ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 7, 2025
Today is the birthday of a dear friend, colleague, mentor, and someone with the spiritual gift of encouragement. His name is Bob Turpin. Bob often joked how he was starting college the year I was born, and though he was in ministry early in life, like a lot of folks, he found himself working outside of the church by the time he was in his late 20s. Though let’s be clear—he was still doing a lot of ministry, even when he was working for the Federal Government. He is an extraordinarily compassionate person, exceptional with both the written and spoken word, and when he served as the Executive Minister of the church I was serving in Kansas City, he was a defensive blocker, often deflecting the negative voices that otherwise would have derailed me. I celebrate Bob’s birth, and the life he has and continues to give to others. He made me a better person, a better minister, and a better Christian… something that definitely needed (and continues to need) some work. I know we are a little less than a month out from All Saints’ Day, but Bob is one of the living saints whose impact on the world continues to ripple further and further out.
For all the saints who have and continue to strengthen us and the church, we give thanks to you, O Source of Life and Light and Love. Amen.
