Hall of Fame: Jacob Lupfer

My regular readers may have noticed that the name Jacob Lupfer shows up a lot in stories about the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee.  There is a reason for that.  Jacob was a leader in our student ministry.  He played keyboard in our Youth Praise Band; he spoke on Youth Sunday 1999; he was active in many of our trips and ministries.  Jacob was the other person (see Teresa Reep) we sent to the National Student Leadership Conference in Philadelphia.  That event changed his life in many ways, but that is not my story to tell.  This one is; and it is a story worthy of an inductee into my Youth Group Hall of Fame!

The picture above was taken in New York at the end of a great adventure for Jacob.  We were walking in lower Manhattan, having been to the Statue of Liberty and heading towards a subway station that would take us to Chinatown for dinner.  I was not too familiar with the route we were taking, and we wandered a few backstreets in search of the station.  At some point, on some unknown road, we came upon a van and some guys selling knock-off t-shirts.  If you have been to the City, then you know that on many street corners you can buy bogus designer sun glasses (Foakleys). handbags, watches and much more.  Jacob (and many others) were looking to buy such items as gifts to take home to family members, because to do so was to save a bunch of money.  And even at this young age, Jacob liked saving money.  So when we discovered this van, Jacob stopped and went shopping.  He stepped into the back of the van and began wheeling and dealing for some fake Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts.  Just as the deal began to go down, an unexpected thing happened.  Another van- this one belonging to the New York city police department, arrived on the scene.  They entered the other van and asked Jacob to step outside, while they began to arrest the t-shirt salesmen.  Jacob looked shaken.  He stood just outside the van and began to tell us his problem.  They guys had taken his $20, and he didn't have any shirts.  This was not going to work for Jacob, who was very close with his money.  When the police came out of the van, Jacob let them know that he was out some money, and they responded by getting Jacob his money back- AND his t-shirts!  We were all astonished that Jacob got it all and avoided prosecution himself...

As that tale was told over the following weeks and months, it became about Jacob's near arrest, which, of course, never happened.  A headline in The UMYF Enquirer the following month screamed Jacob Lupfer Says "I'll Kill Again!"  In truth, Jacob was one of the most outstanding student/scholar/Christ-followers it was ever my honor to have in one of my youth groups.  He was the kind of teenager whom his peers naturally followed, both at church and at school.  He took his faith seriously, seeking to grow as a Christian.  He cared for people, and often checked on friends (both youth and adult) to see how things were going in their lives.  His family (including brother Matt and sister Lindsey, both great youth group members themselves)  played a huge role in my ministry in Kissimmee, and I have nothing but great memories of that family.  He came to see us when we lived in the Chicago area, and we attended a Cubs game in April, nearly freezing to death!  He worked at FUMC-K for a period of time, and is now at Georgetown University pursuing a graduate degree.  Jacob was a good friend, a great human being, and a worthy member of my Hall of Fame.  Welcome, Jacob.  We are still pulling for a full pardon...

Because of Jesus,