Dear Friends in Christ—
“We stand on the shoulders of giants.”
Father Santi tells me that he and Rick Eudy were talking before a service a little while ago, and Rick shared these words. He was talking about previous generations at Grace Church, those who built and sustained this place. But it seems clear that Rick, too, was one of those giants.
This letter is not merely to praise Rick—the time will come to remember him at his funeral (which will likely be held in September). But I do want to reflect on the generational legacy at Grace Church, and about the responsibility we have for the future of this place.
Many of us can tell stories about men and women who have been the proverbial pillars of this church. In ways great and small, they offered themselves to our mission and to God’s purposes.
In recent years, we have lost many of this “greatest generation.” They are irreplaceable. And, at the same time, they must be replaced.
There was a time before they were giants. There was a moment when each of these stalwarts chose to step up. I am sure that their lives felt just as busy as ours do, that there were competing demands on their resources. And yet they chose to demonstrate their priorities by making Grace Church central in their lives. In so doing, they created a life of meaning for themselves and a legacy for so many others.
I feel confident in telling you this: these people would not want us to admire them. They would want us to join them.
Bluntly, the passing of this generation leaves big shoes to be filled. There are a few places of real need right now, places where we only have a few people (generally in their 70s or 80s) serving. If you want to honor Rick’s legacy, a good place to start would be to sign on as an adult acolyte. Write me.
Summer is a natural time to think about priorities for our lives. How do you want to be remembered? And what do you need to do to be that person?
Yours in Christ,
Anne+