Services for Rick McKnight
- Our Wednesday Eucharist on July 31 at 5:30 in All Saints Hall will be offered to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for Rick.
- Visitation is on Thursday from 5 to 7 at St. Thomas.
- The funeral service is on Friday at St. Luke Church (1104 Second Avenue) at 11 am. Thank you to the clergy and staff of St. Luke for their tremendous hospitality. The service will be livestreamed to our Facebook and YouTube pages.
He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff . . . Mark 6:8
At a congregation where I served long ago, a new senior pastor shared this verse at our first staff meeting together. He acknowledged that Jesus had a different kind of staff in mind - something more like a walking stick. However, the word and the comparison make sense even today. In sending the disciples out on mission, Jesus encouraged them to travel lightly but still take something to lean on. A staff.
A talented church staff is a key part of the structure of a church. Like the framing hidden in the walls, much of their work is unseen. They support the architecture of the ministry. I have always felt that lay staff are more important than clergy staff to the growth and stability of ministry. I lean heavily on all of our staff members for advice, creativity, and support.
One of our beloved staff members died this week. For over twenty years, Rick McKnight directed the music ministries of St. Thomas with excellence and faithfulness. He was a church leader before he became a professional church musician, and he always understood music from the perspective of a parishioner. His love for God and God's people was even more central in his life than his obvious love for music. St. Thomas was blessed to have someone who blended talent, faith, and love so fully. I leaned on him often, and I am deeply grateful for the privilege of serving with him.
We are so fortunate that Debbie Anderson, Adleyn Scott, and our deep musical bench have been leading music at St. Thomas over the last several months as Rick dealt with his cancer. One of Rick's legacies among us is the community of musicians he nurtured in the life of St. Thomas. We will begin a search for permanent music leadership soon, but know that St. Thomas music is in capable hands during this interim time, largely thanks to Rick's good leadership over many years.
For now, let us all tend to our grief at the loss of our dear friend. Do what you can over the next few days to remember Rick and give thanks for his impact on your life and on our community.
This prayer for Church musicians and artists is especially fitting today.
O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessings -
Grace