Rob Lacey's new book `The Liberator' arrived in the post for me today, on the very day that Gary and I attended Rob's funeral. The service looked like a who's who of the Christian performing arts scene in the UK, as Glenwood church in Cardiff was packed out with people who had come to pay their respects to a man who had finally lost his gallant battle with cancer.
In a world where pale imitations rule, and amongst the British church who tend to play very safe, Rob stood out as overflowingly creative and wonderfully risky. He was younger than me, and throughout a service that lived up to his creativity and risky faith I couldn't help noticing the parallels with another funeral Gary and I had attended on Christmas Eve 2004: Pete McCahon, also younger than me, was another gifted and creative Christian entertainer and communicator who died sooner than he deserved.
I have never met 2 men more able to make laughter rise up from my belly than Rob and Pete. Whenever we needed someone to add a buzz to an event, make a room full of people laugh, and help us communicate the message of Jesus, then Pete and Rob were top of the list.
Seeing his two young children (one daughter only weeks old) and his wife Sandra today surrounded by hundreds of mourners confirmed to me that Rob was a family man, a friend to many, a committed member of a local church, a passionate follower of Jesus, and widely loved and respected.
The arrival of 'The Liberator' and the success of its predeccessor, The Word on the Street, reminded me that Rob Lacey has succeeded in the way that truly matters- he's born fruit and fruit that will last. The legacy he leaves us is a rich one.
This poem by Rob Lacey was read at his funeral:
WHO AM I?
I'm normal Joe unique.
I'm a crucial nobody.
A vital nothing
Bog standard precious.
A backwater special task force.
I'm a run-of-the-mill winner
A finish the course loser
I'm significantly minute
I'm an everyday miracle
I'm typically original
I'm limited eternal
I'm an off-the-peg one-off
Standard fare gourmet
A naturally supernatural
Fully grown halfling.
I'm an unknown celebrity
A hero in my own story
A line in His-story
I'm one of, and one-in six billion me
A nonenity V.I.P.
That's all and everything I am.
Nigel, I loved reading this. It is strange, I wrote my first blog on myspace today. Not as eloquent as yours but with much the same sentiment!
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