Yesterday, a treasured mentor, friend, and a Christian role model of the highest order finished his "race". Bruce Andrews passed from this world and is now with our heavenly father. Bruce met a young, headstrong, arrogant tenor and played a pivotal role in teaching me to see and understand my place in the world, as a minister, father, musician, and even as a businessman and realist. He showed me the ropes on more than one occasion from cleaning grease traps, to handling flooded basements, to wiring sanctuaries.
The picture used in this post is of Somerset Hills Baptist Church, on Mt Airy Rd in Basking Ridge, NJ. Bruce "supposedly" reinforced the rostrum when I was music minister there "just to be safe" as I often got very excited and physically animated as a young choral conductor during anthems and even congregational hymns... I wonder if he knew how his example of service touched me and so many others. His actions reinforce my thoughts and actions every day, and he made a difference by showing love and a caring example to a young man from Virginia who seemed a bit out of place in NJ.
Bruce is among the most important men in my entire life, as I'm sure he is to so many more. My memories of so many special times, and his model of servanthood go before me every day and will remain in me all of my days and into the days of all that follow me through my children and students.
I suppose this is just the way it is meant to be. It is hard to be sad and so happy at the same time.
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say REJOICE!
I rejoice in the knowledge that your pain and suffering have come to an end Bruce and I Love You!
jeff
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