Does your church celebrate heroes? Do you? Not the action movie heroes - although I love that moment when the good guys finally triumph and I can stop holding my breath - but the real life heroes. Our churches are full of these heroes. The person who sets up the coffee every Sunday morning. The person who pledges to take on a task… and follows through. The person with an extraordinary talent he invests in the church pro-bono.

This fall, every Covenant church will have an opportunity to celebrate a hero. Paul Carlson is a legacy hero who would not leave his Congolese community in the midst of an anarchical rebellion that was euthanizing a nation. As a doctor, he continued to treat people in the midst of a bloody civil war. As a friend, he stood in solidarity with the Congolese. As a Christian, he ministered to his fellow prisoners. His commitment and martyrdom has inspired a ministry and a wave of heroes in his path.

This November you have the opportunity to commemorate this hero in your church and celebrate how his legacy has inspired a vital ministry for 50 years. Let us join together as a denomination and make sure this hero is not forgotten. While you are at it, celebrate your own personal hero that day.