Dear Speed,

The decades seem to call for reflections on the journey, or at least for a pause along the way long enough to appreciate our good fortune. Why the church has put up with the likes of us I really don’t know. Having spent our lives offering advice to the authorities on how they could improve their leadership, we should be thankful we are still on board.

Specifically, I’m thinking of the Young Turks, dedicated to improving the relevancy of the institution. What a pain! even if we did have some good ideas. Best of all was the life giving, family fellowship for our motley crew spread across the Basin from Fullerton to Pacoima. Several years ago I was at Asilomar. Coming into the dining hall for breakfast, I spotted Byron Light (there with a different group). Sitting down beside him, “good morning, Byron.” He looked up, greeted me, thought for a moment, and said, “why were we mad at you fellows?” my response, “I don’t recall……” I guess we made a lasting impression.

Let’s face it; it was the women in our lives that made the whole effort worthwhile. I believe our first meeting was at George Killingsworth’s church (later your church) in South Central L.A. After the customary potluck supper we dismissed the women to the kitchen so we could be serious about the agenda. About three and a half minutes later they reappeared and fortunately have been beside us ever since. Connie and I have connections back to Oneonta Church and Stoppels Store for Men and Boys in Temple City. That’s a chapter we can explore some other time.

As we got older our ministries began to focus – you at Commit (I can see you now sitting under a tree beside Oak Creek studying Commit related docs) – “Church Fights” – the Alban Institute, trying to keep the institution from imploding. I was turned on by Earth Day and able to use my perch on campus to catch the momentum of the environment movement as it relates to the congregations – or not as the case may be.

So here we are, having caught sight of the end of the trail. Thanks for your friendship and for your example of careful scholarship before sounding off with the latest profound insight. We haven’t worked out of the same office, but we have followed the same agenda.

Colleague and friend, congratulations on your birthday and God’s blessing on your life and work,

Peace and love,

Al