[Article prepared by Conejo Member, John Downey]
God is good! All of the time. All of the time, God is good! I imagine there are many of you who look forward to hearing these words from Andy, upon his return – I do. And I’m looking forward to hearing Carrie’s cheery welcomes and affirmations. My brief words this morning are written in appreciation for Andy and Carrie, on the occasion of their return to our fold.
I remember Penny White’s retirement from serving as our children’s minister and the beautiful celebration we held here at the building. I loved that we showered her with our thanks, but I remember feeling remiss about not making that appreciation known well before that night. So, because there is no time like the present for encouraging words and gratitude, here is a little of what I’ve missed about Andy and Carrie:
Andy is a consummate professional, always thoughtfully prepared. If he recycles sermons, shame on me for not being attentive enough to notice (but I don’t think he does). I look forward to his thematic sermon series and his use of visual arts, poetry, and literature. What better way to show appreciation than to admit that I regularly take things from Andy’s sermons to use in my epistemology course at Royal High School? Andy is passionate but always measured and, in humility, respectful of other people’s perspectives. Andy’s model as a parent, husband, and Christian brother are not taken for granted. In fact, it is these characteristics that make his superb work as a teacher more impactful.
While Carrie clearly serves as the wind beneath Andy’s wings, she does the same for many of us. I don’t need ego boosts as often as I get them from Carrie. A quick conversation with Carrie and I bet you all feel, like I do, that the air in your tires has been pumped up to full. Carrie and Andy are beautiful models of dedication to lifelong learning and the joys of personal development through education.
Our church is blessed to have many generous people who stepped in to preach over the last months. Thank you to all of you for sharing your energy, unique perspectives, and talents. And now, we have Andy and Carrie back. God is good, indeed!
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