This wonderful family

[Pastor Gary]

During the pre-Assembly meetings of the International Presbytery (all the Overseers, etc.) there was a recurring, unwritten theme of "family." GO Randy Howard repeatedly made reference to "this family" and "our family" in talks. I took that as a tone-setter, a return to some of the cohesiveness we lost during the turbulent years of change and transition.

It proved to be more than talk just days later.

When Amy suffered a ruptured appendix and subsequent emergency surgery and recovery at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the family rallied. I mentioned earlier that Scooter (COGOP Bishop Scott Creasy) was in the waiting room with me all morning getting me coffee, watching my bags for bathroom breaks, and just being there... followed by Ron Hamm (Okay, not presently COGOP, but our relationship was built in COGOP, and Ron's roots and heritage are COGOP) staying with me through much of the afternoon and making follow-up visits; Jeff Jones (COGOP Youth Pastor from Tennessee) drove me back to the hotel and offered his home and time to us. The entire General Assembly paused to pray for Amy. Flowers came in, of course, from our friends and COGOP family in Hawaii, but also cards and gifts from people at the Assembly... the Children's Ministry team, the Casey's on behalf of Australia's COGOP, the Womens' Ministry from Brecksville, Ohio COGOP and on it went...

The SO from Tennessee, Dr. E.C. McKinley visited and secured us an extension on our hotel stay at TN COGOP's expense, the GO Emeritius of COGOP, Fred Fisher and wife Betty visited and prayed for Amy... the wife and sister of the present GO (Bess Howard and Kathy Creasy) visited and cared for Amy for hours -- and Bess begged us to bring Amy to their home in Cleveland after release so she could nurse her to recovery. My GP, David Browder came and brought a love offering from Asia/Oceania to help with the additional expenses of our extended stay.

Average people from places I have never been stopped me in the halls and lobbies to tell me they were praying for Amy, and asking about her progress. Leaders from nations I can't pronounce stopped to tell me they were praying.

I have, over the years, been a visible and vocal agent of change, critical of some of our ways, but folks, I have to tell you, we are part of a wonderful family -- and I include all of you who are now, once were, or soon will be part of COGOP in that statement. It's a grand fellowship, full of love and compassion. Imperfect? Sure. Flawed? Yes. But it's a wonderful, loving family through it all.

[KBevangelist]

PG,

Wonderful testimony!

Can you give us an update on Amy?

KB

[one love]

During the pre-Assembly meetings of the International Presbytery (all the Overseers, etc.) there was a recurring, unwritten theme of "family." GO Randy Howard repeatedly made reference to "this family" and "our family" in talks. I took that as a tone-setter, a return to some of the cohesiveness we lost during the turbulent years of change and transition.

It proved to be more than talk just days later.

When Amy suffered a ruptured appendix and subsequent emergency surgery and recovery at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the family rallied. I mentioned earlier that Scooter (COGOP Bishop Scott Creasy) was in the waiting room with me all morning getting me coffee, watching my bags for bathroom breaks, and just being there... followed by Ron Hamm (Okay, not presently COGOP, but our relationship was built in COGOP, and Ron's roots and heritage are COGOP) staying with me through much of the afternoon and making follow-up visits; Jeff Jones (COGOP Youth Pastor from Tennessee) drove me back to the hotel and offered his home and time to us. The entire General Assembly paused to pray for Amy. Flowers came in, of course, from our friends and COGOP family in Hawaii, but also cards and gifts from people at the Assembly... the Children's Ministry team, the Casey's on behalf of Australia's COGOP, the Womens' Ministry from Brecksville, Ohio COGOP and on it went...

The SO from Tennessee, Dr. E.C. McKinley visited and secured us an extension on our hotel stay at TN COGOP's expense, the GO Emeritius of COGOP, Fred Fisher and wife Betty visited and prayed for Amy... the wife and sister of the present GO (Bess Howard and Kathy Creasy) visited and cared for Amy for hours -- and Bess begged us to bring Amy to their home in Cleveland after release so she could nurse her to recovery. My GP, David Browder came and brought a love offering from Asia/Oceania to help with the additional expenses of our extended stay.

Average people from places I have never been stopped me in the halls and lobbies to tell me they were praying for Amy, and asking about her progress. Leaders from nations I can't pronounce stopped to tell me they were praying.

I have, over the years, been a visible and vocal agent of change, critical of some of our ways, but folks, I have to tell you, we are part of a wonderful family -- and I include all of you who are now, once were, or soon will be part of COGOP in that statement. It's a grand fellowship, full of love and compassion. Imperfect? Sure. Flawed? Yes. But it's a wonderful, loving family through it all.

Love is a wonderful thing

[DaJudge]

I have, over the years, been a visible and vocal agent of change, critical of some of our ways, but folks, I have to tell you, we are part of a wonderful family -- and I include all of you who are now, once were, or soon will be part of COGOP in that statement. It's a grand fellowship, full of love and compassion. Imperfect? Sure. Flawed? Yes. But it's a wonderful, loving family through it all.

Amen. That is why, no matter the trials, tribulations, growing pains and fusses, I'll never even consider leaving COGOP.