One of the many great parishioners I had in my 12 years at the Margaret Hank Church was Carney Allen. He died on Friday and it spurred me to think about what made him such a great elder and member of our church. I would like to share it with you today.  Carney was a thinker. He thought about good things. He set his mind on the things above. He meditated on the word of God, and he taught Sunday School for several years, from a deep reservoir of spiritual nourishment. Carney did not rely on the latest biblical trends and commentaries. He had the waters in him, around him, and through him. Carney was planted by the living water in which he drew nourishment to live a Godly life that helped this world be a little less dark.  He was a person who was formed by the living waters.

In turn, he yielded the fruit of one who has been nourished by the living waters.  Scripture says you will know them by their fruit.  Carney had mature Jesus fruit to share with those who came to harvest some wisdom and instruction. I benefitted from his Jesus fruits which included wisdom, honesty, love, and mercy. When I had questions,  he spoke to me with wisdom, love, and maybe a little more than patience, mercy is probably the best word to use,  because a 28-year-old preacher has many ideas, and of course, everything I wanted to do was the right thing, whether or not anyone else thought so.

Looking back, I wonder how some of those folks at the Margaret Hank Church endured my first couple of years. After thinking about it, I think I know why. There were people like Carney who were planted by the living waters, and they had deep roots connected to the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ, and they had a deep love for me, which flowed through them from Christ, the head of the Church.  It’s the only explanation I have.