10/07/2026
We love you Denny and miss you so much!
To our dear friend and brother in Christ, Denny Dietrich —
The Heart of a Servant
Today, our hearts are broken.
We lost Denny far too soon. And if we are honest, there are no perfect words for a moment like this.
Denny was more than a leader in our church.
He was a servant.
And there is a difference.
Leadership can be seen in what someone does, but a servant’s heart is seen in why they do it.
For the last several years, Denny stayed committed through storms, uncertainty, change, and adversity. He didn’t run from difficult things.
He ran toward them.
When things were hard, he showed up.
When the church needed strength, he gave it.
When there were challenges, he didn’t simply ask, “Who is going to fix this?”
He became part of the answer.
That is the kind of leader Denny was.
And while we may not have always gotten everything right—and there may have been moments when leadership was messy or difficult—one thing was never difficult to see: Denny’s heart.
His heart was for this church.
His heart was for people.
His heart was to serve.
And that heart will remain with us.
Our church will never be exactly the same without Denny.
There will be moments when we look around and realize he’s not there.
There will be conversations we wish we could have one more time.
There will be things that happen in this next chapter where we will think, “I wish Denny were here.”
And that’s okay.
Because grief is what happens when someone mattered.
We don’t grieve because they were replaceable.
We grieve because they weren’t.
But here’s where our hope begins.
Even though our hearts are broken, Denny’s heart is rejoicing.
He is no longer fighting the battles of this life.
He is no longer facing the storms.
He is in the presence of the One he served.
Denny is home with Jesus.
And because of Jesus, death does not get the final word.
We may be sad, but Jesus gives us hope.
We may be hurting, but God gives us peace.
We may miss his presence, but we don’t have to say goodbye forever.
This is not the end of Denny’s story.
And it is not the end of ours.
The legacy Denny leaves behind will become part of the next chapter of this church.
Every time we serve when it’s inconvenient…
Every time we stand when things get difficult…
Every time we choose faith over fear…
Every time we refuse to run from adversity…
Every time we put people before ourselves…
we carry a little of Denny’s legacy forward.
But most of all, may his legacy do what his life was meant to do:
Point people to Jesus.
Because that’s where Denny is now.
And that’s where our hope is.
So today we honor our leader.
We honor the Lord’s servant.
We honor our friend.
And most of all…
We honor the man God shared with us for a season.
Denny, we will miss your leadership.
We will miss your servant spirit.
We will miss your strength.
But most of all…
we will miss you.
And we are grateful.
Grateful that God allowed our paths to cross.
Grateful for the years we had.
Grateful for the storms you helped us walk through.
And grateful that because of Jesus, this isn’t goodbye.
It’s simply…
Until we see you again.
Rest well, Denny.
Your work here is finished.
Your race is over.
Your Savior is waiting.
And your legacy will continue to point people toward Him.
