6/7
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| Our friend John |
From
other steps….
To
Youngstown for the memorial service for John Sharick. It’s a beautiful sunny day, perfect for the
drive from Pittsburgh. As I pull in to the old steel town, booths are being set
up for Youngstown’s Pride Day. I think John would have liked that.
Arriving
at First Presbyterian downtown. As I enter, I get that Presbyterian classic
feeling I haven’t felt for awhile. Although mainly white, and once you’ve lived
in New York city while, that still feels strange, these are good, solid people. Working, middle
class people. These are the salt of the earth Presbyterians who defined a
denomination for generations. And here in Youngstown, where the workers in a
dying Mahoning Valley steel industry made a last stand with a heroic effort to
organize a worker managed mill, with organizing help by long-time Presbyterian
labor organizer Chuck Rawlings. They fell short. But that effort counts.
The large photos of John in and outside the
sanctuary give a feel for John over the years. Even as a young man he had the look of knowing confidence in his eyes. And the service was a good
tribute …. from the music, spirituals to classical,…For All the Saints…..Current
First Pres pastor, Carolyn Griffeth, gives thanks for John’s active a participant in the life of
the congregation, especially after his retirement. John’s successor as
Eastminster Exec, the Rev. Dr. Dan Schomer, gives strong witness to John’s ministry as a pastor to
pastors. His friendly challenging of
people thoughts and ideas was
lifted up, as well as his capacity to respect the humanity and divinity of each
person, even in profound disagreement. Likewise his intellectual curiosity and
the pleasure he took in teaching. And consulting…
Here
is what I had to say:
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| John through the years... |
It is an honor to
be able to be here today and give testimony to the life and witness of John
Sharick as on behalf of the Board of
Presbyterian Health, Eduction and Welfare Association. The details tell their
own story:
John served as President of the PHEWA Board of Directors,
2001-2003; and as a Board member from 1990-2005. As a member of the Presbyterian
Health Network (PHN) Leadership Team from 1989-1993 & 2003-2007 he Chaired PC(USA) Task Force on Health
Costs/Policies that wrote the seminal health ministries policy statement,
"Life Abundant," adopted by 200th G.A. (1988). This denominational
policy statement led to the formation of 3 new PHEWA networks- Presbyterian
AIDS Network (PAN), Presbyterian Health Network (PHN), Presbyterian Serious
Mental Illness Network (PSMIN), as well as guiding the programming for the
National Health Ministries program at the PC(USA) national offices. While
that program was closed in 2009 budget reductions, the volunteer networks of
PHEWA continue to keep ministries of health, healing, wholeness and justice
alive and vital in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Using skills honed over
his years as General Presbyter, John played a pivotal role in rewriting and renegotiating PHEWA’s
Covenant of Agreement for Shared Ministry with the national offices of the
PC(USA). John received PHEWA's 2007
Rodney T. Martin Award, recognizing a significant long-term contribution
made by the recipient to the ministry of PHEWA. In his obituary, memorial
donations were requested to be sent to PHEWA.
Here is what our president John
Scotland wrote in the PHEWA
E-Newsletter:
Dear Members of
the PHEWA Family,
On behalf of the
Executive Committee and the Board of PHEWA, it is with great sorrow that
I share the news of the passing of Rev. Dr. John D. Sharick. We owe
him more than you could know. He would never have admitted it, but John
embodied the spirit of the Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare
Association; a spirit that continues to transform General Assembly Policy into
ministry wherever Presbyterians bear witness to the good news!).
John was
instrumental in PHEWA’s own radical transformation in the late 1980s. He
did this first by chairing a G.A. Task Force on Health Policy; then moving that
policy into the formation of three new PHEWA health related networks; and
finally through his leadership in the Presbyterian Health Network.
John
continued to serve the Board of Directors with special concern for PHEWA staff
support and our
relationship with the PC(USA). John was always closest to
us during PHEWA’s most difficult struggles and we are all deeply grateful
for his unstinting generosity in the sharing of his energy, intelligence,
imagination, and love with us.
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| Joh reflecting theologically |
And on a personal
note, John was a deeply appreciated pastor to PHEWA staff. PHEWA staff associate Susan Stack said that whenever PHEWA needed to look
grown up, or to display public
credibility, we brought John Sharick into the room. Quiet and thoughtful,
but firm and passionate when it came to the Gospel message of love and justice,
and the Church’s responsibility to remain faithful to it.
I am happy to announce that PHEWA has instituted the first John D. Sharick Justice Award, to be
presented at this year’s General Assembly in Detroit to First Presbyterian
Church of Birmingham,Michigan(Everybody’sChurch): http://www.fpcbirmingham.org/
and http://www.fpcbirmingham.org/rejoicing-spirits.html
and their All Abilities Inclusion Ministry:
I will always be thankful for the creativity John brought to the work
of Presbytery Executive. While he enjoyed the company of mavericks, John believed in the institutional church and what it
could be. John saw the institution as a
means towards the facilitation of mission and ministry, not as a gatekeeper.
John was a mentor, a colleague and most of all friend and our lives and
ministries are and will be
Meta Kraemer, long time friend of John and with John and I, another Wooster grad, continuing the
long tradition of Wooster alumni serving
as leaders in the church, delivered the sermon. It was great to meet John’s
daughter Jenn after the service and know that the creation of the John Sharick Justice Award meant a lot to the family.
I would love to stay for the alt afternoon cocktail reception in John's honor, but need to get back to New York for Pentecost. I know John would appreciate that.
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