Tim Redovian Memorial Fund

Dr. Larry Parsley, Dunwoody Baptist Church

"We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of Tim Redovian. You are here today because Tim’s life has some how touched you. And we hope to do several things through this service this morning. First of all, we want to celebrate Tim’s loves and so we are pleased this morning to have the show choir, Highleit, from Avondale High School, who will be singing "Starting Here Starting Now" in just a moment. Tim loved music and theatre, was active in both. We are also pleased to have Tim’s voice teacher, Dawn Marie James, who will be singing Tim’s favorite song 'The Boatmen's Dance' in just a moment as well. We are here to celebrate Tim’s loves. We are here to celebrate Tim’s life. We are pleased to have two friends Aaron Bokros and Christine Heppner who will help us to do that. We are also pleased to have Tim’s brother and sister, Danny Redovian and Kelly Hughes, who will also help us to do that. We are also here today to find hope on what feels like a hopeless day. Psalm 90: verse 12 says, “Teach us to number our days right that we may gain a heart of wisdom”. When you look at the incredible things which Tim accomplished in just sixteen years, you almost get the feeling that Tim was in fact numbering his days. You almost get the feeling that Tim was cramming as much zest and as much life into his days as anyone could.

"If you read the obituary in yesterday’s paper you got a glimpse of some of Tim’s extraordinary accomplishments. You learned, if you didn’t already know, that he was a reporter and a movie reviewer for CNN’s 'Real News for Kids.' You learned that he did voice-over work on the radio and for the Cartoon Network. You learned that he had performed in local theatres. You learned that he participated in the Governors Honors Program. But what that article could not capture for you was Tim’s personality, his love, his humor, his self-confidence. That article could not have captured for you the kid who loved to embarrass his family members in public places, whether Shoney’s or the World Series. That article could not have captured the child who was so prodigious that he could do a 300 piece puzzle at age three or the kid who was so self-confident that he bet his brothers he could eat a dozen donuts; it doesn’t matter that he ate only three. Just the bravado of that bet says a lot. The teenager who was so secure in himself that he could wear a lime green bowling shirt and carry a Power Rangers lunch box to high school. As I listened to the family members talk about Tim’s life a couple of days ago I concluded, as I’m sure you have concluded, that Tim Redovian was an original. The youngest of six children he could have easily been intimidated by the achievements of his older siblings but instead Tim charted a new course. Tim charted a course which delighted and amazed his family and his friends.

"A year and a half ago in this sanctuary Tim stood about right there and he read a passage of scripture at his sister Lorie’s wedding. The passage that he read is traditionally used in wedding ceremonies to speak of the love that a husband and wife ought to have for one another but as I listened to the family describe Tim I think the passage that Tim read applies equally to the kind of love that Tim had for life, for his family, for his friends, and for people of all ages. And I wanted to read that passage to you, a passage about love at its best from 1 Cor: 13. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my bodies to flames but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it s does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.'

"May we pray. Now Lord this morning we give you thanks for the love Tim had for life, for the love that Tim had for the folks who sit in this room, and for so many others. We give you thanks for a legacy that he leaves with us.

And yet also Lord we come, needing to be reminded perhaps of how much you love us, how we’re depending upon your love to get us through today. We’re depending upon your strength to help us when our strength falters. We’re depending upon a supernatural hope this morning Lord when our hope may fail. Strengthen us and comfort us today Lord so that we may appropriately celebrate an incredible life and remember an unbelievable family member and friend, we pray for your love and your comfort and your strength and your hope today in your name, Amen."