Dearest St. Andrew family,
 
A belated but heartfelt thanks for the grand send-off that culminated in the Retirement Celebration on June 26th!  What a wonderful meal! What a lavish program of so many surprises and tears! What love!
 
Your creative, humorous and touching words, gifts, songs, love offering, and notes, even a video from Father Greg Boyle (!) and a side of “roast” by Van Neie keeps us replaying the events of that night in our tender and grateful hearts.
 
We’ve installed the quilt on the back of our living room sofa. The multicolored wind chime catches the morning sun above our kitchen sink. We read a couple of your encouraging notes each week to remember the season we shared together and our mutual love in the future.
 
The famed Japanese filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa, upon receiving the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement some years ago, vowed to grow into all the lavish qualities they honored in his work. You named graciously the beautiful qualities you saw in us. Be assured that we will seek to cultivate and live into those very qualities in retirement.
 
In those last moments before you on the 26th, the divine spark in each of you lit up the Great Room. The room blazed with divine glory.
 
Keep opening to the invitation to the beautiful waiting to unfold in each of you and your collective life under Pastor Brian’s wise and loving shepherding.
 
In love and prayer,
Chris and Carolyn Danielson 

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