A Gift that Keeps Giving

Urban Light lost a giant just a little over a month ago. His impact and accolades have been rightfully celebrated by Winebrenner Seminary, where he was president from 1988-2015 and by our Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC) leadership, where he served as our national Executive Director. He was such a humble man that many at Urban Light never knew any of that. To us, he was simply Andrew’s dad, or just Dave.

The truth is that Urban Light would not exist as we do without Dave Draper. Therefore, we want to add our witness to the work of God through his life how we can. Because of his position in the denomination and the seminary, Dave was able to help find enough financial support within the Churches of God to plant Urban Light back in 2005. He used whatever he had been given to benefit the kingdom of God and he encouraged others to do the same.

He was always proud of this church and community and bragged on us whenever he could. Together with Andrew, they worked to introduce others to the ministry being done here, giving personal tours of our church and neighborhood to potential donors over the years. He made a point to invite our worship team to lead in CGGC conferences so that others could enjoy what God was building here. It was Dave and Linda Draper who introduced friends from the CGGC to those who would become pastors at Urban Light and helped make connections that provided scholarships for three pastors. Going beyond that, Dave and Linda provided free room and board at their house for Pastors Joe, Z, and Toddrick for four years’ worth of week-long intensive seminary classes. Urban Light would not have the trained pastors we have apart from their initiative and hospitality.

Dave saw the hard work behind the scenes and was always sensitive to what the spirit is doing and to the needs of the church. For this reason, he was who the pastors turned to in difficult seasons of ministry for wisdom and guidance. But he wasn’t just a teacher and mentor; he was a learner. Dave went on the Civil Rights History tour with others from Urban Light, not as a leader, but as an example learner. His tender heart to get to know and show the welcome of God to everyone made him instantly beloved of every Urban Lighter he met. At his celebration of life service in Findlay, people testified to his pure love whether they were black, white, rich, poor, free, incarcerated, in positions of power, or living out their days in nursing homes. He enjoyed people – all God’s people. He and Linda were good about seeking people out to befriend. Dave was Pastor Andrew’s father, but he withheld nothing that was his in order to build up the family of God here in Muncie.

Many of us at Urban Light felt “the Drapers, Senior” as family, so it was an absolute joy to welcome Dave and Linda to live full-time in Muncie and worship here weekly with us in the last few years. Dave spoke from the pulpit a few times, but he and Linda were rarely in the spotlight here. Their supporting roles, however, were massive. Dave and Linda served on the prayer team, praying always for our church and specifically for each individual request as parents pray for their children. If Dave said he was praying for you, he was praying for you. They are the ones who baked all the cookies and making the hot cider every Christmas Eve. (Okay, the cookies were Linda’s doing, but Dave was always there helping!) And they came with joy to volunteer at the every block party for over a decade of summers.

In every season, Dave did as much as he could for as long as he could. This year, he was working as a collaborator for the Lilly Mental Health grant, helping Pastor Maria toward the goal of opening the Bishop H. Royce Mitchell Social Services Hub. Even as his health was declining, he traveled this spring to Indianapolis with Pastor Maria for the required educational components. Together with Linda, Dave never stopped sharing their resources and their friends and their friends’ resources. So many of those who donate to support the work of Urban Light from outside our fellowship are people Dave connected to us. In the days since his passing, we have received gifts of support in his memory from people near and far. We could not be more grateful. He loved us completely and well.

Every gift Dave Draper gave was the sort of gift that keeps on giving. Generosity, hospitality, love – these are gifts that multiply when given. But perhaps the best gift Dave gave us was the faith he passed to Andrew and to us. At Urban Light, we all know the story of Dave telling Andrew when he was young and struggling with his faith, “You might let go of a lot of things, but don’t let go of Jesus.” In this season when we are letting go, we remember these words. We do not let go of Jesus. And he does not let go of us. As we focus on the Lord, we do so with gratitude for the example of Dave Draper in our midst and we pray the Lord draws close to the Draper family in this holiday season, as to all our families who have empty spaces at their celebration tables. They have simply gone on ahead of us and we trust that the Lord, who saved them a seat at his celebration feast, is saving a place for us as well.