Hall of Fame: Teresa Reep

Hall of Fame Week began yesterday, and today we induct another very special former FUMC-K youth into this elite group.  It's not just every student who gets picked to go to national leadership training event while in high school; it is a rare teenager indeed that gets hired by the youth pastor to help he and his intern stay organized (after her junior year in high school);  and it is most unusual for youth group members to have songs written about them.  But all of these things are true of Teresa Reep, and they are just a part of the reasons she belongs in my Youth Group Hall of Fame.

My relationship with Teresa did not get off to a flying start.  She and her twin sister Cyndi were 7th grade students when I arrived in Kissimmee, and I could not tell them apart.  Twins (unless it suits their own purposes!) don't like to be called by the other ones' name, and so I seldom called either of them by name in those early days.  The Reeps lived in Orlando and attended a different school than the Kissimmee kids, and they seemed a little shy and insecure.  They got over it.  I soon had no trouble telling them apart, and they both became integral parts of our ministry.  It is hard to imagine my FUMC-K group without them.

As she grew older, Teresa began to take more and more of a leadership role.  She led through her faithfulness, both to her God and her youth group.  She led through her singing anytime we had music and worship.  She led through her attitude and her contagious smile and laughter.  She was a pillar of our youth family, and I (and the other students) counted on her for many things.  When my old buddy Duffy Robbins put together a National Student Leadership Conference in Philadelphia in 1997 (I think), we decided to send two students, and Teresa was an obvious choice.  In the summer of '98 (again, I think- these two things may have been the same summer; I am getting old you know!) Jerry Hanbery and I wanted to bring someone in to help us with communication and organization, so we hired (I use that term lightly; she was mostly paid in free lunches!) Teresa to help us out, and she was wonderful.  The only problem was every time we let her pick where to go for lunch, she chose the Macaroni Grill, when we were on more of a Krystal Burger budget!  We loved having her around the office.  Many was the night when she would come and eat dinner with me before our Wednesday Night Live program.   She and I had great conversations about our youth family, her life (and her "thing" for male fire fighters; I even had one surprise her in full fire-fighting gear at her Senior Roast!), my life and our faith.  I look back on those times spent in my office and around restaurant tables with great affection.

One of my favorite Teresa stories involves Myrtle Beach.  We were sitting around the Betsy B (future home of my Hall of Fame as soon as one of you buys it for me!) one evening having our house devotions, when for reasons I don't remember I wrote a song about she and Cyndi- right there on the spot!  The song was called Too Many Reeps.  I remember the tune and the last line of the chorus:  "Oh Lord, we have two too many Reeps!"  I remember everyone howling with laughter, and exchanging a look with Teresa that told me how special it made her feel.  Through her participation, her leadership and her smile, she always made me feel that way...

In an odd twist of fate, Teresa, her husband Eric and their daughter Emma now live in Greensboro, NC- the town I grew up in!  The last time I saw her was in May of 2006 (the morning of my father's memorial service at New Garden Friends Meeting) at Tex and Shirley's Pancake House, a place I had visited often in my own high school days.  It was like no time had passed at all.  She is now working for a United Methodist Church as their communications director.  Jerry and I take full credit for training her!  The picture at the top is one she gave me in a frame when she was still in high school (note the Twin Towers still standing in the background).  I am fairly certain I took it.  Teresa was much more than a great part of my student ministry- she was (and is) a wonderful friend who meant more to me than I can put into words.  There is absolutely no doubt that she deserves an honored spot in my Hall of Fame.  Welcome to the club, Teresa!  Looking back, I was wrong- you can never have too many Reeps! 

Because of Jesus,