This picture was sent to me the day after Carver died. It’s from Carver’s last trip to Normandy, where he led people in the footsteps of his first time in Normandy, June 8, 1944. I’m so grateful I was able to be on that trip. I heard Carver recount his experiences as a 19-year-old, getting wounded and having his life saved by people he didn’t really like, being given the last morsels of food a priest had, and being shown compassion by an enemy doctor that resulted in his escape. All of these shaped Carver in profound ways God would use years later when Carver felt called into the ministry.
His life was no bed of roses. Along with his war scars, he suffered the loss of a business and felt like a failure. He experienced the deaths of people close to him, including his first wife. He dealt with cancer. But all of these experiences brought him closer to God and helped him trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness. This is the faith Carver preached with such authenticity and genuineness that thousands would flock through the doors of St. Luke’s to hear him every Sunday.
Carver will forever leave an indelible impression on St. Luke’s. Standing in the pulpit one Sunday, during the height of fear and judgment associated with the AIDS epidemic, Carver said, “We will be a church that welcomes gay people.” This led to St. Luke’s declaring itself to be an open and welcoming community for all. Our openness today can be attributed to the courage and vision of Carver McGriff.
But it was still his bedrock of faith that drew all kinds of people to want to attend St. Luke’s. Carver oozed confidence that there is a God looking after us. I remember inviting Carver to preach for St. Luke’s 60th anniversary. He recounted the setbacks he experienced through his life. Then he said, “I believe we would all see that God answers our prayers, if we just had God’s perspective.” You don’t say something like that without having experienced a lot in life. And you don’t say something like that without filtering those experiences through the lens of faith. As the insurance commercial says, “We know some things because we’ve seen some things.” Carver McGriff knew a lot because he had seen a lot.
I hope you will join us tomorrow when we celebrate the life of a beloved saint who now sees God clearly, face to face. Join me in praying for Carver’s wife, Marianne, who will be speaking in the service. Pray also for their children and grandchildren. And pray for St. Luke’s that the seeds of faith sown by this saint will continue to bear fruit through our faithful witness.
See you Sunday,
Rob