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Print While St. Patrick’s Day found Indianapolis celebrating the legend of St. Patrick, Calvary Tabernacle, in the same city, was celebrating the life of a truly legendary man in the Apostolic movement—Reverend Nathaniel A. Urshan. On March 16th and 17th the saints of Calvary Tabernacle hosted the visitation and funeral for their beloved Pastor Emeritus, Bro. Urshan. The location was meaningful because Bro. Urshan had pastored Calvary Tabernacle for 30 years before moving to St. Louis as the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI). The setting for the viewing for was unique. The casket was placed on the platform with chairs for the family set below at the front of the church in the altar area. (This worked well keeping long lines from forming.) Urshan loved people and people loved him. This was evident in the two days of visitation and funeral where there was a steady stream of people paying their respects. The visitors were numerous and diverse. There were UPCI officials, ministers and their families, representatives of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), missionaries, and Calvary Tabernacle saints and acquaintances. It was beautiful to see the many types of people whose lives had been affected by this man. It was said many times in his funeral that Urshan could mingle with the “best in the world” and the “little guy.” It was touching to see many people come who had once been pastored by him, but who no longer attended church. One man came that had attended Calvary Christian School and said that he just wanted to come to pay his respects because Urshan had been so kind to him and his family. He mentioned that Urshan’s passing had made him think and that he would like to get together to talk with my husband. The funeral was also unique in that it was broadcast live on the internet. I have heard that the server had 3,197 hits during the service. The day after the funeral one viewer e-mailed the church to say that they had made a commitment to rededicate their life to God. It’s not surprising that his memory was touching people just as his life had done. The funeral was about four hours long and chock full of wonderful stories. Bro. Anthony Mangun was the Master of Ceremonies and tried, to no avail, to keep the nineteen speakers to their allotted five minutes. But it was good. There were just too many things to relive, too many stories to tell. We heard how Urshan loved the work of God and expected those who worked for him to love it as much as he did. Bro. Jerry Jones told a comical story about he played golf with Bro. Rex Johnson instead of attending chapel only to be confronted by Urshan, who couldn’t understand golf over chapel. Pastor Paul Mooney told of Urshan sometimes spending hours after a service on the platform talking to numerous people about different situations. (I watched this as a young teenager in the church and wondered why he did it. Through the years I figured out the rationale of Bro. Urshan—God’s work and God’s people were important.) Civic dignitaries were represented. Condolences from President George W. Bush were delivered by former Indianapolis Mayor, Stephen Goldsmith. Goldsmith also spoke of Urshan’s influence on his life and that of his wife. The service maintained an atmosphere of celebration. There were moments of worship to God, and one Apostolic eruption when Bishop James Tyson of the Indianapolis PAW quoted with authority, the scripture proclaiming the grave not having victory and about the resurrection. It was as though God, through his servant, had given His voice to the many others. There were video clips of Urshan preaching General Conference with one final clip which ended the service with him powerfully saying, “Amen…amen…amen…” and the congregation echoing. The coffin was appropriately carried on March 18th down the steps of the old Calvary Tabernacle, steps Urshan had walked almost every day for 30 years. Legend may tell that his footprints may still be seen on those steps, but fact tells us that spiritually his footprints are on the hearts of multiplied thousands. Truly, Urshan was legendary. He was, as the funeral program stated, “A Man of Destiny.”
ninetyandnine.com © 2005, Candace Barcus ---------- Candi Barcus is happily married to her prince Charles and has two daughters, Erica and Brittany. She teaches Old and New Testament Women at Indiana Bible College and Youth in the Bible at Calvary Christian Schools. She was raised at Calvary Tabernacle and really does think Bro. Urshan could have walked on water if he had so desired. |
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