Written in love, hope for a better tomorrow, and a life of service is the legacy of ol' Chuckles. Today has been one of the hardest mornings of my life. I woke up to multiples texts and missed calls asking "are you okay", "I love you", and "Did you hear" 's, while I laid in bed completely oblivious to anything going on around me. I find myself praying over and over that this is just a terrible ongoing dream and I am desperate to wake up. Hearing the news that Chuck is no longer with us breaks my heart. I have never met anyone in this great, big world who was so swift to love and quick to serve. Chuck never hesitated to selflessly put everyone before himself. He is the perfect example of what it means to fulfill the Gospel.
The first thing I did when I heard the news (other than cry until no limit, unfortunately) was grab my boxes of letters, bags, and warm fuzzies and headed towards my front porch.
Before I began to search for his wise words written on colored copy paper, I put on the Happening 89 Soundcloud track. I played the track "Hallelujah" - completely forgetting that you can hear him speak in the beginning. The track begins with a little shuffling around in the church and then you hear the very distinct Culpepper voice speak. "I invite those who desire to receive the sanction of unction to come forward". For those you who don't know, the practice of unction is the action of anointing someone with oil as a religious rite or as a symbol of investiture as a monarch. At happening it is used more so as an anointment of healing. I feel as if Chuck was the "unction" in the lives of everyone he knew. He healed. He had a way of making me fuel this desire to learn more about myself and the world. He emphasized the importance of self reflection and taught me how to turn pain into healing and love into service.
I went home from my first happening staff training and my grandmother asked me who the director was. I told her "Chuck Culpepper" and she proceeded to tell me about her lineage with the Culpepper's. Long story short, Chuck's father was cousins with my grandmother and broke her toy tank one Christmas, I believe. I couldn't wait to get to Happening and tell Chuck that we were cousins, even though most mistake us for identical twins. He hated every bit of that and truly would not accept that he HAD TO BE my 15th cousin. He would intentionally pick me to be his new best friend at Happening just so he could point out that we were not related - he really wanted to be deep down, I could see it in his eyes. And in the last piece of writing I received from him, outside of happening, he wrote "I hereby acknowledge you as my cousin for life." After millions of meaningful conversations with Chuck, these were the only words I ever wanted to hear.
During most of these talks, Chuck would always tell me that he was going to make me realize my place in the world of religion, even if it took him a life time. He was destined to make me a priest haha. We would talk on the phone as he brainstormed ways to form little ministries that he could create that I could be a part of. He always read this blog and would text me feedback after each post - mostly positive words of encouragement followed by sarcasm, just how I like it. So no telling what he would think of this one. Probably something along the lines of appreciating my words, then followed by something sarcastic about how I like to bum everybody out. But on the other hand, he was seriously someone who seemed to always know the right thing to say. He was the first person I would think of when I was at a crossroad in my faith and he has by far been one of the most influential people in my life. He took time to guide me spiritually and I would do anything to thank him just one last time. As I begin this new chapter in my life - I seriously just want to call him and ask him real quick "wait, what do I do?" A lyric that was sung at Happening 89: "Wherever you roam, you'll always want me". I will always long for his guidance in my spiritual journey, but now more than ever, I have found an abundance of gratitude for all of the many things he has taught me.
Although this is a time of loss, seeing the amount of lives that Chuck touched is truly astonishing and seeing the way every community that he was a part of is coming together to share our most cherished memories with him brings me joy. Every post summarizes all of the many things he taught every person he met. As hard as is it will be, I think that Chuck would not want us to be sad, yet take all the many valuable lessons he has given us and put them to use. His impact on this world was equivalent to that of millions and I believe we owe him just that.
He wrote me a letter when I graduated High School and in it reads "You have a rare combination of brain, heart, and determination which will carry you far. I cannot wait to see which ministry God carries you into next." My promise to you, Chuckles, is to lead a life inspired by yours. To make any stranger feel at home in the presence of God in the Church. To carry the selfless, unconditional love in which you teach from the church into the street. To remind myself and my friends to give unconditionally to others and to live a life of service.
And as you have wished for all of your Happening family, we now wish for you: "I pray that God will bless you richly now and always". To know him was to love him. May Chuck share in your eternal kingdom.
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