Last Monday Sept 14th we found out that Andrew McConnell was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb.  It has been a difficult week for all of us at the Olympia Campus as he was a member of Mars Hill Church and attended our campus.  This past Sunday we spent about 15 minutes in the service for prayer and explanation and then I left myself open for prayer during the sermon.  On Tuesday there was a memorial to celebrate the life of Andrew McConnell, one of our members Mike O’Day who heads up the Theology Response team attended the memorial and wrote a response.  I thought that what he wrote expressed clearly what many if not all of us are feeling at Mars Hill Olympia.  We have two men deploying in the next 2 weeks and more coming and going all of the time.  In God’s providence he has blessed us with the opportunity to minister to many who are serving or have served in the armed forces.  Here is a link to the sermon Mike Mentions at the end of his letter http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-men

For His Glory

Pastor Steven Mulkey

Celebrating a Departed Centurion

Why was I so compelled to attend the memorial service for SGT Andrew McConnell?  I did not

know him or his wife Sarah.  We did have some common acquaintances that are fellow

members at the Olympia Mars Hill campus.  Maybe that is why.  Maybe it was because I love

our U.S. Military and I put in my own time many years ago.  Maybe because my son James is

a SFC in the U.S. Army and I remembered the anxiety I experienced in 2003 and 2004 while

he and his unit served 13 months in Iraq. Maybe I went just to see how Mars Hill responds to

our fallen heroes.  Thankfully, we have had few of those, but we must be prepared for more in

these dangerous times.

Leaving the Kent Covenant church yesterday (Sept. 22, 2009) I pondered the above as I

wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks.  It became clear to me that I was an eyewitness

to an extraordinary event.  As a 68 year old guy I have attended dozens of funerals and

memorial services over the years.  Never have I been so heavily impacted.  Why?

Pastor Tim Beltz, a member of the Mars Hill Executive Elder Board, conducted the memorial

service.  He explained how that came to be.  Pastor Tim told us that in March of 2009 he

was filling in at our West Seattle Campus and he closed the service with prayer.  It was the

Sunday in which the video of Mark Driscoll’s sermon titled “Marriage and Men” was shown.

At the end of the service Andrew walked to the front of the church and spoke to pastor Tim.

Andrew told Tim that he had only been married for 3 months and admitted he was “a rookie”

and that he was “already messing up”.  Andrew said, “I want to be the husband and father

that pastor Mark is talking about.”

Pastor Tim took Andrew under his wing and they had several short visits after that.  Tim

noticed Andrew had a tattoo on the inside of his left arm.  It was simply the word “Centurion”.

Andrew explained to Tim that he knew he was called to be a leader of men and he wanted

to be like the Centurion mentioned in Matthew 8:5-13.  (This is why pastor Tim used

Matthew 8:5-13 as his text in the memorial service.)  Jesus said of the Centurion, “Truly, I

tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” (Mat. 8:10b)

Think about it!  Andrew wanted to be a Godly husband, a Godly father, a Godly leader and a

man of great faith.  From the testimonies I heard yesterday, he accomplished all 4 and did it well.

And he was only 24 years old.  Based on what I witnessed yesterday, Andrew is still speaking

to us from heaven.  I should mention that Sarah is 5 months pregnant.  I do hope that

someone recorded the service.  Andrew’s son or daughter will need to hear what people

said about their father, how much he was loved, the impact he had, and how they can follow

his example of faithfulness.

In closing may I suggest that whether you are male or female, married or single, old or young,

please go to the Mars Hill website and type “Marriage and Men” into the search box.  Watch

and listen to all 71 minutes.  You will see why Andrew was compelled to respond to it

and why I was compelled to testify about our Mars Hill Centurion.  May his legacy impact

thousands.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Mike O’Dea

Mars Hill Theology Response Team

September 23, 2009