I recently received an email from a friend from my former church – Marty. In response to his email, I mentioned that two brothers – Richard and Andrew -- were coming to visit from CA in order to attend our Youth Minister’s wedding this weekend. They will be traveling with us to State College, PA to witness the nuptials.

Jonathan Stube had worked with me in CA as my Youth Minister and I recruited him to join me here. He had gotten to know Richard and Andrew very well. Obviously Jonathan has made a significant impact on their lives. Why else would two big strong guys be willing to fly across the country to attend a wedding?

Marty is best friends with the boy’s father. They served together in the Marine Corps at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow during the Reagan years. They formed a strong bond of friendship that has endured drunken brawls and other Marine Corpse misadventures, two marriages, one divorce, numerous and diverse financial roller-coasters, four “fresh starts,” several cross-country moves, one kidney transplant, a wife with cancer, and hurricane Katrina – did I mention that Marty had moved back to his home town near Slidell, LA?

In other words, Marty’s friendship with Richard and Andrew’s father is just another example of a typical journey shared among friends through the high adventure that is the human experience.

Marty has known Richard and Andrew all their lives. He is a second father to them. In his email he refers to them by the nickname he gave them so long ago: Frank and Jessie. As in Frank and Jessie James? The Outlaw bandits who used to rob trains and spread mayhem throughout the old west?

As Richard and Andrew’s rector, I always thought Marty’s nickname to be uniquely appropriate.

Anyway, after I mentioned Richard and Andrew’s upcoming visit, Marty sent this response:

Dude…A road trip with Frank and Jessie? Actually, I saw both of them when they were in Bay St. Louis on their mission trip. They’ve turned out to be fine young men. Ten years ago, I would have bet lots of money that one of them would be incarcerated by now. They are living proof of what a faithful covenant community can accomplish.

Marty got it just right. Richard and Andrew are living proof of what a faithful covenant community can accomplish.

But then again, so am I.