Andrew was, very much as I think he would like to be remembered, a man who lived his Methodist faith. And I think that many will come to know him if they have not already, as having lead a heroic life.

He worked tirelessly for peace and social justice and sought to make a difference in the world. I know that he did - from his support for Cindy Sheehan during her vigil in Crawford, Texas where she hoped President Bush would explain her son's death in Iraq; to his efforts to thwart the placement of the Bush Presidential library and the related Bush "think tank" at Southern Methodist University -- and much, much more.

He also was among those who recognized that the neo-conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy was active in promoting discord and division in the church he loved. And I know he would be glad that on this occasion I thought to remind readers of his extraordinary -- and extraordinarily effective efforts to expose the treachery of IRD and it's associated "renewal groups;" and what grievious harm their activities have done to the  social justice witness of the church -- and to the United Methodist Church itself.  His efforts included his contribution to the book Hardball on Holy Ground: The Religious Right vs. The Mainline for the Church's Soul; and several carefully researched and well-documented exposes at Media Transparency, some of which he co-authored with colleagues.  He was also a featured interview in Steve Martin's documentary, Renewal or Ruin: The Institute on Religion and Democracy's Attack on the United Methodist Church.

This work provided Methodists with much of the authoratative information and analysis they needed to repeatedly head off schismatic initiatives by IRD's affiliates in the church.

Less well known to fans of his peace work and his exposes of IRD, is his long career as a clinical psychologist and as the author of books on counseling for clergy.

Beyond all this, he was my friend. It was an honor and a pleasure to know him. I will miss him.  At a moment like this, there are no words adequate to summarize a person's life or the grief we experience at the loss. But the difference between Andrew and the rest of us is that not only would he be able to find the right words, knowing that they are ultimately inadequate, and absolutlely necessary -- but he would write a whole book teaching others how to do it.  

My condolences to his wife and to all who knew and loved him. We are all the lesser without him and the better for having had him in our lives.