gifts and their calling. A mother / grandmother / great-grandmother figure to all she knew, Sara was a source of light and of wisdom for our shared journey. Her impact was felt by many of us individually, and rippled throughout the United Methodist denomination through her work on its publications and hymnals.
Sara was also vital to the growth and impact of The Fellowship – helping to facilitate local, jurisdictional, and national gatherings; stewarding the direction and content of our WorshipArts publications; and serving as a reminder that when the unexpected occurs, or you're not sure how to move forward, "you just do it." You just keep taking the next step. That spirit has helped to equip generations of worship artists, and will be shared through all of you with the generations ahead.
As you hold Sara's family, friends, and all in The Fellowship who knew her in prayer, we offer Sara's favorite hymn (the tune having been written by her uncle, William Runyan).
We are eternally grateful for all of the many ways Sara's life has impacted our own and the mission and vision of The Fellowship. Sara's commitment to family, friends, our Fellowship, and to God inspires us as we move forward.
We are blessed to have walked a while with her by our side.
If you have fond memories of Sara that you would like to share, we encourage you to add them in the comment section below, or email erica.rushing@thefellowshipowa.org so that they may be passed along to Sara's family.
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