John Byers, whom I knew as Bishop John, passed away on Tuesday evening. 

I met Bishop John through Mark Palmer.  He was the Bishop of the great lakes region of the Brethren in Christ church, the denomination the Landing Place was formed in.

Bishop John exemplified all that was good about that group: the way they embraced Mark and Jennifer and the vision they had for LP, the support they gave in buying the home at 64 King, the community they showed during Jen’s sickness and death…and Mark’s sickness and death.

It’s real strange, but the last two nights I’ve been having dreams about the LP and Mark and some others associated with that group: Kevin Rains and others.  On Monday night I had a really intense dream about Mark and I traveling somewhere together (as we did to the Great Lakes BIC conference where we spent time with Bishop John).  Except this was more of a wilderness retreat and for a portion of it, Mark was missing.  I found him later in the dream in a cave where he had holed himself up to pray.  In the dream, I had the impression that he was becoming like John the Baptist.  He was speaking and gesturing kind of wildly and it reminded me of seeing him in real life in the hospital and struggling with the drugs in him.

I don’t often dream of Mark or Jennifer anymore.  But I do still miss them.  And I’ll miss Bishop John.  As little as I knew him, his warmth, support, encouragement and spiritual guidance I know was a huge part of the Landing Place.  I’d venture to say without Bishop John, there’d be no Landing Place, at least as it looks now.