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* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
[Mayor Michael Copeland Memorial Service]
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[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] FOREIGN [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] BYE [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] SO FOR 40 YEARS HE CALLED ME KB 42.
IT WAS MY INITIALS AND MY NUMBER I WORE AT MID-AMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY MIKE WAS MY BEST MAN IN MY WEDDING BUT MOST OF ALL MIKE COPELAND WAS MY FRIEND WE GATHER HERE TODAY IN THIS SANCTUARY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A MAN THAT WAS WELL LOVED IN THE COMMUNITY NOT ONLY HERE IN OLATHE BUT ALSO THE WHOLE STATE OF KANSAS I'M SO THANKFUL THAT MIKE CALLED ME A FRIEND IN MY PRAYER I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT AND PRAY TO OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN THAT HE WOULD SEND HIS GRACE AND POUR IT UPON THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND UPON THIS COMMUNITY THE PSALMIST SAID IN GOD'S WORD IT SAID THAT THE LORD COMES CLOSE TO THOSE THAT ARE BROKENHEARTED AND CRUSHED IN SPIRIT AND MAY IT BE SO TODAY ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHRISTIAN
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AUTHORS SAYS THIS TO ALL OF US AS HE WROTE THESE WORDS ARE YOU ARE YOU THE BEST VERSION THAT GOD CREATED YOU TO BE AND FOR MIKE COPELAND IF HE WAS NOT HE'S AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME TOGETHER DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN CREATOR OF ALL THINGS YOU SPOKE THE WORLD INTO EXISTENCE BY JUST WORDS AND FATHER YOU KNEW MIKE BEFORE HE WAS EVEN BORN YOU KNITTED HIM TOGETHER IN HIS MOTHER'S WOMB AND YOU ORDAINED HIS STEPS AND FATHER YOU ARE THE SAME GOD THAT SENDS HIS SPIRIT HERE TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE A LIFE A LIFE THAT WAS WELL LIVED AND FATHER THE GRACE THAT I PRAY FOR TODAY IS A GRACE THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR TODAY FOR MARIA AND THE KIDS AND THE FAMILY AND THE FRIENDS AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY I PRAY FOR A GRACE THAT ONLY COMES FROM HEAVEN ITSELF THAT WILL BE SUSTAINABLE IN THE DAYS AHEAD I PRAY FOR A GRACE THAT WHEN THE DUST SETTLES AND THE CELEBRATION IS OVER AND PEOPLE GO BACK TO NORMAL LIVES WHATEVER THAT IS I PRAY THAT YOUR GRACE WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN UPON MARIA AND THESE DEAR WONDERFUL KIDS THAT MIKE LOVED SO MUCH THANK YOU FATHER FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW MIKE PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR LETTING HIM BE SOMEONE THAT I COULD LOOK UP TO DAY IN AND DAY OUT FATHER SEND ONE OF YOUR ANGELS AND TELL MIKE THAT KB 42 IS HONORED TO HAVE KNOWN HIM AND WILL SEE HIM ONCE AGAIN AND THAT IS MY HOPE AND I PRAY THIS ALL IN THE STRONG NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST AND EVERYONE SAID THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAYOR AND A GREAT FRIEND MIKE COPELAND WAS GOD'S MAN IN OLATHE EVERYBODY KNEW IT AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE MID-AMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY FAMILY I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO YOU MARIA OLIVIA ABIGAIL JOSHUA HE WAS SO VERY PROUD OF YOU ALL AND SPOKE OF YOU ALWAYS ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT MIKE'S LEGACY IS BEST EVIDENCED BY THE MANY COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS WHOSE HEARTS LIKE MINE ARE HEAVY TODAY AS WE STRUGGLE FOR WORDS SUFFICIENT TO DESCRIBE THE SENSE OF LOSS THAT WE ALL FEEL MIKE COPELAND WAS EVERYBODY'S MAYOR MIKE COPELAND WAS EVERYBODY'S FRIEND MIKE CAME TO MID-AMERICA NAZARENE COLLEGE FROM CALIFORNIA AS MANY OF OUR STUDENTS DO TO PLAY FOOTBALL A SPORT THAT HE DEARLY LOVED HE WAS ENERGETIC HE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC HE WAS POPULAR AND HE WAS A NATURAL LEADER HE QUICKLY MADE FRIENDS ACROSS CAMPUS AND SOON HE BEGAN HIS ELECTED CAREER AS STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT HE WAS PROUD TO BE AN MNU PIONEER AND HIS PASSION FOR HIS ALMA MATER CONTINUED THROUGH THE YEARS HE WAS PROUD OF MNU AND MNU WAS PROUD OF HIM HE QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE TOWN OF OLATHE AND AFTER GRADUATION IN 1984 HE STAYED AS MANY OF OUR STUDENTS DO WE CALL IT THE BRAIN GAIN HE LOVED OLATHE AND HE CALLED IT THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT IT IS AND REMINDED US OFTEN BUT JUST 10 YEARS LATER HE WAS ELECTED TO TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND IN 2001 WAS ELECTED AS MAYOR OF THE CITY CAME TO AND LOVED MIKE WAS PROUD OF THE CITY HE WAS PROUD[00:10:01]
OF HIS STAFF AND HE'S PROUD OF THOSE WHO WERE PART OF THE CITY THE EMPLOYEES THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ALL THOSE WERE A PART OF THE CITY HE LOVED THEM AS HIS FAMILY HE WAS PROUD OF MID-AMERICA AND WE WERE ALSO PROUD OF HIM BUT MIKE LOVED PEOPLE HE WAS EVERYBODY'S FRIEND AT LEAST THAT'S HOW MIKE MADE US ALL FEEL MIKE LOVED HIS GOD HE LOVED HIS WIFE MARIA HE LOVED HIS FAMILY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE AND THROUGH THE YEARS HE HAD MANY SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCERS IN HIS LIFE TWO WHO INFLUENCED HIM GREATLY HAVE ALSO BEEN LAID TO REST THIS MONTH HIS MNU FOOTBALL COACH GORDON DEGRAFFENREID AND A PASTOR HE DEARLY LOVED DR PAUL CUNNINGHAM MIKE COPELAND LOVED HIS LORD AND PERHAPS EVEN THE MIDST OF OUR LOSS IF WE COULD JUST GET A GLIMPSE OF THE HEAVENLY REUNION BETWEEN THESE THREE MAYBE THEY'RE TALKING FOOTBALL AND MAYBE THEY'RE HAVING ONE GRAND TIME TOGETHER GOD'S LOVE FOR THEM IS A PROMISED HOPE FOR ALL OF US MIKE COPELAND SERVED THE UNIVERSITY IN MANY CAPACITIES AND MOST RECENTLY AS A MEMBER OF THE BRIGHT FUTURES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WHICH PROVIDED LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUNDING OF OUR NEW CUNNINGHAM STUDENT CENTER THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THAT BUILDING WAS HELD JUST THIS MORNING AND MIKE WAS SCHEDULED TO SPEAK AT THAT GROUNDBREAKING HE SPOKE ON HE WAS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HIS PASTOR PAUL CUNNINGHAM HIS PASSION TO SERVE OTHERS AND HIS GENEROUS HEART HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF HIS LIFE AND HE HAS BLESSED US ALL TOO IN WAYS TOO NUMEROUS TO COUNT TODAY IN HONOR OF MICHAEL COPELAND I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MICHAEL E COPELAND LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE FOR WHICH HE WILL BE THE UNIVERSITY'S FIRST RECIPIENT THIS AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED TO MARIA AND THE FAMILY LATER THIS FALL FOR YEARS TO COME THE COPELAND LEADERSHIP AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED TO GRADUATES OF MID-AMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY WHO GO ON TO SERVE THEIR CITY THEIR STATE OR THEIR NATION IN ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICE AND DO SO WITH THE SAME INTEGRITY PASSION AND SERVANT'S HEART WE HAVE WITNESSED IN MIKE COPELAND SO ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL UNIVERSITY WE EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO MARIA AND THE FAMILY AND AFFIRM THAT IT IS OUR DESIRE TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE IN OUR OWN LIVES OF BEING A FRIEND TO MANY AND A FOLLOWER OF HIS GOD AS A UNIVERSITY WE WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR HIM BY PASSING HIS MEMORY AND HIS LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO GENERATIONS THAT WILL FOLLOW MIKE COPELAND WAS A GREAT MAYOR BUT HE WAS EVEN BETTER FRIENDS MICHAEL EBER COPELAND PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HIS HOME ON AUGUST 20 2020 HE WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 12 1962 IN REDLANDS CALIFORNIA TO HIS BELOVED PARENTS EBER AND JOE COPELAND HE ATTENDED LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL IN LA VERNE CALIFORNIA WHERE HE EXCELLED IN ACADEMICS AND FOOTBALL MIKE'S LEADERSHIP AND LOVE OF SERVICE BLOSSOMED AS HE PARTICIPATED IN ROTC AND STUDENT GOVERNMENT MIKE'S PATH TO KANSAS WAS SET IN MOTION WHEN HIS SISTER VIRGINIA HER HUSBAND DR DICK MORGAN AND DR RAY COOK SUGGESTED HE VISIT A YOUNG GROWING NAZARENE COLLEGE IN OLATHE MID-AMERICA NAZARENE COLLEGE MIKE'S DECISION TO ATTEND MID-AMERICA TO PLAY FOOTBALL WOULD NOT ONLY IMPACT THE TRAJECTORY OF HIS LIFE BUT ULTIMATELY THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS OF OLYMPIANS TO COME IT WAS DURING THESE FORMATIVE COLLEGE YEARS THAT MIKE DEVELOPED HIS NATURAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS SERVING AS STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT HIS SENIOR YEAR THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS MIKE FORGED THE LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS THAT WOULD KEEP HIM IN OLATHE FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION IN 1984. MIKE'S CALL TO PUBLIC SERVICE WAS INSPIRED BY THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF DR PAUL CUNNINGHAM HIS PASTOR AT COLLEGE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE WHERE HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER FOR 40 YEARS WHILE MIKE LEAVES AN ENDURING LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP IN OLATHE AND BEYOND HE WOULD SAY[00:15:02]
HIS GREATEST LEGACY IS HIS WIFE OF 24 YEARS MARIA AND HIS CHILDREN OLIVIA ABIGAIL AND JOSHUA IF ASKED ABOUT HIS FAVORITE OCCUPATION HE WOULD SAY IT WAS BEING A DAD ALONG WITH HIS UNYIELDING FAITH IT WAS MIKE'S FAMILY THAT INSPIRED HIS EVERY ACTION AND VISION FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND COMPASSION WERE THE STEADFAST VALUES THAT ANCHORED AND GUIDED HIM AND HE DEFINED HIS PERSONAL SUCCESS AS BEING IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL TO KNOW MIKE WAS TO LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE MADE YOU FEEL KNOWN LOVED AND VALUED A DEDICATED AND COMPASSIONATE SON BROTHER HUSBAND FATHER AND FRIEND HE NEVER MET A STRANGER MIKE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE OLATHE CITY COUNCIL IN 1993 TO REPRESENT WARD 4.HE SERVED AS AN AT-LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TIM PRIOR TO HIS ELECTION AS MAYOR IN 2001 MIKE BECAME OLATHE'S LONGEST SERVING MAYOR AND UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP THE CITY OF OLATHE TRANSFORMED FROM A BEDROOM COMMUNITY TO A WORLD-CLASS CITY MIKE'S FAITH AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST COMPELLED HIM TO DEDICATE HIMSELF TO SERVING OTHERS ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST IN NEED NOWHERE WAS THAT MORE EVIDENT THAN IN HIS COMMITMENT TO OLATHE CHILDREN HE ESTABLISHED THE OLATHE MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS TREE FUND BOARD IN 2007 WHOSE MEMBERS HE FONDLY REFERRED TO AS OLATHE'S BIG HEARTED BIGWIGS THE BOARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY HAS RAISED OVER ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR OLATHE CHILDREN'S CHARITIES HIS PASSION FOR CHILDREN'S LITERACY SHINED IN HIS I READ WITH MAYOR MIKE PROGRAM WHICH WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL POINTS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION AS WELL AS BY FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH WHO TRAVELED TO OLATHE TO HIGHLIGHT THE INITIATIVE EVERY YEAR SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2005 MAYOR MIKE READ TO FIRST GRADERS IN EACH TITLE 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE OLATHE SCHOOL DISTRICT HE WAS A CONSTANT AND PASSIONATE CHAMPION OF OLATHE SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION MIKE LED THE CITY OF OLATHE THROUGH YEARS OF UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DURING HIS TENURE THE CITY GREW BY NEARLY 50 000 RESIDENTS MIKE CHAMPIONED MANY SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS ENHANCING OLATHE'S QUALITY OF LIFE INCLUDING A NEW CITY HALL DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION THE OLATHE COMMUNITY CENTER THE NEW INDIAN CREEK LIBRARY 18 CITY PARKS NUMEROUS TRAILS AND MOST RECENTLY LAKE OLATHE PARK HE ALSO SAW THE COMPLETION OF MANY MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS INCLUDING THE SANTA FE RAILROAD GRADE SEPARATION THE 127TH STREET OVERPASS AND THE LONE ELM INTERCHANGE MIKE WAS NOT ONLY ENGAGED IN OLATHE BUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION AMONG MANY OTHER VOLUNTEER BOARDS AND COMMITTEES HE SERVED ON THE BI-STATE COMMISSION SINCE ITS INCEPTION THE UNION STATION KANSAS CITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE KVC HEALTH SYSTEMS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HOSPITAL AUTHORITY BOARD HE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS PHILANTHROPIC GROUPS AND CAUSES MIKE'S VISION AND LEADERSHIP HAVE ENSURED THAT OLATHE'S GOVERNMENT IS TRANSPARENT RESILIENT AND FISCALLY STRONG AS A RESULT RESIDENT SATISFACTION LEVELS FOR QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES AND QUALITY OF LIFE HAVE BECOME SOME OF THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION OLATHE IS CONSISTENTLY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE NATION'S SAFEST CITIES AND BEST PLACES TO LIVE PROFESSIONALLY MIKE MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE GSA HEARTLAND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS A BANK EXAMINER WITH THE U.S TREASURY
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OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER IN WASHINGTON D.C AND AS A BANK EXECUTIVE WITH SECURITY SAVINGS BANK AND THE BANK OF BLUE VALLEY MIKE ALSO SERVED THE STATE OF KANSAS IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AND COMMERCE MIKE OFTEN SAID THAT NOTHING MADE HIM PROUDER THAN KNOWING THAT OLATHE DEEPLY VALUE AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER HE BELIEVED IT WAS THE LATEST TREMENDOUS COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT MADE OUR CITY GREAT AND HE WAS TRULY OLATHE'S BEST CHEERLEADER HE ESTABLISHED THE OLATHE CATHEDRAL BUILDER AWARD WHICH HE PROUDLY PRESENTED EACH YEAR TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD MADE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS IN BUILDING THE OLATHE COMMUNITY WHILE MIKE WAS PERSONALLY RECOGNIZED WITH NUMEROUS LOCAL REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS HE WAS ALWAYS QUICK TO CREDIT HIS TEAM ESPECIALLY HIS COLLEAGUES AND TRUSTED FRIENDS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND OLATHE'S DEDICATED CITY STAFF AS WE CELEBRATE MIKE'S EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE YEARS TO COME LET'S REMEMBER HIS GREATEST LEGACY HIS DEEP UNWAVERING FAITH HIS AMAZING LOVE FOR ALL OF US HIS SERVICE AND HIS COMPASSION AND MAY WE ALL FIND OUR PLACES TO SERVE AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE BEFORE I BEGIN MY REMARKS THIS AFTERNOON I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR DIGNITARIES THAT ARE HERE WE HAVE SOME I'LL START WITH MY BOSSES WHO THE MAYOR LIKE TO REFER TO AS HIS TEAM WE HAVE THE OLATHE CITY COUNCIL JOHN BACON KAREN BROWNLEE LARRY CAMPBELL ADAM MICKELSON WES MCCOY AND MARGE VOGT HE WAS HONORED TO SERVE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND FELT THAT YOU WERE TRULY A TEAM THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY NEXT ARE SOME OF OUR FEDERAL AND STATE LEADERS FROM WASHINGTON DC WE HAVE SENATOR MORAN HERE FROM THE STATE OF KANSAS WE HAVE ATTORNEY GENERAL SCHMIDT SECRETARY OF STATE SCHWAB AND SPEAKER REICHMAN THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON THERE ARE OTHERS THAT I SAW I WON'T NAME EVERYONE THAT I SAW BUT I SAW MAYORS HERE I SAW SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM OTHER PLACES SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS I KNOW IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO MIKE THAT EACH OF YOU ARE HERE MIKE TREASURED WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND I KNOW HE VALUED YOUR FRIENDSHIP HE VALUED YOUR COUNSEL AND THE TIME THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SPEND WITH YOU SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE MOST IMPORTANTLY I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE THESE ARE DIFFICULT DAYS TO BE HERE AND IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO HIM THAT YOU ARE HERE YOU KNOW MIKE TOLD ME MANY TIMES HE SAID YOU KNOW MICHAEL I'M A MAN OF THE PEOPLE AND SO IT WOULD MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO ME TO HIM THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY I DON'T NORMALLY SPEAK FROM NOTES MY DAD'S A SOUTHERN BAPTIST PREACHER SO I GOT THE BLOODLINE STRAIGHT THROUGH BUT TODAY IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME I'D LIKE TO SPEAK FROM THESE NOTES AND READ MY REMARKS I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND THE HONOR OF KNOWING MIKE COPELAND AND WORKING WITH HIM FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS I BELIEVE THAT GOD BROUGHT ME TO OLATHE KANSAS 22 YEARS AGO TO BE PART OF A DREAM TEAM A TEAM LED BY THE VISION THE BIG VISION OF MIKE COPELAND A FANTASTIC AND TREMENDOUS CITY COUNCIL THAT I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH A HARD-WORKING STAFF TO HELP PROPEL OLATHE KANSAS TO WHAT IT HAS BECOME TODAY A PREMIER AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY WHAT A CHANGE IN ONE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES FROM A SLEEPY BEDROOM COMMUNITY TO A MAJOR PLAYER IN THIS REGION OVER THE YEARS MIKE AND I BONDED TOGETHER AS BROTHERS IN CHRIST[00:25:02]
AND IN MANY WAYS HE WAS LIKE A BROTHER TO ME WITH ALL THE ASPECTS OF BROTHERHOOD WE CELEBRATED VICTORIES TOGETHER AND ACHIEVEMENTS TOGETHER WE CELEBRATED AND FACED CHALLENGES TOGETHER WE DREAMED TOGETHER STRATEGIZED TOGETHER WE COMPETED TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND SOMETIMES WITH EACH OTHER WE WATCHED EACH OTHER'S KIDS GROW UP WE TALKED ABOUT FOOTBALL A LOT WE PRAYED TOGETHER WE HELPED EACH OTHER AND YES LIKE BROTHERS OCCASIONALLY WE FOUGHT WITH EACH OTHER BUT OVERALL WE LIVED LIFE TOGETHER MIKE OFTEN SAID THAT HE JUST WANTED TO BE MAYOR FOR LIFE AND HE ACHIEVED THAT AND HE SAID THAT I COULD NEVER LEAVE HIM AND I DIDN'T IT WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND A VERY VERY SPECIAL TIME IN MY LIFE WITH A VERY SPECIAL MAN WHEN I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY TODAY GOD BROUGHT ME TO SOME VERSES IN THE BIBLE WHICH SPEAK TO WHO MIKE COPELAND WAS AS A MAN FIRST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 1 VERSES 2 THROUGH 4 FROM THE MESSAGE SAYS EVERY TIME WE THINK OF YOU WE THANK GOD FOR YOU DAY AND NIGHT YOU'RE IN OUR PRAYERS AS WE CALL TO MIND YOUR WORK OF FAITH YOUR LABOR OF LOVE AND YOUR PATIENCE OF HOPE IN FOLLOWING OUR MASTER JESUS CHRIST BEFORE GOD OUR FATHER IT IS CLEAR TO US FRIENDS THAT GOD NOT ONLY LOVES YOU VERY MUCH BUT HAS ALSO PUT HIS HAND ON YOU FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS THE THESSALONIANS YOU'RE IN OUR PRAYERS AS WE CALL TO MIND YOUR WORK OF FAITH THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED WITH MIKE COPELAND IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HIS LIFE HIS WORK NOT JUST HIS JOB BUT HIS LIFE'S WORK WAS BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH THAT FAITH DROVE EVERY DECISION EVERY INTEREST EVERY MOTIVATION THAT HE HAD SERVANT LEADERSHIP CAME EASY FOR MIKE COPELAND MIKE AND I WOULD OFTEN TALK ABOUT STUFF GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND INVARIABLY I'D SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE JUST NEED JESUS TO COME BACK AND HE'D SAY QUICKLY COME LORD JESUS I'M READY AND YOU KNOW HE WAS HE KNEW THAT JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN LIVED A SPOTLESS SINLESS LIFE DIED ON A CROSS FOR MICHAEL COPELAND'S SINS AND MICHAEL WILKES'S SINS AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM SINS THAT HE ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY CONQUERING SIN AND DEATH AND HE ASCENDED TO SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN WHERE HE IS ALIVE TODAY AND ON AUGUST 20TH 2020 JESUS MET MIKE WITH HIS ARMS OPEN WIDE AND SAID WELCOME HOME I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU PAUL ALSO RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE WHEN HE REFERS TO IN HIS LETTER TO THE LABOR OF LOVE WHAT DROVE MIKE COPELAND'S LABOR IN THIS JOURNEY ON EARTH IT WAS LOVE JESUS SAID IT WAS THE SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF MIKE COPELAND LOVED PEOPLE HE HAD SO MANY UNIQUE GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES RELATED TO LOVING PEOPLE MIKE OFTEN SAID GOD GAVE US TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH FOR A REASON HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST LISTENERS I'VE EVER MET AND I'VE EVER KNOWN HE'D LOCK HIS EYES ON YOU FOLD HIS ARMS AND GIVE YOU ALL THE ATTENTION IN THE ROOM HE HAD THAT GIFT OF MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE ROOM MIKE AND AWFUL WOULD OFTEN MEET WITH A COMPANY THAT WAS CONSIDERING COMING TO OLATHE THEY'D BE GOING ON AND ON TELLING MIKE AND I ABOUT THE SUCCESSES OF THEIR COMPANY WELL I'M OVER THERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY WHEN AND IF THEY EVER QUIT TALKING LIKE ABOUT HOW GREAT OLATHE IS AND HOW MUCH WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THEM COME TO OUR TOWN AND SO FINALLY THEY STOPPED TALKING AND BEFORE I CAN OPEN MY MOUTH MIKE JUMPS IN THERE THAT'S A TREMENDOUS STORY THAT IS A[00:30:01]
GREAT SUCCESS YOUR COMPANY'S HAD WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE ALL THE SUCCESS OF YOUR COMPANY TO I WOULD JUST SHRINK BACK INTO MY CHAIR WITH MY MOUTH SHUT AND LEARN YET ANOTHER LESSON FROM THE MASTER MIKE LOVED ANOTHER OF MIKE'S LABORS OF LOVE WERE KIDS HIS PROJECTS LIKE I READ WITH MAYOR MIKE AND THE MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS TREE MADE UP OF A BOARD OF WHAT MIKE CALLED BIG HEARTED BIG WIGS AS YOU'VE HEARD WAS ALL ABOUT KIDS WANTED KIDS TO LEARN TO LOVE READING TO GET A GOOD EDUCATION AND TO GROW UP TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT HE HAD HE WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR THE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY MIKE LOVED OLATHE WOW DID HE EVER HE CAME HERE TO PLAY FOOTBALL BUT LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT GOD HAD A BIGGER PLAN FOR HIM I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK OF ESTHER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHEN MORDECAI SAID TO QUEEN ESTHER AND WHO KNOWS BUT THAT YOU HAVE COME TO YOUR ROYAL POSITION FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS GOD BROUGHT MIKE COPELAND TO OLATHE KANSAS NOT JUST TO PLAY FOOTBALL BUT TO LEAD OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMINENCE OVER TWO DECADES I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST HIRED AS CITY MANAGER ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER I GOT HERE WE WERE HAVING OUR FIRST CITY COUNCIL RETREAT WE WERE ALSO PLANNING OUR FIRST 20-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND OLATHE FOR A WHILE WILL APPRECIATE THIS MIKE COMES UP TO ME DURING ONE OF THOSE BREAKS AND HE GOES WE HAVE GOT TO GET RID OF HAPHAZARD WELL NO DISRESPECT MEANT TO SUNFLOWER DODGE BUT MIKE COPELAND HAD A BIGGER VISION FOR OLATHE KANSAS THAN A GUY ON TV WITH A PLAID COAT A BIG MOUTH AND THE INABILITY TO SAY OLATHE MIKE LOVED OLATHE KANSAS AND ITS PEOPLE HE WAS OUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER HE WAS THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR OUR CITY STAFF HE WAS THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR THE OLATHE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH HE ALWAYS CALLED OUR GREATEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL HE WAS THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR THE OLATHE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HE WAS THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR OUR KIDS OUR FUTURE LEADERS AND THAT LOVE WAS NOT WITHOUT SACRIFICE COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT AT NIGHT MEETINGS READING COUNCIL PACKETS TRAVELING ON CITY BUSINESS TIME AWAY FROM HIS REAL JOB TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND TIME AWAY FROM HIS PRECIOUS FAMILY YOU SEE LOVE IS NOT WITHOUT SACRIFICE AND MIKE COPELAND KNEW THAT AND WAS WILLING TO PAY THAT PRICE MIKE ALSO LOVED HIS FAMILY HAVING KIDS A LITTLE LATER IN LIFE THEN SOME MIKE TREASURED HIS TIME WITH HIS FAMILY THERE WAS NEVER A SPARKLE IN HIS EYE OR AN EXPRESSION OF JOY ON HIS FACE LIKE THE ONE THAT HE HAD WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS FAMILY AS I SAID THE RIGORS OF PUBLIC LIFE ARE DIFFICULT AND COSTLY BECAUSE OF COVID THE RECENT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH HIS FAMILY WAS A GREAT GIFT TO MIKE FIRST IT WAS MARIA THE FIRST LADY OF OLATHE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE AND THE ONE FOR WHOM HE DID EVERYTHING HE DID MARIA WAS A WONDERFUL SUPPORT FOR MIKE OVER THE MANY MANY YEARS OF SACRIFICE IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND HOW PROUD HE WAS OF THE YOUNG WOMAN THAT OLIVIA WAS BECOMING HER PASSION FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND OH HOW HE LOVED TO GO AND PROUDLY WATCH ABBY WIN YET ANOTHER STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AT OLATHE NORTHWEST AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY AT BIOLA A UNIVERSITY THAT HE LOVED BACK IN HIS HOMETOWN IN L.A THEN THERE'S JOSHUA WHO OF COURSE AS THE ONLY SON WAS DESTINED TO LIVE OUT ALL THE UNFINISHED SPORTS DREAMS OF HIS FATHER[00:35:03]
HOW PROUD MIKE WAS OF THE YOUNG MAN AND THE ATHLETE THAT JOSHUA WAS BECOMING AND HOW HE CHERISHED WATCHING HIM PLAY FINALLY BACK IN HIS LETTER PAUL REFERS TO THE PATIENCE OF HOPE YOU KNOW HOPE REQUIRES PATIENCE BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT TOMORROW MAN IF THERE'S ONE THING MIKE COPELAND HAD IT WAS HOPE HOPE IN THE FUTURE OF OLATHE KANSAS IS A PREMIER HIGH QUALITY COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE WORK AND PLAY HOPE IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THE DREAMS OF THE KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY HOPE IN PEOPLE THAT HE ENCOUNTERED THAT THEY WOULD BE THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES AND HOPE IN OUR CITY ORGANIZATION THAT WE WOULD LIVE UP TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE HOPE OFTEN WE'D BE WAR GAMING A SITUATION AND I'D BE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE BAD THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN I GET FINISHED MIKE WOULD JUST LOOKED AT ME AND HE'D SAY DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN MICHAEL EVER HOPEFUL THAT EVERYTHING WOULD WORK OUT WELL NO ONE TOUCHED MORE LIVES IN OLATHE KANSAS THAN MIKE COPELAND NO ONE IS MORE RECOGNIZABLE AS OLATHE THAN MIKE COPELAND MIKE COPELAND LOVED THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS COMMUNITY LOVED MIKE MARIA OLIVIA ABBY JOSH AS MIKE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY THIS COMMUNITY WILL BE THERE FOR YOU YOU ARE MIKE COPELAND'S GREATEST LEGACY IT'S NOT THE BUILDINGS IT'S NOT THE ROADS IT'S NOT THE ACCOLADES IT'S NOT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IT'S YOU GUYS SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US THIS AFTERNOON IT LEAVES US JOYFUL IN THE HOPE OF AN ETERNAL LIFE WITH A GOD WHO LOVES US IT LEAVES US CELEBRATING A LIFE WELL LIVED IT LEAVES US GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A TREMENDOUS PUBLIC SERVANT WHO WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED IT LEAVES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY FOR AND COME ALONGSIDE A FAMILY THAT HAS SUFFERED AN UNTHINKABLE LOSS IT ALSO LEAVES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO CARRY ON MIKE'S LEGACY I WOULD CHALLENGE US TO CARRY ON THAT LEGACY BY ANSWERING THIS QUESTION WHAT IS MY WORK OF FAITH WHAT IS MY LABOR OF LOVE AND WHAT IS MY PATIENCE OF HOPE [MUSIC] OH LORD MY GOD WHEN I IN AWESOME WONDER CONSIDER ALL THE WORLDS THY HANDS HAVE MADE I SEE THE STARS I HEAR THE ROLLING THUNDER THY POWER THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE DISPLAY [MUSIC] THEN SINGS MY SOUL MY SAVIOR [MUSIC] HOW GREAT THE LORD THEN SINGS MY SOUL [MUSIC] HOW GREAT THE LORD [MUSIC] AND HEAR THE BIRDS SING SWEETLY THROUGH THE TREES[00:40:01]
WHEN I LOOK DOWN FROM LOFTY MOUNTAIN GRANDEUR [MUSIC] AND FEEL THE GENTLE BREEZE AND WHEN I THINK THAT GOD HIS SON NOT SPARING SENT HIM TO DIE I SCARCE CAN'T TAKE IT IN THAT ON THE CROSS MY BURDEN GLADLY BEARING HE BLED AND DIED TO TAKE AWAY MY SINS SING IT WITH ME THEN SINGS MY SOUL MY SAKE ARE GOD TO THEE HOW GRACE OUR LORD THEN SINGS [MUSIC] R [MUSIC] TAKE ME HOME WHAT JOY SHALL FILL MY HEART THEN I SHALL BOW IN HUMBLE ADORATION AND THEIR PROCLAIM MY GOD HOW GREAT THOU ART SINGS MY SOUL MY SAVIOR [MUSIC] MY SAVIOR [MUSIC] HOW GREAT [MUSIC] MY NAME'S STEVE SPENCER AND I'M ONE OF MIKE'S TALLEST FRIENDS I LIKE THE OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND ARE ONLINE IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO MIKE AND HE WOULD BE OVERWHELMED FOR SURE I KEEP ASKING MYSELF IS THIS REAL I AM HONORED AND FEEL SO UNWORTHY TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY YOU KNOW I WAS KIND OF HOPING I'D GO FIRST BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL TO HAVE THE MAYOR SPEAK AT MY FUNERAL I FIRST MET MIKE MY FRESHMAN YEAR AT MANC MET AMERICAN NAZARENE COLLEGE MIKE AND I LIVED ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SAME HALL IN SNOWBARKER I WAS UP LATE ONE NIGHT WORKING ON A PAPER IN A STUDY ROOM ON THE HALL A VERY RARE THING FOR ME HE CAME AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND COULD SEE I WAS STRUGGLING WE SPENT THE NEXT FEW HOURS GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER ORDERED PIZZA AND WITH HIS HELP I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PAPER OKAY THE TRUTH IS HE WROTE MOST OF THE PAPER WE FOUND OUT WE SHARED A BIRTHDAY FEBRUARY 12TH ALONG WITH THE LIKES OF ABE LINCOLN I[00:45:03]
WAS INTRIGUED BY THIS GUY FROM CALIFORNIA AND WHY IN THE WORLD HE WOULD LEAVE A PLACE LIKE THAT TO COME HERE TO KANSAS IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I INVITED MIKE OVER TO MY HOUSE IN KANSAS CITY TO MEET MY FAMILY MIKE QUICKLY BECAME A PART OF MY OF OUR FAMILY GROWING UP WITH TWO OLDER SISTERS HE WAS A BROTHER I NEVER HAD WE LIVED TOGETHER AND HE WAS MY BEST MAN IN MY WEDDING I WISH I COULD SIT DOWN WITH EACH ONE OF YOU AND HEAR ABOUT YOUR STORY WITH MIKE BUT I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT WE WOULD BE HERE FOR DAYS I HOPE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO GO ONLINE AND SHARE YOUR STORIES FOR THE FAMILY TO ENJOY LATER MANY OF OUR MEMORIES TOGETHER WERE AROUND FOOD OF COURSE TRAVELING AND MUSIC HOUSTON'S RESTAURANT WAS PROBABLY OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO GO PROBABLY LIKE MANY OF YOU AND WE MOURNED THE LOSS GREATLY WHEN THEY CLOSED BOTH LOCATIONS IN KANSAS CITY I WAS PRIVILEGED TO TRAVEL WITH MIKE AND HIS SISTER'S FAMILY THE MORGANS WE ALSO SHARED A LOVE FOR ALL KINDS OF MUSIC AND ENJOYED SEVERAL CONCERTS TOGETHER MIKE TRAVELED A LOT WITH HIS WORK AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE LEARNED THE VALUE OF EARNING POINTS ON HIS CREDIT CARD AND BECAME REALLY GOOD AT IT THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE TAUGHT MY KIDS TO DO AS WELL WHEN WE WOULD GO OUT HE WOULD ASK FOR ONE CHECK AND THEN PAY HIM YOUR PORTION IN CASH EARNING HIM MORE POINTS LIKE I SAID HE WAS REALLY GOOD AT IT ONE OF OUR TRIPS TOGETHER WAS TO CALIFORNIA TO VISIT HIS HOME I HAD NEVER BEEN TO LOS ANGELES BEFORE AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SEE IT WAS A SPECIAL TREAT TO GET TO KNOW HIS PARENTS EBER AND JOE AND SPEND TIME IN THEIR HOME THEY WERE AWESOME PEOPLE HE KNEW I WASN'T BIG ON AIRPLANES AND I'LL NEVER FORGET WHEN WE WALKED DOWN THE GATE TO GET ON THE PLANE IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF FUN WHEN YOU'RE ALMOST SEVEN FOOT TO BE THE LAST ONE TO BOARD THE PLANE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S THINKING I SURE HOPE HE'S NOT GOING TO BE NEXT TO ME SO I'M SURE THEY WERE RELIEVED WHEN WE WERE WALKING DOWN THE GATE AND WE STOPPED IN FIRST CLASS HE HAD USED SOME OF HIS POINTS TO UPGRADE OUR TICKETS TO FIRST CLASS THAT'S JUST THE KIND OF GUY HE WAS WE WENT BY THE BEACH WE WENT TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS WE WENT TO A DODGER GAME WENT TO BIG BEAR LAKE WENT TO THE WALK OF FAME EVEN WENT TO TIJUANA ONE DAY NOW THAT WAS SOMETHING GOING TO TIJUANA AND BEING SEVEN FOOT WITH ALL THE OTHER YOU KNOW KIND OF SMALLER PEOPLE HE WAS THE BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER YOU COULD ASK FOR HE INTRODUCED ME TO IN-N-OUT BURGER AND THE SECRET MENU ANIMAL STYLE IT WAS AWESOME AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE HAD THAT KNOW WHAT THAT IS IT WAS AWESOME MIKE WAS QUICK TO POINT OUT THE SCRIPTURE VERSE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CUP MIKE WAS ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS AND ALMOST MADE IT FEEL LIKE GOD APPROVED OF THIS JUICY GOODNESS CLEARLY MIKE AND I SHARED THE LOVE OF FOOD MIKE WAS FIRST CLASS HE MARRIED FIRST CLASS AND TOGETHER HAVE FIRST CLASS CHILDREN THIS DAY HAS BROUGHT US ALL TOGETHER TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE A MAN THAT DIDN'T WANT ANY RECOGNITION OR FAME A FRIEND TO SO MANY OF US AND TO MANY OUR BEST FRIEND MIKE EMBODIED 1ST PETER 3 8-17 WHICH CALLS US TO SYMPATHIZE WITH EACH OTHER TO LOVE EACH OTHER AS CHRIST LOVED US AND TO KEEP A HUMBLE ATTITUDE BY VALUING OTHERS ABOVE OURSELVES WE CELEBRATED NEARLY 40 BIRTHDAYS TOGETHER AND THOSE WERE SPECIAL TIMES I'M SURE SOME OF YOU WERE AT THE FLASH MOB WHEN WE TURNED 50. AND THAT WAS QUITE THE SURPRISE I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MIKE AND HIS FAMILY OVER TO OUR HOME WE LEARNED QUICKLY THAT THE COPELAND FAMILY WERE HUGGERS IT WAS FUN TO SEE EVERYONE HUG EACH OTHER WHENEVER WE WERE TOGETHER I[00:50:02]
HAVE SEVEN CHILDREN I HAVE FOUR BOYS AND THREE GIRLS AND A HUG WITH MIKE WAS ACTUALLY A GROWTH MARKER FOR THE KIDS TO SEE IF THEY COULD TOUCH THEIR HANDS TOGETHER WHEN THEY WOULD HUG MIKE IT WAS GREAT WHEN THEY ALL FINALLY TOUCHED THEY LOVED GETTING A HUG FOR MIKE HE HAD A WAY OF BRINGING YOU IN CLOSE FOR A HUG HE WAS A GREAT HUGGER WE LOVED THE COPELAND FAMILY AND CHERISHED THOSE TIMES TOGETHER AS WE RAISED OUR KIDS I STOPPED BY MIKE'S HOUSE A FEW DAYS BEFORE HE PASSED AND WHEN I SAW HIM THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS REACH OUT FOR A HUG BUT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WE THOUGHT IT BEST JUST TO BUMP ELBOWS I HAD SHARED WITH MIKE THAT I WAS PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY HE WAS IN FULL AGREEMENT AND ASSURED ME HE WAS PRAYING THE SAME WAY HE HAD THAT HOPE THAT MR WILKES WAS TALKING ABOUT WE BELIEVE TOGETHER WE HOPED TOGETHER IN THE POWER OF GOD I BELIEVE MY GOD IS MIRACLE MY HOPE IS AS WE GATHER TODAY THAT WE CAN ALL REMEMBER TIMES WITH MIKE AS WE'VE SHARED OUR LIVES TOGETHER AROUND THIS GREAT MAN AND FRIEND GRIEF IS PART OF ALL OF OUR LIVES AND I ENCOURAGE YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE THE TIME TO LAUGH TO CRY TO TELL A STORY MAYBE BRING A FRIEND IN CLOSE IN HONOR OF MIKE A MICHAEL W SMITH SONG FROM OUR DAYS IN COLLEGE PROBABLY SAYS IT BEST BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU CLOSE AS ALWAYS IT WON'T EVEN SEEM YOU'VE GONE BECAUSE OUR HEARTS AND BIG AND SMALL WAYS WILL KEEP THE LOVE THAT KEEPS US STRONG AND FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS FOREVER IF THE LORD'S THE LORD OF THEM AND A FRIEND WILL NOT SAY NEVER BECAUSE THE WELCOME WILL NOT END THOUGH IT'S HARD TO LET YOU GO IN THE FATHER'S HANDS WE KNOW THAT A LIFETIME'S NOT TOO LONG TO LIVE AS FRIENDS TO PUT US SIMPLY MIKE LOVED GOD AND HE LOVED PEOPLE AND THROUGH THAT LOVE DID SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF LIKE YOU I WILL MISS MY GOOD FRIEND ONE THING I'LL MISS MOST IS AT THE END OF OUR TIMES TOGETHER WE WOULD ALWAYS TELL EACH OTHER LOVE YOU LOVE YOU HMM [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] OH [APPLAUSE] JESUS [MUSIC] OH [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE][00:55:15]
[MUSIC] I DIDN'T KNOW THAT DAY WOULD BE OUR LAST OR THAT I'D HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO YOU SO FAST I'M SO NUMB I CAN'T FEEL ANY MORE PRAYING YOU JUST WALK BACK THROUGH THAT DOOR [MUSIC] AND TELL ME THAT I WAS ONLY DREAMING YOU'RE NOT REALLY GONE AS LONG AS I BELIEVE [MUSIC] ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY I'M JUST JEALOUS OF THE ANGELS YOU ALWAYS MADE MY TROUBLES [MUSIC] I JUST TOOK THE ONLY ONE I KNOW SO I'LL HOLD YOU AS CLOSE AS I YOUR CAN AGAIN TONIGHT YOUR LOVE LIVES ON THE SIDE OF ME AND I WILL HOLD ON ONLY GOD KNOWS I'M JUST [MUSIC] I'M JUST JEALOUS OF THE ANGELS AROUND THE THRONE [MUSIC] TONIGHT [MUSIC] [MUSIC] I CAN ONLY IMAGINE BUT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN I WALK BY YOUR SIDE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MY EYES WILL SEE WHEN YOUR FACE IS BEFORE ME I CAN ONLY IMAGINE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE[01:00:03]
[MUSIC] SURROUNDED BY YOUR GLORY WILL MY [MUSIC] WHERE MY KNEES [MUSIC] HALLELUJAH I CAN ONLY IMAGINE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHEN THAT DAY COMES AND [MUSIC] IS FOREVER [MUSIC] WILL I DANCE FOR YOU JESUS [MUSIC] IMAGINE [MUSIC] CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHEN ALL I'LL DO IS FOREVER FOREVER WORSHIP YOU YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE [MUSIC] YEARS AGO I RECEIVED A CARD FROM MICHAEL AFTER ONE OF HIS VISITS TO OUR HOME IT SAID ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE PAGE I'VE SPENT HOURS OF CONDENSING PAGES OF MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE INTO ONE SIMPLE EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR BOUNDLESS THOUGHTFULNESS THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING HE WRITES SKIING FUN PIZZA GIRL FARTS I'M SORRY WE HAD A BULLDOG MAIN MORNINGS BAKLAVA STICKY BUNS YOU BREAKFASTS LUNCHES DINNERS SNOWMOBILING CROSS COUNTRY AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING TALKING COOKIES THE SPORT COAT THE TIE FOOD ETC EXCLAMATION POINT EXCLAMATION POINT EXCLAMATION POINT OUR CHALLENGE TODAY AND THE BRIEF TIME THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER IS TO CELEBRATE[01:05:03]
WITH YOUR JOY THE MAGNITUDE OF THE LIFE OF MICHAEL EBER COPELAND I HAVE A LITTLE PILLOW THAT SITS IN MY BEDROOM ALL THE TIME IT SAYS IF YOU LEAVE ME I'M GOING WITH YOU MICHAEL WAS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR MY SON I WAS 16 YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS BORN AS I'M THE OLDEST OF HIS THREE SISTERS I GOT MARRIED AT THE AGE OF 18 AND A THREE-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL WAS MY BEST MAN MICHAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FIRST LOVE AFTER THE WEDDING IN CALIFORNIA WITH BAGS PACKED I ARRIVED IN PONCA CITY OKLAHOMA AND WHEN I OPENED ON OUR HONEYMOON AND WHEN I OPENED MY SUITCASE I LOOKED IN MY LUGGAGE AND THERE TUCKED EVER SO CAREFULLY INSIDE WERE MIKE'S LITTLE CLOTHES PACKED IN HE WAS COMING WITH ME AND INDEED IN MY HEART HE WILL EVER BE WE TOOK HIM TO DISNEYLAND WHEN HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD THERE'S A PICTURE SOMEWHERE OF ME HOLDING MIKE'S HAND WITH HIM PROUDLY WEARING HIS MICKEY MOUSE EARS AND EVEN AT TOMORROWLAND HE WAS ALWAYS THINKING OF WHAT COULD BE AS SOON AS HE AND OUR YOUNGER BROTHER PAUL WERE OLD ENOUGH TO FLY ON THEIR OWN THEY SPENT SUMMERS WITH US IN WICHITA AND ON THE COAST OF MAINE WHILE IN WICHITA I TAUGHT HIM TO DRIVE WHICH IS ESPECIALLY FUNNY BECAUSE WHILE HE WAS PULLING OUT MY HUSBAND'S BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ MIKE SOMEHOW UM MANAGED TO CATCH THE DOOR ON THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE AND POPPED IT STRAIGHT OFF ITS HINGES PEDAL TO THE METAL MIC UM WHOOPS WELL ONE DOOR DOWN DETAILS DETAILS AS A PRACTICAL JOKE I SENT HIM A BELLY DANCER AND SHE ARRIVED AT MID AMERICA COLLEGE CAFETERIA WHEN HE TURNED 21 IT WAS PERFECT EXCEPT FOR THE PROBLEM THAT UM AT THAT TIME THE NAZARENES DID NOT SUPPORT DANCING SO IT WAS WITH GREAT DIPLOMACY THAT MICHAEL LEARNED EARLIER HOW TO HANDLE SUCH TOUCHY SITUATIONS WITH GREAT GRACE AND RED BUT SMILING FACE THAT WAS THE THING ABOUT MICHAEL HIS INCREDIBLE SENSE OF SELF-DEFACING HUMOR HE HAD MANY SUMMERS WITH US IN MAINE MICHAEL WAS ALWAYS ALWAYS OPEN TO ADVENTURE AND SUGGESTIONS WHEN HE HAD NEVER SAILED BEFORE HE AND HIS BEST FRIEND STEVE SPENCER JOINED US ON AN OFFSHORE EXCURSION WE CONVINCED BOTH OF THEM THAT TO AVOID MOTION SICKNESS THE DRAMAMINE TRADITIONALLY PLACED BEHIND THE EAR WAS MORE EFFECTIVE WAY MORE EFFECTIVE IF YOU PUT IT STRAIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR UNTANNED FOREHEAD THEY ACHIEVED A MEMORABLE TAN LINE IN NO TIME MICHAEL FOUND IT A JOY TO COMPLETELY[01:10:02]
RELAX WITH THOSE THAT HE LOVED WE WOULD DECLARE WHOLE DAYS IN WICHITA IN WHICH WE WOULD DO NOTHING I MEAN NOTHING BUT FLOAT IN OUR SWIMMING POOL IN THE WINTERS WE WOULD DEDICATE ENTIRE DAYS AS MOVIE BINGE DAYS AND JUST GO AND WATCH EVERY NEW RELEASE UNTIL WE WERE DONE AND MICHAEL WAS SPONTANEOUS ALWAYS UP FOR THE ADVENTURE NOW ONE EASTER SUNDAY WHILE WE WERE SITTING EATING LUNCH IN THE SOLARIUM OF OUR HOME THE KIDS WERE ON SPRING BREAK AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID WHAT ARE WE DOING IN WICHITA IT'S SPRING BREAK LET'S GO AND SEE OUR RELATIVES IN CALIFORNIA WE IMMEDIATELY PACKED UP OUR LUNCH PLATES DUMPED THEM IN THE KITCHEN AND CALLED MY HUSBAND DICK TO SAY WHAT THAT WE WERE JUST GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE EXCURSION AND A LITTLE LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND JUST DRIVE 1200 MILES TO VISIT OUR RELATIVES FOR THE SHEER FUN OF IT AND ANOTHER NEW MERCEDES AS THE DRIVER REMEMBER I TAUGHT MIKE TO DRIVE I CAME UPON A LONG LINE OF CARS AS WE WENT THROUGH ARIZONA YOU KNOW THE LONG FLAT BORING PART WELL THERE WERE AT LEAST 50 CARS LINED UP WAY AHEAD IN THE DISTANCE MY CAR SAID ON THE SPEEDOMETER THAT IT WOULD GO 120 MILES AN HOUR SO WE DECIDED TO PASS THOSE BOZOS GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR AS WE CAN IMAGINE WHAT THEY WERE THINKING MY CAR HIT A MERE 105 MILES AN HOUR I'M LOOKING AROUND TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY POLICE OFFICERS WHEN MIKE NOTICED THAT WE HAD PASSED A HIGHWAY PATROL CAR THAT SAID ON THE BACK OF ITS BUMPER ON A BIG SIGN FOLLOW ME WE THOUGHT WELL THE COP HAD TWO CHOICES HE COULD KEEP GOING AT 55 MILES AN HOUR AND KEEP HIS 50 OR SO CARS OR PUNCH THE GAS AND GO AFTER THE NUT JOB WHO HAD JUST PASSED HIM THIS TYPIFIES THE TYPE OF QUANDARIES MICHAEL AND I OFTEN EXPERIENCED TOGETHER THE ONLY TIME I OBSERVED MIKE NOT ACHIEVE HIS GOAL WAS WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT US HIS SENIOR YEAR IN COLLEGE WE WERE IN MAINE HE SPENT THE BETTER HALF OF A MONTH JUST STARING OFF INTO THE OCEAN FROM OUR GUEST COTTAGE PONDERING WHY HE LOST THE HONOR OF NOT BEING INDUCTED INTO WHO'S WHO IN COLLEGE LEADERSHIP IT WAS THE LAST TIME I EVER SAW MIKE FOCUS ON AN ACCOLADE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT HE WAS PREPARING FOR A LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP AND ACHIEVEMENT OF WHICH WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY THIS IS A DAY OF HARVEST AND EVERY SACRIFICE AND EVERYTHING HE HAS EVER WORKED FOR HAS BROUGHT US HERE TODAY LET'S NOT MISS THE SIGNIFICANCE IN CELEBRATING WHAT HE TRULY INSPIRED TO PROVIDE A VISION FOR THOSE HE LOVED AND LED IF HE WERE HERE THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE HE WOULD SAY IN CONCLUSION TO YOU FOR WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT A VISION PEOPLE PERISH MICHAEL WOULD QUOTE THIS THE LORD BLESS[01:15:01]
YOU AND KEEP YOU AND MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE MAY HIS FAVOR BE UPON YOU AND A THOUSAND GENERATIONS AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN MAY HIS PRESENCE GO BEFORE YOU AND BEHIND YOU AND BESIDES YOU ALL AROUND YOU AND WITHIN YOU HE IS WITH YOU HE IS WITH YOU IN THE MORNING IN THE EVENING IN YOUR COMING AND IN YOUR GOING AND IN YOUR WEEPING AND YOU REJOICING HE IS FOR YOU HE IS FOR YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH GOD BLESS YOU THANK YOU SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY OR WATCHING FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE MIKE WOULD BE TOUCHED AND HONORED I'M SORRY AS MIKE'S WIFE HE WOULD WANT ME TO WELCOME YOU BY SAYING IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN OLATHE PLEASE STAY AS LONG AS YOU CAN AND MAKE SURE TO SPEND LOTS OF MONEY MIKE WOULD BE BLUSHING RIGHT NOW AND HE WOULD WANT US TO WRAP THIS UP AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT HIM HE WOULD BE SO EMBARRASSED BY ALL OF THIS LAVISH ATTENTION EVERYONE SAW HIM OUT IN FRONT BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY A BIT SHY AND HE NEVER REALLY WANTED PERSONAL ATTENTION I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHORT CLIP OF MIKE AND STEVE ON THEIR 50TH BIRTHDAY THAT FLASH MOB AT UNION STATION IT IS A PLACE THAT HE LOVED AND HE HAD SERVED SINCE ITS RENOVATION MY VISION FOR THAT EVENT WAS TO SHOW MIKE HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM AND HOW LOVED HE WAS BY SO MANY AND TODAY EACH ELEMENT OF THIS SURFACE HAS BEEN CHOSEN INTENTIONALLY AS MY LAST CHANCE TO EXPRESS TO MIKE HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM AND HOW MUCH HE WAS LOVED BEFORE I MARRIED MIKE I HAD HEARD THAT HIS HOME CHURCH PRAYED OVER HIS MOM AS HE WAS OVERDUE IT SEEMS GOD HAD PLACED AN ANOINTED CALLING ON MIKE'S LIFE EVEN BEFORE HE WAS BORN AND THAT WAS A CALL TO SERVE HE FOLLOWED THAT CALLING EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES MANY OF YOU KNEW MIKE AS MAYOR MIKE[01:20:02]
HE WAS URGED MANY TIMES TO SEEK HIGHER OFFICE BUT HE LOVED BEING MAYOR OF OLATHE AND CARING FOR THIS COMMUNITY MIKE DID NOT LIKE BEING CALLED A POLITICIAN AS HE TRULY FELT HE WAS A PUBLIC SERVANT HE CARED FOR THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE AND HE FELT GOD HAD SPECIFICALLY ENTRUSTED HIM WITH THE WELL-BEING OF OLATHE A COMMUNITY OF CITIZENS WHO LOVE AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE CERTAINLY FELT THAT LOVE THIS WEEK MIKE DID SO MUCH IN HIS 58 YEARS 40 OF THOSE YEARS HERE IN OLATHE HE LIVED HIS DASH TO THE FULLEST MIKE'S VISIT MIKE'S VISION PASSION AND IMPACT IS EVERYWHERE IN OLATHE FROM BUILDINGS TO BUSINESSES TO PARKS TO BRIDGES TO BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK AND AS WE ALL KNOW LOTS OF ROAD IMPROVEMENTS SERVING THIS LONG ONLY HAPPENS IF IT IS A TRUE CALLING AND AS WITH ANY CALLING TO SERVE THERE ARE NECESSARY SACRIFICES THE AMOUNT OF TIME HE SPENT SERVING MEANT TIME AWAY FROM ME AND OUR KIDS WHEN I MARRIED MIKE I KNEW I WOULD BE JOINING HIM IN A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND WOULD NEED TO MAKE SACRIFICES IN ORDER TO SUPPORT HIM AND HIS RESPONSIBILITIES BUT WE ALSO KNEW OUR CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE THEY WERE BORN INTO A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND REALLY THEY HAVE THEY DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER LIFE THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD TO SHARE THEIR DAD HOWEVER THEY ALSO HAVE HAD AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES WHICH HAVE SHAPED THEM INTO BECOMING AMAZINGLY POISED AND COMPASSIONATE YOUNG PEOPLE MIKE HATED MISSING THEIR ACTIVITIES AND HE WOULD DO ALL HE COULD TO BE WITH THEM AND HE MADE THE MOST OF EVERY SECOND HE HAD WITH THEM EVERY CHANCE HE GOT HE WOULD RUSH FROM A MEETING TO CATCH THE LAST MINUTE OF A GAME A BAND PERFORMANCE A VOLLEYBALL MATCH A CHURCH OR A SCHOOL FUNCTION OFTEN SHOWING UP IN HIS SUIT AT A BALL FIELD OR A FOOTBALL GAME OR A GYM I KNOW DEEP IN MY HEART THE LEGACY HE LEAVES HERE IN THIS CITY WILL ALWAYS BE A TANGIBLE REMINDER FOR US BUT THE RICHEST LEGACY HE LEAVES BEHIND ARE OUR CHILDREN AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM EACH OF THEM IN THEIR OWN WORDS AND HERE'S OLIVIA HELLO UM I'M OLIVIA I'M DAD'S OLDEST DAUGHTER AND I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A WHILE I WANT TO FIRST THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND ALL YOU'VE DONE TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY OVER A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ESPECIALLY OVER THIS PAST WEEK IT'S BEEN BEAUTIFUL SEEING ALL OF THE LOVE FOR MY DAD CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY THANKS THIS WAS HIS THING BEING POURED OUT ON US IT'S REALLY A BLESSING I HAVE WRITTEN THIS SO MANY TIMES[01:25:03]
UM THERE'S NO JUST NO WAY TO SUM THIS UP I MEAN WHAT DO I WRITE HOW DO I SUM UP EVERYTHING I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU DEB I KNOW EVERYTHING COMES IN GOD'S GREAT TIMING BUT I KNOW YOU BE HERE AND YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS IF YOU COULD I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR GETTING TO KNOW YOU AS A FATHER FOR SO LONG YOU HAVE LOVED US SO WELL I THINK IT WAS MICHAEL WILKES WHO SAID YOU KNOW IF WHAT WOULD YOU WOULD YOU SAY HE WAS IF NOT THE BEST MAN HE WAS THE CLOSEST TO IT AND AT HOME HE REALLY WAS I MEAN HIS LOVE IS JUST SO BIG HE WAS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF CHRIST-LIKE LOVE FROM A FATHER I COULD HAVE EVER ASKED OR DREAMED FOR HE MADE A PROMISE TO ME WHEN I WAS VERY LITTLE YOU SAW SOME REALLY EMBARRASSING PHOTOS HE SAID I LOVE YOU OLIVIA FOREVER AND EVER NO MATTER WHAT AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE DIDN'T ONLY SAY THAT TO US ALL THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES HE MADE US LEARN IT AND HE LIVED IT OUT IN EVERYTHING HE DID I LOVE YOU OLIVIA FOREVER AND EVER NO MATTER WHAT AND HE DID AND HE DOES I'M NOT MUCH OF A STORYTELLER I DON'T HAVE MANY STORIES FOR YOU I MEAN YOU'VE HEARD SOME GREAT ONES BUT THE THING THAT JUST STANDS OUT TO ME ABOUT MY DAD IS JUST THIS AMAZING LOVE IT CAME WITH EVERYTHING HE DID AND EVERYTHING HE SAID HE LOOKED YOU IN THE EYE AND WE ALL KNOW IT BECAUSE HE DID IT TO ALL OF US AND HE MADE YOU FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS LIKE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM HE WRAPPED YOUR ARMS AROUND US I THINK HIS LOVE IS HIS BEST LEGACY OTHER THAN HIS FAITH BECAUSE IT WAS WRAPPED IN FAITH AND HE DID EVERYTHING IN FAITH AND HIS LOVE WAS JUST LIKE JESUS'S AND I AM JUST SO BLESSED AND I LOVE YOU DAD AND I MISS YOU THANK YOU FROM EVERYTHING THANK YOU ALL RIGHT HEY Y'ALL UM BEAR WITH ME I'M A PLANNER AND I NEVER PLANNED FOR THIS SO ALL RIGHT IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME MY NAME IS ABIGAIL JOY COPELAND I WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TODAY TO HONOR MY DAD AND HIS BEAUTIFUL LEGACY I KNOW HE WOULD BE SO TOUCHED THERE'S SO MUCH I COULD SAY ABOUT MY DAD ABOUT HOW WISE HE WAS OR HIS NUMEROUS ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS BUT WE ALL KNOW HE WOULDN'T LIKE THAT INSTEAD I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO MY DAD HIS FAITH MY DAD SHOWED EVERYONE HE ENCOUNTERED WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A SERVANT OF THE LORD THROUGH HIS WORDS AND HIS ACTIONS MY DAD WAS KIND INTENTIONAL AND HONEST HE MADE EVERYONE FEEL SEEN HEARD AND LOVED HE WAS A HUMBLE MAN WHO LOVED THE LORD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART AND DID EVERYTHING TO SERVE HIM HE LED BY EXAMPLE I NEVER HEARD HIM SAY A BAD WORD ABOUT ANYONE OR ANYTHING EXCEPT THE PATRIOTS MY FATHER'S UNWAVERING FAITH HELPED SHAPE MY OWN FAITH AND WHO I AM BECOMING I KNOW HE WOULD BE SO PROUD OF ME AND EACH MEMBER OF HIS BELOVED FAMILY FOR LEANING INTO THE LORD IN THIS UNIMAGINABLY PAINFUL TIME AND TRUSTING THAT GOD HAS A PLAN MY DAD'S REAL LEGACY IS THE WITNESS HE WAS TO EVERYONE HE MET AND HOW HE ENCOURAGED US ALL TO BE BETTER MY DAD INSPIRED ME IN IN MANY WAYS MOST PEOPLE COME HOME FROM A LONG DAY OF WORKING TWO JOBS AND ARE STRESSED TIRED AND CRANKY HOWEVER MY DAD WOULD COME HOME AFTER BEING IN MEETINGS ALL DAY LONG WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE ASKING ME HOW MY DAY WAS AND LISTENING[01:30:03]
TO ALL MY SILLY COMMENTS EVERY TIME I SAW MY DAD HE WOULD TELL ME HOW MUCH HE LOVED ME HOW AND HE WOULD EMBRACE ME IN THE BIGGEST BEAR HUG IMAGINABLE AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY THE THE KIND THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE MY POINT IS MY DAD WORKED SO HARD TO PROVIDE SO MUCH FOR HIS FAMILY AND THEN PROCEEDED TO RALLY EVERY NIGHT TO MAKE EACH ONE OF US FEEL LOVED HE NEVER HAD A NIGHT OFF AND THIS HAS INSPIRED ME TO SOMEDAY BE THE SAME KIND OF LOVING PARENT HE WAS TO ME DAD I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH MY HEART IS BROKEN AND A PIECE OF IT WILL ALWAYS BE MISSING WITH YOU I'M GOING TO CONTINUE BEING THE STRONG JOYFUL YOUNG WOMAN YOU ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE I WAS BECOMING I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE COUNTLESS TRIPS THE TWO OF US TOOK TO CALIFORNIA I LOVED WATCHING YOUR EYES LIGHT UP WHEN YOU GOT TO SHARE YOUR CHILDHOOD HOME WITH ME AND HOW WE WOULD GO TO IN AND OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING AND THEN STRAIGHT TO THE PCH AND PROCEED TO PLAY COUNTRY MUSIC WITH ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN HAVING THE HEATERS BLASTING THE HOT AIR ON US TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM COLLEGE DECISIONS TO YOU SHARING A STORY ABOUT SOME PRANK YOU AND DUH AND STEVE AND PAUL AND EVERYONE PULLED IN COLLEGE ALL THE WAY TO US PLANNING MY WEDDING AND HAVING GARDENIAS BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR FAVORITE I AM SO THANKFUL TO HAVE BEEN YOUR DAUGHTER YOU BLESSED ME AND TAUGHT ME SO MUCH THANK YOU FOR KNOWING WHEN I WAS TIRED SAD HUNGRY OR HAPPY AND KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT TO DO I MISS YOUR LAUGH I MISS YOUR HUGS AND I MISS YOU I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PROUD AND I LOVE YOU FOREVER [MUSIC] HELLO I'M JOSHUA DAD'S FAVORITE SON THEY CAN'T SAY THAT OUR DAD ALWAYS PUSHED US TO BE STRONG IN OUR FAITH AND ONE THING HE DID WAS PRINT OUT A VERSE FOR US THAT HE THOUGHT FIT US WELL AND WOULD TEST US TO SEE IF WE HAD IT MEMORIZED I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE ONE HE PICKED FOR ME WITH YOU ALL THE ONE HE CHOSE FOR ME WAS JOSHUA 1 9 WHICH BECAME MY FAVORITE VERSE THE VERSE SAYS BE STRONG COURAGEOUS DO NOT BE AFRAID DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO THANK YOU AREN'T THEY AMAZING MIKE AND I ARE SO PROUD OF THEM AND WE LOVE THEM SO VERY MUCH HE LOVED ALL OF HIS FAMILY THAT MUCH AS WELL AND I THINK THAT THEY KNEW IT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF CARING FOR ME AND THESE AMAZING CHILDREN THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT DAYS WE ARE OVERWHELMED WITH THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR FRIENDS SPECIFICALLY I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME AND THEIR TALENT IN HONORING MIKE TODAY I CAN'T NAME EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE MANY MANY DETAILS BUT I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF OLATHE TEAM MY AMAZING NEIGHBORS WHO ENCIRCLED OUR FAMILY AND OUR HOME IN PRAYER LAST NIGHT THEY'VE FED US THEY'VE WATERED OUR PLANTS THEY'VE MOWED OUR LAWN THEY'VE CLEANED OUR HOME THEY'VE SHOWN US SO MUCH LOVE MY SISTER DONNA FOR TAKING CHARGE AND TENDING TO EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES THIS PAST WEEK AND TELLING EVERYBODY WHAT TO DO[01:35:10]
AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW JAINA WHO HAS HELD ME UP AND WALKED WITH ME DOWN THIS VERY SAME PATH THAT SHE WALKED 15 YEARS AGO THANK YOU PASTOR TROY FOR SHEPHERDING OUR FAMILY FOR THESE MANY MANY YEARS AND ALWAYS CARING FOR US MICHAEL KAREN CHRISTIE DOLLY LIETTA CHIP MATT AND CASEY AND PETEY FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS SERVICE MIKE WOULD HAVE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT AND MIKE'S BEST FRIENDS WHO DROPPED EVERYTHING TO BE BY OUR SIDE YOU HAVE KNOWN HIM LONG BEFORE HE WAS MAYOR MIKE SPENCE DUD TEMPLE PD KB 42 SPURGE CRASH BOMB THE SIMPLE WORDS THANK YOU JUST I DON'T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH BUT I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR LOVE HAS CARRIED ME THIS WEEK MIKE IS WEEPING WITH THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR HIS FAMILY AND THE CITY THAT HE LOVES SO MUCH HE TRULY LOVED YOU GUYS PEOPLE WERE DRAWN TO MIKE BECAUSE OF HIS BIG HEART FOR OTHERS HE LOVED BIG AND HE LOVED WELL HIS FAMILY HIS FRIENDS HIS CO-WORKERS HIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COMPLETE STRANGERS HE TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER BRIGHTER AND A BLESSING FOR OTHERS THE KEY TO MIKE'S BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT AND HIS ENORMOUS HEART WAS HIS DEEP LOVE FOR HIS LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT WAS ALWAYS BEING POURED OUT THROUGH MIKE HE WAS ANCHORED IN AND BY HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD I HAVE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE AND PEACE KNOWING THAT ALL OF US WHO HAVE CHOSEN CHRIST WILL SEE MIKE AGAIN ABOVE ALL THINGS HE WOULD WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT SAME CONFIDENCE AND PEACE AS WELL WHILE I'LL ALWAYS WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TOGETHER SO HE COULD HAVE WATCHED HIS CHILDREN GROW UP AND SEE THEM FULFILL THE PROMISE OR THE PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIFE I MUST TRUST THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THE PAIN OF LOSING MIKE NOW MIKE LOVED LIFE AND HE WOULD BE RIGHT HERE IF HE COULD BE RIGHT NOW AND I AM SO GLAD HE GOT TO SEE THE CHIEFS FINALLY WIN THE SUPER BOWL I CAN IMAGINE THAT MIKE IS HAVING A GREAT TIME TODAY HE'S VISITING WITH HIS MOM AND HIS DAD AND HIS LITTLE BROTHER PAUL THEY MIGHT BE HAVING A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH DR CUNNINGHAM ENJOYING THE WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES MADE BY SHARON AND I BET HE WILL BE PLAYING CATCH WITH CALEB EVERY DAY IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 20TH[01:40:02]
THAT BIG BEAUTIFUL HEART OF MIKE'S SIMPLY WORE OUT HE GAVE US EVERYTHING HE HAD TO GIVE AND WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HIS LIFE HIS LOVE AND HIS LEGACY AND FOR THAT I SAY THANKS BE TO GOD AND MIKE I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER ON BEHALF OF OUR LEAD PASTOR DR DAVID SHARPS HIS WIFE CAROL OUR STAFF AND OUR PARISHIONERS WE EXTEND OUR LOVE ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYERS THE FAMILIES OF MICHAEL COPELAND MICHAEL COPELAND AS YOU'VE HEARD WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER HERE FOR 40 YEARS HE AND HIS FAMILY HAS BEEN A VIBRANT PART OF OUR FAITH COMMUNITY AND WE'RE HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO HOST THIS TIME TOGETHER EVEN AS WE EVEN AS WE GRIEVE FOR OUR FRIEND AND FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE WHETHER ONLINE OR PHYSICAL PRESENCE WE WELCOME YOU ANYTIME OUR CHURCH IS GRATEFUL FOR YOU AS WELL THIS IS A PLACE WHERE ALL OUR WELCOME AND CHRIST IS ADORED I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU A SCRIPTURE VERY QUICKLY WOULD YOU STAND WITH ME IN HONOR OF READING GOD'S WORD WE'VE BEEN SITTING FOR A BIT IT'S JUST A SHORT SCRIPTURE IT'S FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS FOURTH CHAPTER IT SAYS MY SON PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I SAY TURN YOUR EAR TO MY WORDS DO NOT LET THEM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT KEEP THEM WITHIN YOUR HEART FOR THEIR LIFE TO THOSE WHO FIND THEM IN HEALTH TO ONE'S WHOLE BODY ABOVE ALL ELSE GUARD YOUR HEART FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FLOWS FROM IT MAY BE SEATED THANK YOU WHEN ANGELA AND I MOVED TO OLATHE IN THE EARLY 90S SHE SPOKE OF A COUPLE SHE KEPT ENCOUNTERING WE SPY THEM HOLDING HANDS AND LAUGHING TOGETHER AND THEY'RE ALWAYS SMILING AND NOT THE KIND OF SMILE WHERE YOU PUT ON A SHOW BUT THE KIND OF SMILE THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE WHO SAW THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST SO ENRAPTURED WITH EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE THERE'S A GLOW THAT EMANATED FROM MIKE AND MARIA THE KIND OF JOY THAT IS UNCOMMON HE WAS TALL AND DARK HAIRED AND BLUE EYES RIDICULOUSLY GOOD LOOKING IT WAS COMPLETELY JEALOUS OF HIS HEIGHT AND ANGIE WOULD MARVEL AT THE DELICATE BEAUTY OF MISS MARIA WEARING HER DEEP RED LIPSTICK AND HOW SHE EASILY PULLED OFF WEARING SUNGLASSES INDOORS HOW SHE COULD ROCK A HAT BUT THEN AS BROTHER MICHAEL'S LEADERSHIP SKILLS BEGAN TO BE SHOWCASED AND THE CHILDREN CAME WE HAD ANOTHER VIEW WE BEGAN EXPERIENCING A PARENTING STYLE SO UNIQUELY POSITIONED NOT AS PROGRESSIVE OR CONSERVATIVE BUT AS A PARTNERSHIP TO THEIR STRENGTHS WOVEN WITH HUMILITY THIS IS OFTEN TOUTED BUT RARELY ACHIEVED MISS MARIA SHE HELD THE LINE WHERE BROTHER MIKE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SOFTER TOUCH AND OLIVIA ABBY AND JOSH WERE RAISED IN THE WAYS THEY SHOULD GO AS YOU'VE SEEN EXPRESSED HERE OLIVIA WITH YOUR ETHEREAL CONTEMPLATIVE THEOLOGICAL ARTISTIC APPROACH TO THINGS ABBY WITH HER LAUGH OUT LOUD SEIZED LIFE BY THE HORNS ATHLETICISM AND THERE WAS JOSH QUIETLY WATCHING SMILING RILEY AND YOU SAW IT HERE TODAY YOU KNOW YOU DID SMILING AT SOMETHING THAT'S TOO FUNNY TO EXPLAIN TO US MERE MORTALS THAT HE'D HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN IT HE WAS ALWAYS TEN REMAINS SWINGING FOR THE FENCES THESE CHILDREN GREW UP IN A HOME AS YOU'VE HEARD FILLED WITH LOVE AND A HUNGER A HUNGER TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER EVEN WHEN THEY MAY NOT HAVE LIKED EACH OTHER TOO MUCH FROM TIME TO TIME AND FOR ALL OF MIKE'S LEADERSHIP ABILITIES SKILL SETS ACCOMPLISHMENTS INFLUENCES AND POSITIONS HEALED ON VARIOUS BOARDS HE HAD A VERY STRUCTURED TEAR OF PRIORITY HIS LOVE OF SAVIOR HIS ADORATION OF MARIA HIS VERY DEEP LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN AND FAMILY HIS FRIENDS AND FINALLY OUR GREAT OLATHE COMMUNITY NOW SOME OF YOU MAY BE THINKING GREAT OLATHE WAS LAST ON OUR MAYOR'S LIST OF HIS PRIORITIES BUT I WOULD SAY FRAN THAT THIS IS EXACTLY THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MADE HIM SUCH AN[01:45:02]
AMAZING LEADER OF OUR COMMUNITY HE PRIORITIZED THAT WHICH WAS MOST IMPORTANT IN SO DOING HE WAS ABLE TO LOVE AND LEAD OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF HIS GREAT HEART YOU KNOW IF I WERE WE WERE TO GO TO THE COPELAND HOME AND YOU WOULD FIND THAT IT WAS NOT JUST THE LOCATION THE LAND OR THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE THAT MAKES IT SO GREAT ALTHOUGH MARIA YOU'RE HOME THERE IS AN ESSENCE THERE THAT SORT OF MAKES THE GUESTS FEEL IMMEDIATELY RELAXED THERE'S A SORT OF ACCESSIBILITY A VIBRANCE OF HOSPITALITY THAT IS EMITTED FROM THEIR HOME IT'S SORT OF LIKE YOU CAN PUT YOUR FEET UP ON THE OTTOMAN AND NOT BE JUDGED FOR IT BUT THE ROOM I'M INVITING YOU INTO TODAY THROUGH THE ENTRY JUST OFF THE DINING ROOM WITH THE LARGE TREES JUST BEYOND THIS ROOM HAS EXPOSED BEAMS AND IT'S WRAPPED IN WINDOWS AND BEAUTIFUL CASINGS BUILT BUILT-IN SHELVING AND LOVELY APPOINTMENTS WITH VERY COMFORTABLE FURNITURE YET THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE OPPOSITE OF LIGHT MIKE'S LEATHER CHAIR IS THE GREAT FIREPLACE AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A REGULAR FIREPLACE WE ALL HAVE IN OUR HOMES I LOVE OUR HOME I'M EVEN LIKE OUR LITTLE FIREPLACE BUT I HAVE TO MAKE A CONFESSION HERE I COVET THEIR FIREPLACE IT'S NOT THAT IT'S QUAINT IT'S NOT THAT IT'S OPULENT IT'S JUST MAMMOTH AND IT'S INVITING IT'S A TYPE OF TYPE OF FIREPLACE WHERE YOU'D SEE I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT YOU'D SEE IT IN DOWNTON ABBEY OKAY IT'S HUMONGOUS SHADRACH RESHACK AND I BET AGO WOULD FIND IT VERY FAMILIAR IN THERE OKAY IT'S ABOUT YAY HIGH AND CONGRUENTLY ABOUT THIS WIDE AND IT'S ARCH JUST TRYING TO TOUCH THE ROUGH-HEWN MANTLE ABOVE THE RAW BRICK WALLS WITHIN THE THICK AND STRONG AND DEEP ARE BLACKENED BY THE BURNING FLAMES THAT HAVE FLICKERED THE BRICK HEARTH THOUGH ISN'T RAISED IT ISN'T PROMINENT IT SUBTLY MOVES OUTWARD WITHOUT MUCH FANFARE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SIMPLE PINES WRAPPED IN BURLAP ON EACH SIDE WITH A FEW CANDLES HELD HIGH IN THEIR BRONZED GOLD STANDS THERE'S A COUPLE OF CREAM FLUIDLY BOOKENDING THE SPACE AND THEN THERE'S THE CROSS BOUND TOGETHER BY TWINE LAY JUST A BIT TO THE LEFT OF THAT WIDE HEARTH THE HEART THAT HAS PROTECTED THOUSANDS OF CONVERSATIONS AND SERVED TO REVERBERATE LAUGHTER AND ABSORB THE MANY TEARS OVER THE YEARS THE HEARTH PROTECTS THE HOME'S FLOOR FROM HEAT AND FLYING EMBERS AND SPARKS AND BURNING LOGS THAT MAY ROLL OUT OF THE FIREPLACE AND WHILE ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO CREATE A LAYER OF PROTECTION A HEARTH IS ALSO USED AS A SPACE TO PLACE TOOLS AND BUCKETS OF ASH AND WOOD THE HEARTH EXISTS TO PROTECT AND TO BEAUTIFY MICHAEL COPELAND WAS NOT SIMPLY A NICE MAN MICHAEL COPELAND WAS NOT JUST A CONSUMMATE OPTIMIST MICHAEL COPELAND HAD A HEART TO LIFT UP AND TO SERVE OTHERS HIS LIFE WAS ONE OF HOPE AND HIS LIFE WAS A HEARTH OF SERVICE AND HE LIVED TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE NOW HE IS GREAT AT CUTTING RABBITS AND GIVING SPEECHES BUT IF YOU EVER CAME IN CONTACT WITH HIM AS YOU'VE HEARD EXPRESSED TODAY YOU ARE EXPERIENCED A GENTLE MAN HE WAS A GENTLEMAN BUT HE WAS A GENTLE MAN WHO MADE EACH WHO FELL UNDER THE GAZE OF THOSE BLUE EYES WHICH MISS MARIA FELL IN LOVE FEEL LIKE WE WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT I TOLD MISS MARIA AFTER ARRIVING IN THEIR HOME THAT NIGHT THAT MORNING I SAID HE TOLD ME THINGS HE NEVER TOLD ANYONE AND IT'S TRUE IT JUST SO HAPPENS IT'S TRUE FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE HUNDRED OTHER PEOPLE TOO RIGHT IT'S JUST THE WAY HE IS HE CHERISHED MICHAEL COPELAND CHERISHED PEOPLE AND HIS HEART BEAT FOR OTHERS AND FROM THAT TIME TO THIS MICHAEL CARRIED FORWARD HIS PASSION FOR HIS ALMA MATER AT AMERICA NASHVILLE UNIVERSITY PURSUING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND CULTIVATING A PASSION TO SERVE MIKE WAS CALLED TO OLATHE HE WAS CALLED TO OLATHE LIKE MANY OF US HERE AT WORK AND AT HOME MICHAEL FELT A CALL TO THIS COMMUNITY THE BENEDICTINE MONKS THEY CALL IT A VOW OF STABILITY WHEN ONE DEDICATES THEIR LIFE TO SERVE IN A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY FOR LIFE AND MICHAEL RECEIVED HIS CALL WHILE LISTENING TO A SERMON OR DR CUNNINGHAM THE CHARTER PASTOR THIS CHURCH WHO[01:50:02]
PASSED AWAY A FEW WEEKS AGO AT THAT TIME MIKE WAS TRAVELING AS YOU'VE HEARD A BUNCH IF FOLLOWING THAT MESSAGE HE WAS COMPELLED TO SERVE THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY I BELIEVE IN THAT MOMENT HIS HEART EXPANDED THAT DAY GOD GAVE HIM A GREATER CAPACITY TO LOVE AND TO LOVE US FROM HIM AND YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT GOD DOES HE EXPANDS OUR CAPACITY TO LOVE HE EXPANDS OUR CAPACITY FOR TO FORGIVE HE EXPANDS OUR CAPACITY TO SERVE AND THAT'S WHY HE IS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN THE GREAT COUNSELOR THE GREAT COMFORTER HE KNOWS THE NARROWING AND THE HARDENING OF EVERY VESSEL HE KNOWS EVERY CHAMBER EVERY PRESSURE EVERY VALVE THERE ARE THOSE WHO WORK TO GET AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO LIKE OUR MICHAEL WORKED TO GIVE AND AS WE FIND IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW 24 THAT IN A WORLD FULL OF SUSPICION AND CYNICISM AND SELFISHNESS THERE COULD BE A COLDNESS IN THE WORLD THAT PUSHES ONE TO ISOLATE THEMSELVES FROM OTHERS CAUSING ONE HEART TO GROW COLD BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU AND YOU'VE HEARD ALREADY SPOKEN VERY WELL MUCH BETTER THAN I THAT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY A WAY THAT REMOVES THE WEARINESS OF THE GRIND A WAY THAT MOVES US FROM BEYOND OURSELVES A WAY THAT IMBUED INTO MICHAEL A COMPASSION THAT IS WELL BEYOND HIS CAPACITY THIS ISN'T ABOUT BEING POSITIVE THIS IS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION IT'S NOT ABOUT A FACELIFT IT'S ABOUT RESTORATION IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING CONSIDERATE IT'S ABOUT BEING FILLED WITH COMPASSION TO HAVE A HEART LIKE MIKE'S WELL IT JUST ISN'T SIMPLE IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME SORT OF SURGERY AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ONE THAT REQUIRES A CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEON I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY ABOUT OUR CREATOR WHO TELLS US IN JOHN 10 10 THAT THE THIEF ONLY COMES TO STEAL TO KILL AND DESTROY BUT HE OUR SAVIOR COMES THAT WE MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL BY PUTTING OUR HAND IN THE HAND OF THE MAN WHO PARTS THE WATERS AND CALMS THE SEAS HE CAN GUIDE US THROUGH THE HURRICANES OF LIFE AND NAVIGATE US THROUGH GLOBAL PANDEMICS HE HEALS RELATIONSHIPS HE MAKES THE WAY STRAIGHT HE'S OUR EDUCATOR HE'S OUR PROVIDER HE'S OUR COMFORTER HE IS OUR STRONG TOWER HE IS THE FIRE THAT BURNS ETERNAL THE FIREPLACES OF OUR HEARTS HE PROVIDES THE GLOW WE PROVIDE THE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WARM THEIR FEET AND UPON THE HEARTH OF OUR LIVES WE PROVIDE A PLACE FOR OTHERS TO WARM THEIR LIVES FROM THE COLD OF THIS WORLD WE HOLD HIS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO SET DOWN THEIR BUCKETS OF ASHES OF DOUBT AND DISAPPOINTMENT EVEN FROM THE LOSS OF A HUSBAND A FATHER A BROTHER A SON A FRIEND A MAYOR OUR GOD CAN DO THAT THROUGH THE FORGIVENESS AND HEALING OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST WE NEED ONLY TO ASK AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE CUT'S TOO DEEP OR THE ANGUISH IS TOO GREAT THE LONELINESS SO THROUGHOUT THAT WE JUST CANNOT MANAGE ONE MORE WORD IT CAN BE SEEN TO BE DIFFICULT EVEN TO TAKE THE NEXT BREATH WELL I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT GOD TAKES CARE OF THAT TOO THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD SHOWS US ROMANS 8 AND THE SAME WAY THE SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE OUGHT TO PRAY FOR BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US THIS MEANS THAT WHEN WE CANNOT HE CAN AND HE WILL SPEAK IN OUR BEHALF HE IS OUR ADVOCATE HE IS FOR US HE WILL MAKE A WAY WHEN IT SEEMS DARK AND BLEAK AND WITHOUT A PATH FORWARD HE IS HOPE THESE INTANGIBLES THAT MANY LOOK UPON AS SIMPLY SOFT EUPHEMISMS MEANT TO COMFORT THESE ARE TRANSFORMATIONAL WE WHO PLACE OUR TRUST AND HOPE IN THE LORD WELL IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHEN OUR HEART STOPS BEATING TOO SOON WHEN WE THINK OF THE DEEP LOSS WE KNOW THAT WE CAN CARRY ON NOW FOR ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ATTRIBUTED UNDER MICHAEL'S WATCH HE ALWAYS DEFERRED TO HIS TEAM AND FOR THE HUNDREDS OF MILES OF ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS PARKS BUILDINGS OLATHE WATER WE LEVEL LATHE THE WATER HEALTHCARE EXCELLENT THRIVING LATE THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL BOARD OUR CITY COUNCIL OUR EXCELLENT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OUR LEADERSHIP BELIEF AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS WE STILL CANNOT CROSS THE SANTA FE BRIDGE OVER I-35 WE'RE WORKING ON IT BUT YOU'LL SEE THE WORKERS EVEN NOW WORKING DILIGENTLY AND THE WORK CARRIES ON MICHAEL'S WORK CARRIES ON THE VISION CARRIES ON THE[01:55:02]
COMMUNITY CARRIES ON HIS FAITH OUR FAITH CARRIES ON OH TRY I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE HAD I DON'T HAVE WHAT HE HAD ALL RIGHT SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU HOW IS YOUR FIRE DOES IT NEED TENDING ARE THERE ANY EMBERS HAS THE FIRE GONE OUT IS THE FIREPLACE COLD WELL THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND YOU JUST SIMPLY BOW OUT THE HEARTH OF YOUR LIFE AND HE WILL SEND THE WIND OF RENEWAL AND FAN OF THE FLAME THAT WHICH HAS GONE OUT AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU HE MAKES A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY I KNOW IT'S AUGUST IT IS BLAZING HOT OUTSIDE AMEN BUT LET'S NOT WAIT TILL CHRISTMAS TO TEND TO OUR FIRES JUST ASK CHRIST TO TAKE IT OVER AND YOU CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ADMIT YOU'VE NOT BEEN TAKING GOOD CARE OF THAT WHICH YOU'VE BEEN ENTRUSTED SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD WE HAVE WE'VE ALLOWED THAT WHICH IS SHINY TO REPLACE THAT WHICH IS MEANINGFUL SO GIVE HIM ALL THE BUCKETS OF SOOT AND SORROW OF YOUR LIFE AND ASK ASK HIM BELIEVE ON HIM TO GIVE YOU THAT SPARK AGAIN TO RE SET YOUR LIFE AND HE WILL AND CONFESS IT TO SOMEONE YOU TRUST AS THE ONE WHOM YOU ARE NOW BELIEVING AND BECAUSE THIS FIRE FRIENDS WAS MEANT TO BE SPREAD HE'LL EVEN PROVIDE THE WOOD THE FUEL AND HE WILL I PROMISE HE WILL GET WITH ANOTHER THAT YOU TRUST AND ASK FOR HELP AND HELP WILL BE GIVEN WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF INTANGIBLES WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF HOPE GOD'S BACK IS GOD'S BACK IS NOT TURNED AGAINST US HE IS FOR US IT'S JUST LIKE THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PROGRAM THAT READS OLIVIA ABIGAIL AND JOSHUA EXPRESSED HER DADDY WE LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT MIKE ALWAYS TOLD THEM THAT AND THEY REPEATED IT BACK AND FORTH TO ONE ANOTHER AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS THIS FRIENDS BUT THIS ISN'T JUST CUTE IT'S NOT JUST CHARMING THIS IS THE REAL RESULT OF A PERSON AND PERSONS A PARENTING COUPLE PLANTING EMBERS OF FAITH HOPE AND LOVE INTO THE NEXT GENERATION AND INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR LATHA COMMUNITY THESE ARE THE EMBERS THAT EVEN THE LATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WON'T CARE ABOUT OKAY THESE EMBERS WILL GLOW AND GROW INTO STRONG FLAMES OF HOPE IT'S THE KIND OF LOVE THAT ONLY COULD COME FROM THE FATHER AND HE WANTS TO REUNITE THE FIRES OF HOPE IN OUR HEARTS AND LIKE MICHAEL UPON OUR HEARTS WE WILL BEAUTIFY THE OTHER LIVES OF OTHERS AND SAFEGUARD THEM FROM THE COLD NOW MATT AND CASEY ARE GOING TO COME AND PUT THEIR ACCOMPANIMENTS THEY'RE GOING TO SING A SONG FOR US THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE VERY VERY MEANINGFUL TO US AS WE CLOSE THEIR TIME TOGETHER NOW WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THESE MOMENTS WE'D LIKE FOR YOU JUST TO TAKE A BREATH WHETHER YOU'RE SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE YOUR HOME YOUR DORM OR IN THIS SPACE WE INVITE YOU SIMPLY JUST TO CLOSE YOUR EYES JUST FOR A MOMENT WE'VE GOT TIME RECEIVE THIS BLESSING THE GOD IS FOR YOU AND IF YOU LISTEN YOU'LL HEAR MICHAEL'S LAUGHTER YOU'LL HEAR HIS CHARACTER HIS JOY AND THE INTANGIBLES WE'VE HEARD ABOUT SO MUCH TODAY THIS IS HIS MISSION THIS IS HIS CALL THIS IS THE WHY BEHIND EVERYTHING HE DID ALLOW THE WORDS TO WASH OVER YOU MARIA AND OLIVIA AND LITTLE ABBY AND SWEET JOSH RECEIVE THIS BLESSING IT'S FOR ALL OF US WE SERVE TO CARRY CHRIST'S PEACE FORWARD WE ALL OF US WILL CARRY ON MICHAEL'S MISSION AND WILL HONOR HIM KNOWING WHO COMPELLED HIM HE CAN ALSO COMPEL US [MUSIC] LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE[02:00:02]
[MUSIC] MAN [MUSIC] IT [MUSIC] MAY'S FAVOR BE UPON YOU AND A THOUSAND GENERATIONS AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN MAY HIS PRESENCE GO BEFORE YOU AND BEHIND WITH YOU IN THE MORNING [MUSIC] HE [MUSIC] OH MAN [MUSIC] LORD BLESS YOU [MUSIC] YOUR [MUSIC] PEACE [MUSIC] DID YOU BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY WITH ME PLEASE [MUSIC] FATHER MAKING YOUR FACE SHINE UPON US TO TURN TOWARD US GOD TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH YOU SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE BUT WE KNOW THROUGH YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR FATHER WE KNOW YOU HAVE MADE A WAY AND AS YOUR CREATION AS YOUR CHILDREN WE KNOW YOU'RE GENTLY HOLDING US IN THE PALM OF YOUR TENDER LOVING HAND BE NEAR MARIA AND OLIVIA ABBY AND JOSHUA THEIR EXTENDED FAMILIES THEIR NEIGHBORS OUR CITYWIDE TEAMS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS OUR GOVERNMENT THE CITIZENS OF THIS WONDERFUL CITY BEAUTIFUL THAT WE CALL LATHA AND THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED TO BE HERE FROM SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES FATHER GOD REVEAL YOUR HEART TO US AND BE THE HEARTH OF OUR SERVICE BE EVER BEFORE THE WARMTH OF YOURS AMEN AND NOW IN OUR TRADITION WE TURN OUR PALMS UPWARD TO RECEIVE HIS BLESSING SO MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU MAY THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO YOU THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE AMEN MR ROBIN I BELIEVE IS GOING TO DISMISS US TONIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IN JUST A MOMENT WE WILL BE ESCORTING THE FAMILY AND THE CASKET BEARERS OUT OF THE SANCTUARY AND WILL BE DEPARTING FOR A PRIVATE GRAVESIDE SERVICE WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE ESCORT THE FAMILY AND WE WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE REMAIN SEATED UNTIL AN USHER CAN SAFELY DISMISS[02:05:02]
YOU FROM THE BUILDING ON BEHALF OF THE COPELAND FAMILY WE WISH TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENCE WITH THEM TODAY AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS THANK YOU[02:33:50]
YOU* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.