Remembering Richie

Occasionally the world is graced with a person of extraordinary and infectious faith, dogged determination, and an abundance of spirit.  Richie Merritt was that kind of person.  Yesterday we lost his physical presence among us as Richie left to join his daughter at the feet of Jesus.  After a valiant yearlong fight against cancer, Richie Merritt passed away on Monday afternoon, December 2nd.
 
Richie was the founding pastor of Legacy Christian Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  He came to Orchard Group with a contagious enthusiasm about planting a church in his hometown.  Richie was older than most planters, inadequately funded, and too new to ministry to be seriously considered as a lead church planter.   And yet – we hired him – because he had that unique something you cannot teach – that God inspired confidence that makes even the most suspicious say, “Now there is a man I can trust.”  You knew the church would be successful because where Richie was, the spirit of Christ was too.
 

Whenever you saw Richie, he always looked like he had been expecting you, just waiting for you to step into his life, where he could love you no strings attached. 

If you had no faith, he let you borrow some from his abundance.  If you lacked hope, Richie wouldn’t let you out of his sight until he had given you a new perspective on your life.  If you gave him the tiniest offering from your own life, he treated it as though it was the gift of a lifetime.  Richie and his warm and gentle wife, Karen, opened their home and heart to all comers, whatever their circumstances.
 
At Orchard Group, we will miss Richie greatly.  You never replace someone like Richie.  You just find a way to move on, bringing his spirit with you, ever and always a lasting legacy to the great faith of a simple, yet powerful man.
 
Richie Merritt, we will miss you.  We will miss you greatly.
 
Paul Williams
Chairman
Orchard Group