A treasured disciple crossed his finish line today and I lost a dear friend for now. Dan Rice died unexpectedly this morning though he seemed to be in great health. He and his wife, Heide, and Carol and I became fast friends when we were all single interns for the Denver Church twenty years ago in 1988. We’ve been close ever since. We later served together in the Los Angeles Church. Dan and Heide lead the Las Vegas church and have spent the last several years serving in the full-time ministry in the Church in St. Louis.
Pictures of us 10 and 20 years ago...
I rejoice that he has been so faithful in his love relationship with God. I mourn deeply for Heide and their two children, Alex and Taylor. Our kids are the same ages. I can’t imagine. Dan had just finished running two back-to-back teen camps and was leaving today to build homes for the poor in Mexico with Casas de Christo.
So many lives have been touched by Dan; mine is one of them. Dan and Heide served as guest speakers for the Seattle Church Singles retreat in Port Ludlow several years back and inspired our Singles Ministry greatly. He has always been an insightful teacher and preacher. He’s also been a famously mischievous teaser and talker. He loved to push the boundaries of appropriateness and indulge in hilarious self-depreciating humor. We are kindred spirits in those and many other ways.
I will miss Dan until we are together again in a place where there are no more tears.
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