R.I.P. Bishop Matthew Clark. I paid tribute to him on Facebook a couple days ago, because I knew his death was imminent. I will simply add that in addition to having been a mentor and friend, I will always think of him as having been a humble servant.
In both politics and religion, there are leaders who either draw attention to themselves via a quest for power, or leaders whose primary interest is being of service to those they serve. Bishop Clark was never drawn to the authority aspect of being a church leader. Instead, he represented a pastoral mode, whereby he provided encouragement to all he represented. In brief, Matthew Clark was a very kind man, and that is a good legacy to leave behind. Jesus warned against the excesses of power, and instead tried to model pastoral leadership to his disciples: healing the sick, welcoming the disenfranchised, and placing the value of serving others over being served. Bishop Clark was faithful to the pastoral model.
One of the joys of my life was that of knowing Matthew Clark. He will be missed by multitudes in the Diocese of Rochester and beyond. I will close by saying, "well done, faithful servant."
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