Glenneith Burgess

I am not only blessed but honored to have known the Burgess families for the past 11 years. The last 6 years have been most special to me.  I live close to Elder & Sis Burgess and the Dailys and want to thank them for making us a part of their lives. 
Elder Burgess would often be driving down our road while I was out running. He would always stop, roll down the window and say "You're gonna live to be 100". We would both laugh and he would drive off. I will never forget that big grin on his face.   
He would stop in for coffee or ice water and just make time to chat.
Elder Burgess had such a sweet and loving spirit. He was like that cold drink of water on a hot day that he preached about. He was always encouraging and refreshing. I always felt like he truly cared.
He wouldn't ever rush by on his way out the door but would stop, grab my hand or wrap his arm around me, look at me and say "Tanya, I love you and I pray for you every day" in the most sincere way. 
It didn't matter what the situation might have been he would say "Just keep living for God"!  
I will miss him every day but I am thankful for the attributes he has left in his family that we can continue to be blessed by. 
I love you all very much and send my condolences to Elder Sis Burgess, Pastor Burgess, Sis Britt Burgess, Tim, Carla, Echo, Jared, Amanda, Tyrell, Mandy and their children and the extended family as well. 
It hurts that he's gone but for him, keep running ~ keep fighting the fight.
Elder Burgess will forever be in my heart!

My earliest memories of Bro. Burgess are attending fellowship meetings with my family. I might have even slept under the pews a time or two. In our family Burgess was a household name, I would say that Burgess is to Pentecost what Ben and Jerry's is to ice cream. It's one of those things that you know these people (the Burgess Family) are not changing course no matter how hard the winds of this world blow.

I have had the opportunity in the last year and a half to hear Elder Burgess preach and observe his life. There hasn't been a time when I shook his hand that he didn't give me a hug and tell me he loved me. If you have ever tried to have a bad day... Elder Burgess is just going to ruin your pity party with his infectious smile and the love he just couldn't help spilling on you. Truly I believe that the love he has for everyone he comes in contact with is not the love from a man, but it is the love of God that is flowing 
through a fully surrendered heart. I think of Elder Burgess as a lighthouse with no obstructions in the glass a conduit through which the light of Jesus Christ can shine, and light up the darkest of nights.

The last time I was with Elder Burgess I held his hand which was very cold you could tell by his physical appearance that his body was failing him, but in all of that his spirit was stronger than ever in that moment he was still encouraging me (those words will be with me for a long time).

To Elder Burgess Family:
I want to thank you for sharing your Father/Husband with my family and all the other people he spent his time with. The time he's invested will never be lost. I believe that many future generations will still be reaping where Elder Burgess has planted.

Love you all,

The Jon Yadon Family

Brother Glenn Burgess was a kind-hearted man who loved souls, especially saints. He always wore a smile, and was quick with a joke. I remember the first time I ever heard him preach. Although he did not read a scripture, the anointing of God was on this man. He had a way of being able to reach you through your emotions. As much as I am sorry to have seen him leave this life, I rejoice for my friend who has started the final chapter of eternity...........

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.-Rev 21:4

 I’m 47 years old,  I’ve raised two kids,  I’ve lived a long time.   But nothing has ever come close to hurting me as much as this hurts me.   I know this certainly true of many others.  I want to mention something from the Bible that gives me comfort.  

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part.   But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.  ....

 

 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 

 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  

 
Every conflict,  source of trouble, pain,  or confusion we have in this life,  whether it’s with time, aging, death itself, or whether with those people we love,  happen because we see things through our own knowledge.  We can’t see it any other way; it's all we have.  

It is like a dim mirror, or dark glass.    Because our knowledge is only partial, we misunderstand everything to one degree or another.  We never get the whole picture.  My knowledge of my own self is not complete so it is faulty,  and certainly my knowledge of others is.   

My relationship with Uncle Glenneith has changed.   We’ll never again look into each other’s face and share a moment of understanding between one another.   These understandings would cause us to laugh together.  Uncle Glenneith never took himself too seriously.  He understood.  We have cried together at times,  shared a song that expressed the deepest values of love and family.   Such memories are bright in my mind,  but however deep and joyful,  they were all still only partial understandings.  

 And every partial understanding is to some degree also a misunderstanding,  but now I can no longer misunderstand him, and he’ll no longer ever misunderstand me.   I know I have caused him pain and didn’t care about it as much as I should have.    All that was based on looking through a dark mirror,  based on partial knowledge,  that is temporary and has passed away.   That is over and gone now.   Nothing is left but Love.    

We were told this would happen; only Love remains, along with faith and hope.         This is the relationship we all have with Uncle Glenneith now.   One of complete Love and nothing but Love.  Everything else is gone.  Only Love remains.

Love will not fail us.  Love never fails.      Because of Love,  everything we Hope for,  everything we Trust in,   will come.    But next time it will not come to pass,  it will come to stay.   It is not partial or temporary, it is Eternal, and it will never pass.

We’re left here to see our own self and each other  through dark and muddled vision.  Only God has complete knowledge of each of us.   We’ll keep misunderstanding why our self and others do what we do.   And we’ll keep hurting each other because of it.     But Uncle Glenneith is  beyond that now.  It hurts beyond words that I will never look into his face again in this life.   But I take comfort in the fact that now he is looking fully into the face of God.   Now he knows God completely,   just as God knows him.   

As I read all the stories and read all the wonderful things that Uncle Glenneith had done or helped people with, it upsets me until I have to stop for a moment.  I start to wonder how many people that Uncle Glenneith and Aunt Rose helped or all the lives the touched over the years of their travels to Louisiana and back to Washington State.  I do know that I was one of those people and I haven't forgotten because he believed in me.  Its odd the way you think of the little things.  I could ramble for days on certain things he said and done over the years.

I think some people think the Pentecostals are a peanut brittle company.  I remember us selling candy to pay for instruments for his church in Waynesboro, MS. He knew what hard work and faith in the Lord was. 

For those who never had the chance to hear him preach he had a way to touch anyone who would listen.  I remember Aunt Roses father spoke nothing but French but when he heard Uncle Glenneith preach it made him weep.  That's the kind of preacher he was.  He was always so far away but I could talk to him as if I lived next door.  Every time I saw him he never judged me but he always asked when I was going to get the Holy Ghost that God had plans for me and I would always tell him I will one day.  I think of it lots these days.  I can hear him say it, "Glenn you know I love you son before he or I went our way and I knew he meant it".

I remember what he told my mother, Stephanie, before his surgery, that he didn't want to pass on but that he wasn't afraid because he had preached and lived for God all his life.

He preached a sermon that I will never forget.  "The Curse of A Sound Mind".  I heard it on tape and it was about your body being worn out but your mind was still good at death.  He sat by his mothers side, Maw,  as she died and she asked him, "can you hear the angels singing Glenneith"?  "They are beautiful".  I believe Uncle Glenneith is listening to them now with his Mother and Father waiting on the rest of his family to come home.

Love You Uncle Glenneith and Family
Glenn Ashworth

 

 I know that you personally have said if there is one thing that you wanted said about you let  it be i have fought a good fight and i have kept the faith”, i have heard you say this personally in preaching many times, we  love you and miss you, but we will never forget you.

you have also lived what you preached.
 

Where does a person begin to describe a man like Uncle Glenneith.  He was a great and devoted Uncle, Dad, Friend and most of all a Man of God. He didn't only preach it but he lived it.  When we were around him we always felt loved, safe and excepted, no matter what.  We will never forget his kind voice, laughter, and most of all his encouraging words that he always gave unconditionally just when you needed to hear it the most.  We will never forget him.

To his entire family our hearts ache with you.  Glenn and I both wish we could be there with you during this difficult time.  Please know we love each and everyone of you and you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Glenn and Sheila Ashoworth
 

Words seem so inadequate in times like these but I would like to share a story of Elder Burgess I have thought on and chuckled about many times.

I had overheard a person ask him how he was doing.  His response "If I was doing any better I'd be you."  It struck me as funny so when I had the chance to use that line on him some time later I couldn't resist.  Without missing a beat he said "You'd be doing a whole lot better" 

Well, you're right, Elder... I'd be doing a whole lot better.  God bless you and thank you for impact you made on my life.
 

So much I want to say but just don't know where to begin. My Uncle, My Former Pastor and most of all my friend. I've written a poem in honor of him. I will write my memories another day.
 
A Heart Of Gold
You were the brightness in our lives
No matter how dim the day
Your prayers sustained me
When I had slipped away
You brought us hope and laughter
When life seemed so bleak
Guiding us through the hard nights
When there were no words to speak
Your heart of Gold stopped beating
You are now at rest
God has taken many on before
But when He took you,  Uncle Glenneith
He definitely took the best
I know there comes a time
When we all have to leave
But when He called you home
I couldn't help but grieve
My heart still aches with sadness
And secret tears still flow
What it meant to lose you
No one will every know
No matter how dim it may seem today
Or how dark the night may feel,
I know He'll give me peace
For His promices are real

 I've only known you about 3 years, but it feels like I've known you a life time.  I will never forget your kindness, gentleness and you being a true man of God!  I'm going to miss your friendship, but one day I plan to meet you on the other side.  Your friend forever Larry Kasinger.