05/28/2020
I do not have the vocabulary to describe the gamut of emotions I am feeling as I am about the write this next sentence. (Which is probably why I've put this off for so long)
Church at Affton is now closed.
I've been dreading and procrastinating this day. But it's now time to move on.
With great gratitude, I want to thank Jason and Rachelle Helmbacher for packing up their their family, leaving a comfortable life and growing church in Fort Smith AR to come to St. Louis to do something which turned out to be a first in the St. Louis area, if not in the US, replant a church.
Jason came to remind us all, that every christian is a missionary. We are to be "on mission" where we work, live and play. We are to be all things to all people and where can you find "all people" better than St. Louis?
Jason warned us that is would be a roller coaster ride and what a ride it was. Just like a roller coaster ride, the exhilaration builds at the start and then when you reach that first drop, you laugh and scream through each drop, turn, cork screw, and loop, you enjoy all it. At each pause, you stop and catch your breath, knowing what's coming next but looking forward to with excitement. But just like the roller coaster, it came to an abrupt stop with Jason's passing last year. After that, we just couldn't catch our breath, regain our footing and our direction.
There isn't a week that goes by that I don't think of Jason. I used to send him links about the latest evolution in the Theory of Evolution, or the latest thought on the origin of the universe (just torment him) and the latest archeological find that discovered a location that was mentioned in the Bible. I miss his teaching. Jason had the wonderful ability to "fill in the blanks" of what was going on in the world at the time the various scriptures were written.
I still miss Rachelle's voice on Sunday. I miss "poking the bear". I'd torment Rachelle by re-arranging the various decoration she scattered throughout the church. I know I shouldn't have done it but I just couldn't help myself. You made it fun. (Rachelle, I'm certain I wasn't alone in this endeavor.)
I miss seeing Hannah's and Isaac's smiling faces every Sunday. When they arrived, Hannah wasn't driving and now Isaac is about too. Where did the time go?
So for the next week, I encourage all the friends of the Church at Affton to post their favorite memories.
But the mission MUST continue. We have been adopted by Harvest Bible Chapel St. Louis South. We were a church looking for a pastor, they were a church looking for a building. Furthermore, their church structure and mission focus is almost exactly the same format as Jason installed with the Church at Affton. I hardily recommend that you check them out: http://www.harveststlsouth.org/
So let's see those memories.
Yours in Christ, Jim Kopp
