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Friends remember Griggs as kind-hearted mentor, ecumenist (2/14/07)
By Heidi Bright Parales, DisciplesWorld contributing writer
TULSA, Okla. (2/14/07) — Roy L. Griggs was a leading Disciples minister who “understood that the God-given destiny of the Disciples of Christ is to be an instrument in bringing about the visible unity of Christ's whole church,” according to Paul A. Crow Jr., president of the Disciples' Council on Christian Unity from 1974 to 1998.
Griggs was 72 when he died on Feb. 3. A memorial celebration was held Feb. 7 at First Christian Church, Tulsa.
Griggs and Crow became friends while both were students at the College of the Bible (now Lexington Theological Seminary) in Lexington, Ky. Later, Griggs served as vice chair and then chair of the Council on Christian Unity's board.
After 50 years of friendship and common ministry, Crow described Griggs as “a classic, quintessential, truly authentic servant of Christ who blessed the Christian Church' with incredible love, grace and integrity.”
In 1991, he was one of three finalists for the office of general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He also chaired the Faith and Order Commission of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches.
He and his wife were among the first delegation of Disciples leaders who traveled to Switzerland to meet with the World Council of Churches.
Later, Griggs and five other Disciples, including Crow, traveled to the Vatican in Rome to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Disciples of Christ-Roman Catholic dialogue. Suzanne Webb, now senior minister of Union Avenue Christian Church in St. Louis, was also one of the delegates.
“I was fortunate to sit in the third seat, after Paul Crow and (former General Minister and President) Dick Hamm,” she recalled. “Roy was sitting in the fifth seat. At the very last moment before we were to make our presentation to Pope John Paul II, the Vatican security informed us that only three could proceed for the personal audience. Roy was elated that I got to go — even if he was left seated — and referred to that experience often as a great day for the Disciples.”
She described Griggs as a wonderful mentor and friend.
“When I joined the Council on Christian Unity Board 15-20 years ago, Roy took me under his wing,” she recalled.
Crow also noted that Griggs had a heart for congregational ministry. Griggs pastored two large Disciples of Christ congregations — First Christian Church in Bloomington, Ind., and First Christian Church in Tulsa, where he served as senior minister from 1979 until his retirement in 1997.
“He understood that the local congregation is where the gospel has to be lived and it's in our congregations where the church becomes vital or it becomes weak,” said Crow.
Griggs' commitment to ministry extended to educational preparation for ministry, said John M. Imbler, executive vice president for Phillips Theological Seminary (PTS) in Tulsa.
Griggs was nominated for the seminary's board of trustees in 1993 “because of the respect he garnered in the civic and ecumenical communities as well as his strong connections throughout the Disciples,” Imbler said.
After retiring from congregational ministry, he became part-time director of church relations and a fund-raiser for PTS. Griggs played a critical role in the success of the seminary's capital campaign as it sought to establish a campus in Tulsa, Imbler said.
Gary Peluso-Verdend, vice president of stewardship at PTS, said Griggs provided a caring, optimistic, calming, wise presence. When he returned from visits to area small towns, he would report on the loneliness and isolation he saw.
“We would often hear back from those he visited how important Roy's visit was to them. He was a friend and mentor,” Peluso-Verdend said.
Griggs was a devoted friend to a huge number of people, said Don Lanier, PTS director of publications and public relations. “He had an amazing ability to stay connected and current with a large number of friends in every corner of the country. We felt special because our friendship was special to him.
“Roy and I could talk about anything,” Lanier said. “I'll miss those conversations.”
Griggs earned his Master of Divinity degree at the College of the Bible, then studied at Yale Divinity School and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. In 1991, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from his alma mater, Culver-Stockton College, according to Tulsa World.
He served Canton Christian Church at Canton, Mo., for seven years; First Christian Church of Jefferson City, Mo., for seven years; First Christian Church of Bloomington for five years, and First Christian Church of Tulsa for 18 years.
His book, Handling Life's Goodbyes, was published by Chalice Press in 1989.
