In Memoriam

Two weeks after our Momentum Weekend community gathered in New York City, on May 19th our friend Tim passed away. He was instrumental in guiding the collective dream we all share in the NY Project - wondering, praying, and working together to further the church planting movement in NY and equip more leaders to reflect Jesus in loving the city. We all continue to grieve for our sweet friend and partner in this work, and our prayers remain with his wife, Kathy, and the entire Keller family. 

For Tim, the New York Project was not just a ten-year strategy, it was a vision that began forming in the early years of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. To help bring this idea to life, Tim shared his notes from a teaching he gave in 1996 to early leaders of Redeemer, before City to City even came to existence. Here is just one excerpt:

"What sort of church would lead the average New Yorkers to rejoice we were here? Who would we have to be for them to say: "I don't believe all they believe, but they really make me think, and they are doing a tremendous amount of good here. They bring a lot of people a lot of joy"?

That is what we are after. We are after joy in the city. 

A city church should not simply have a vision of what their church can be, but a vision for what their city would look like if the gospel spread rapidly through it. That means not only that many thousands would become converted and find Christ was their meaning in life. That also means that business and the arts would be conducted differently. It means that social conditions would improve in needy neighborhoods."

Tim summarized it for us this way, "In many ways it shows that the New York Project is the fruition of a vision that really was there almost from the beginning of Redeemer." And this  wasn't just the product of his own thinking; Tim was greatly influenced by many who had been serving in NY before him, and always sought to build on that work while paving the way for all who would follow. 

The NY Project believes the local church, fueled by the Holy Spirit, transforms lives and cities. We believe Jesus is the source of that joy and together, we are after joy in the city.

What a sweet friend he was to so many - a spiritual father who helped many of us love Jesus and others better. And what a gift he leaves with his legacy. 

In New York as it is in Heaven,

Mai Hariu-Powell 
Executive Director, the New York Project