The "spirit" of my colleagues...

I am regularly inspired by the qualities of those that serve the DTES at First United and their dedication to being of service to the marginalized.  This letter from my colleague Layton Peck catches this "spirit." I hope you will listen to his video at the end of the letter. 

• To all my colleagues and friends at First United I want to say goodbye, thank you, and farewell. It has indeed been an honour and a privilege to serve the people of his congregation, parish, and the Downtown East Side since April of 2011 and it has been my life’s a great delight to have been given the opportunity by Nina and Ric to make a difference from the shaping the celebrations for our 125th Anniversary ‘Party in the Park’, through the past year of radical and accelerated change here at First United. I have been richly blessed.
  
  I had heard of the work of the First United Church Mission of Vancouver long before moving to BC, and at the time when my life was at it’s absolute lowest, when I was without a home of my own, you took me in, became my family, and gave me a purpose and community in which to thrive. I will, as have so many people who have been served by this institution, ever have a warm place in my heart for you all, still the time has come when I must move on and answer a different call. For those of you whom I may have angered, frustrated, or offended I ask forgiveness, such was never my intent. For those who have sought my advice and shared their confidences I return my humble gratitude and affection, with continued prayers for the growth of your daily blessings. And, for all who have shared their stories, songs, sorrows, frustrations, and laughter, who have broken bread with me here, who have held vigil with me against the forces of darkness, addiction, disease, and depression, and kept the vulnerable of the DTES safe through the night I offer my love, thanks, and friendship.
  
  In my 60 years I have had the honour of being received by, met, and dined with, Presidents and Prime Ministers, Corporate CEO’s, Astronauts, Elite Athletes, Nobel Laureates, and the wealthy and famous from the Arts, Music, Politics, History, Sport, and Industry. Yet among them all I have never met a finer group of individuals than you. I am so very proud to have been a “Firster”. To have had the opportunity to offer a cup of cold water to those who thirst, to bind up open wounds, and after a year of trying, to finally have gotten Mikal Bales to go to the hospital. Mikal told me last Saturday that he knew he needed to go, but he was dragging his feet because he would miss this place. Because it is his home, and it is here that he is loved and appreciated most. I know exactly what Mikal meant.
  
  Here, in this place I have been honoured and humbled to have been asked to pray with the grieving, the conflicted, the ill, and the abused. To have with Amanda’s assistance, saved Cheryl’s life on Christmas Eve. What a special privilege it is to have seen Thomas these 2 and a half months sober, to have been a friend of Irish Mike, Mikal, Dan, Mateyo, Fernando, Tim Whiskey-Oscar-Delta, Tony, Roz, Jodie, Noreen, Elsie, Miles, Brian, Greg, Jimmy Dion, Kelly and far to many more to name. I am so grateful to have known Tina James, to have wept with Rabbi David at Charlene’s passing, to have been prayed over by Rev. Sally and Ross Banister, to have jammed with Stephen Gray, to know Rodney Watson, and to be a colleague of everyone who ever put on the ‘Blue Vest’. To have been embraced, fist pumped, or slapped on the frozen shoulder, and called Brother, Uncle, Grandfather, Pastor, Friend, “Pucking Gar-r-r-r-r-bage Shift Manager”, and so many less flattering names by the wondrous palate of people that make up of the Canvas of the First United Church – The Firsters of the Downtown East Side. So now I take my leave with thanks, admiration, and a tinge of sadness – and the knowledge that I can finally smoke a cigarette without being asked for the kill.
  
  A video gift to you, from Calvin Harrington and Myself, with all my thanks for your help and support, and for the opportunity to have been one of and among you - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIKYXqBfzP8
  
  May the Lord bless you and keep you,
  
  May God’s Face shine upon you
  
  And be gracious unto you
  
  Yes, and may God grant you Peace
  
  This day and ever more . . . . goodbye,