In honor of Dick and Kim’s “retirement” from the Pipe Ministry at First Prez, I wanted to share a few thoughts about this incredible couple we all love and respect.
Bear with me as I turn back the clock 13 years.
I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going. I’d been living by myself for several months in the middle of the middle of nowhere in southwest Georgia working for Habitat for Humanity International and doing freelance writing for a newspaper in Albany. I was going nuts in the home of Jimmy Carter.
I tried my best to make it work, but ultimately I couldn’t. When left to my own devices, I simply wasted away watching sports, eating French bread and drinking sparkling grape juice.
Once I had decided I couldn’t handle another minute living alone, and far away from my friends and family, I quit. I packed all my belongings into a 1998 Dodge Neon and hit the road. I arrived back in Flint on a Sunday afternoon and, by that evening, I was back where I wanted to be, with Jim Pope and Gerry Leslie, working with young people. It didn’t matter that it was a new church, and truly unlike any church I’d ever attended (I was raised in the Evangelical tradition). At that point in my life, it was the best decision I ever made.
The first Presbyterians I met at First Presbyterian were Kim and Dick Skaff. I quickly learned that Dick, who always seemed genuinely nice on TV, was even nicer in person. Kim was amazing as well (and I cannot wait to see what she’s like on TV once she finally takes the plunge).
At the time, I had no way of knowing the impact that Dick and Kim would have on my life, on the lives of so many of my friends and, of course, hundreds of young people over the years. When I listen to my wife talk about Kim, it’s clear that she can’t decide whether Kim is a mother figure or a best friend. Kim has an innate ability to be both, and not just for Angie.
Dick and Kim have opened their home to us on so many occasions, Bible studies, baby showers, wedding showers, fantasy football drafts and young family get-togethers. They have hosted countless youth events at their home, including the dreaded overnighters (which are probably dreaded by everyone other than Dick and Kim). They have served with Pipe kids at home and abroad. Dick and Kim are not reluctant givers. They give cheerfully and generously, without having to be asked.
Sports guys like Dick and I often talk about Mount Rushmore. Who’s on your Mount Rushmore? For Dick, it would be Muhammad Ali, Cazzie Russell, Tom Brady and Steph Curry. It’s our way of separating the wheat from the chaff. There’s only a few precious spots for the best of the best.
In the game of life, Dick is one of those people for me. He’s on my Mount Rushmore.
I’ve learned so much about the character of Christ through the witness of Dick and Kim Skaff, and my family has been blessed beyond measure by their friendship. As far as I’m concerned, they are family. And frankly, with as many kids and grandkids as they have, what’s one more? (Editor’s note: for an updated list of names and birthdates, ask Dick to show you his handy cheat sheet.)
Let’s keep it simple: They are simply the best.
With that in mind, I asked a whole bunch of Pipe alumni about how they would describe Dick and Kim, and what they said will surprise no one:
Humble. Hospitable. Caring. Consistent. Kind. Thoughtful. Generous.
“They have been a blessing in my life, especially when I was a student in the Pipe ministry,” said Kaleb Forr, a Pipe kid who became a Pipe leader, teacher and coach. “They showed me how to lead and love in ways that get unnoticed in most circumstances.”
Josh Glitz, a former Pipe leader, who is now working as a high school teacher and church elder in Dallas, called them models of servant leadership.
“I can only hope to embody the humility, hospitality, and service they have modeled so well to so many,” he said.
Matt Mignault, who is now finishing up college and working the broadcasting circuit, went absolutely crazy with the alliteration: “I couldn’t be more thankful for all their dedication to meals, messages, mission trips, and more.”
Another former Piper, Riley Simmington, remembered the welcome he received when he first started coming to Pipe. His family didn’t attend the church and he didn’t know many people.
“At a time when peers were so important, Kim and Dick worked hard to organize meaningful activities and create an environment of love and fellowship that everyone was included in,” he said.
One of the things that I learned from Jim Pope and later from Dick was to be interested in things that may not interest me. Years ago we had a student who was a high school wrestler. This is a sport that Dick (nor I) know anything about, and yet, he was interested.
“He genuinely cared about what was going on in my life outside of Pipe … especially wrestling, which always lit up Dick’s eyes, as he never knew what I was saying but clearly loved hearing about it.”
It mattered to Dick because it mattered to Tyler Thayer. This is a trait that mirrors God’s love for his children. Indeed, what matters to you matters to God.
Cam Koegel had the good fortune of not only growing up with the Dick and Kim at Pipe, but also as his neighbors. He can’t fathom Pipe without them.
“There are no words to describe the way that they’ve touched my life, the lives of my siblings, and the lives of countless individuals that have had the blessing of crossing their paths in Pipe,” he said. “I will always be grateful for the time I had in youth group with the Skaff’s because through their guidance and teaching, my faith was deepened more than any other point in my faith journey.”
Perhaps no one has been more impacted by example of Dick and Kim than Jim Pope. They were the most supportive of his ministry at First Prez from day one.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child and I believe that their faithful service has been and will continue to be a light to others,” Jim said. “I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit will use the seeds they have planted into so many lives for good.”
In the end, there might be one word which describes Dick and Kim better than any other.
“Dick and Kim are steadfast. To each other, to their family, to their church, to each other and every one of the lives they have touched through years of ministry in the Pipe,” said Morgan Hungerford. “I hope they know how much they mean to all of us and how much we value the lessons they taught in the Pipe.”
If they didn’t know, well, now they know.
Thank you Dick and Kim Skaff for your years of service to the Pipe. We are forever grateful.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. — 1 Corinthians 15:58
The Pipe 