Celebrating Gonz

Gonz has been a wonderful friend to me over the last eight years. He has been a huge blessing in my life, and his passing is a great loss to me and to our community. I will miss his joyful and calming presence and the priority he placed on relationships. I will miss the way he greets you with a big hug and complete attention when he has not seen you for awhile. I will also miss seeing the affection he has for his dear friends- Paul, Scottie and Alfred.

I guess I often forgot that Gonz had a PhD because he rarely talked about his degree and didn‘t have the look of a professor in his blue jeans, bright green Crocs and t-shirt. The way I will remember Gonz the most is the many encouraging words he spoke to me. This last year when we needed some extra help facilitating our newcomers table at our singles’ ministry, I called Gonz to ask him if he would help us. His energetic response put a quick smile on my face when he said -“Christl, I will do anything to help you. “ I then recall his excitement after connecting with the newcomers and having authentic conversations with them over spiritual matters. He loved all types of people, and I knew he was serving in the right place.

In closing I want to say a few words to Gonz- ”Gonz, you have been a constant friend always looking for the best in me and readily communicating affection. Thank you for the practical way you would help us in our ministry at church. Thank you for your example of living with an implicit trust in the Lord. Gonz, because you claimed Jesus as your Lord, you now are with Him and we do celebrate your reunion with our Lord even though our hearts ache to see you again and hear your voice. Gonz, pray that we, your friends here, might continue to work for the Lord with great diligence until He calls us to Heaven when we then can see you again face to face. “

Romans 8:38, 39- For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christl Kirchner

Mountain View, CA

friend of Gonz