[Oe List ...] David McCleskey's Memorial Service

[Adam Thomson]

 From Adam Thomson, Dover UK.

Thank you, Jack for your posting. It brought the 
event to life, and brought renewed life and hope 
- even in David's death - to those of us who are far off and wish to be closer.

It it possible to post a picture of David - as at 
the memorial service - on this list?

Grace & Peace,

Adam

END OF MESSAGE

At 17:42 25/08/2008, you wrote:
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>“To serve, sing, and dance – A symphony of peace 
>for all Earth’s people – Beginning with 
>myself”     Personal mission statement of David McCleskey.
>
>I have spent the last three days with Pat Webb 
>in preparation for and the conducting of David’s 
>Memorial service.  I had the opportunity to read 
>every one of the letters, cards and emails that 
>many of you sent to Pat & David.  What a 
>Profound community we are!  Yesterday, the day 
>after the service, I rode with Pat as we 
>re-visited the places that she and David lived 
>in OKC.  Each place was an opportunity for her 
>to share what was happening in their life at 
>that point and what David was about.  This was 
>important for Pat and I’m glad I was there to listen.
>
>I want to share some of the experience of 
>David’s service.  There were about 130 people 
>present only a few of whom were Order or 
>Movemental colleagues.  Conna Shropshire played 
>the piano and Bill and Susanne Parker were part 
>of the service, bringing some symbols of David’s 
>service to the world through ICA to the 
>altar.  Pat and her two sons, Craig and Kirk at 
>her side, held up magnificently throughout the 
>entire event, even through the singing of the 
>closing hymn, For All the Saints, which she was 
>sure would cause her to she cry 
>uncontrollably.   She didn’t, she stood with 
>radiant joy and sang with all of us.
>
>This was one of the great experiences of my 
>life.  There are not words to describe either 
>the feeling or the meaning of what happened, but 
>I’ll try and give you a taste of what went on 
>for me. We hope to eventually scan the service 
>document and post it on the Repository, but here 
>is the flow.  The service was recorded and a CD 
>will be produced, but no video was made.
>
>At the front of a U shaped congregational 
>seating was a bare cloth-covered altar with only 
>a large unlit candle.  In front of the alter was 
>another table low to the floor with lots of 
>drums, feathers, baskets and other Native 
>American artifacts.  At each front corner, high 
>on the wall, was a large screen with a picture 
>of David.  David’s ashes were in a meditation 
>room above and over the entrance to the 
>sanctuary.  Several of us sat in prayer with them prior to the service.
>
>After an opening invocation and a bell, there 
>was a silent procession to the Altar of people 
>bringing symbols of David’s life journey; from 
>his youth, EI/ICA/OE period, his recent years 
>and finally his Fulfillment and legacy.  Then 
>there was a Native American woman who did a sage 
>blessing over everything, sand at the four sides 
>of the altar and a feather held to the four 
>cardinal directions, all done in silence.   As 
>Conna played movement songs, a slide show of 
>David’s life played on the two giant 
>screens.  What a delight!  We sang Those Who 
>Wait on the Lord, after which I did a Eulogy on 
>David’s life journey.  A marvelous local group 
>sang a couple of wonderful songs for us.  Larry 
>Ward did a profound spin on David, death and the 
>Buddhist perspective.  He evoked David’s sacred 
>dharma name given to him in 2005, True Mountain 
>of Goodness.  This was Larry at his most 
>profound and transparent.   There was a closing 
>by the pastor, a prayer of unison and a singing 
>of For All the Saints.  The candle was lit and a 
>closing bell rung.  Afterwards, many joined 
>together in a fine dinner at the church.
>
>I am filled with many profound thoughts, most of 
>which I won’t share at this time.  The last 
>couple of days of David’s dying were filled with 
>amazing events that Pat spent hours sharing with 
>me.  His transition was a profound address to 
>all who participated in it.  His cremation 
>service was itself another transparency event. 
>But I wanted to share one thought in particular 
>that addressed me so strongly.  The 
>understanding of the Word “To Die is To Live,” 
>came to me with absolute overwhelming power and 
>truth.  David’s dying and death were the most 
>life-giving experience I have had.  His living 
>presence in his home (I slept in his bed) and 
>his presence at the service were real, palpable, 
>and filled the space with peace and 
>goodness.  Those who came to be at a memorial 
>service to say goodbye, were instead presented 
>with the gift of experiencing Eternal Life, 
>right there, now and forever!  What a gift to 
>give to the living!  Resurrection is just the 
>way life is.  When you die an authentic death, 
>which David did, that very dying gives 
>life.  David gave all of us life; his life, our life, the eternal life.
>
>Finally, I would ask all of you to keep Patricia 
>in your prayers.  Her grief is profound and her 
>dependence on David for so much of the ordinary 
>things in their life was great.  She has been 
>granted a month leave of paid absence from her 
>teaching work.  That is a blessing and she hopes 
>to travel to Florida to visit her 95year old 
>mother with her two boys next week.  She also 
>plans to do some writing of her experiences 
>during this whole time.  She is getting some 
>amazing messages from David, including ones for 
>both Larry and myself that she has shared.  She 
>plans to respond to your cards and letters when 
>she can.  For those who are so moved, donations 
>in David’s name can be made to their Silence 
>Foundation, P.O Box 20934, Oklahoma City, OK, 73156.
>
>Grace is yours, and Peace,
>
>Jack
>_______________________________________________
>OE mailing list
>OE at wedgeblade.net
>http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/oe_wedgeblade.net

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