PASADENA, CA (February 1, 2007) – A memorial service for Warren \u201cThomps\u201d Thompson will be held at Pasadena Covenant Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 17. He died Monday at the age of 85.
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\nThompson received the T.W. Anderson Award during the 1997 Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California. The annual award is named in honor of the denomination\u2019s only lay president and is presented to laypersons who have evidenced lives of commitment and dedication to Christ and the church.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Thomps became your friend, he was your friend for life,\u201d says Charles Barker, senior pastor at Pasadena Covenant Church. \u201cWhen I myself was youth pastor at Pasadena Covenant back in the 1980s, Thomps and I covenanted together as spiritual friends, meeting twice a month to take turns serving as each other\u2019s spiritual director.\u00a0 We continued meeting like this for 25 years – he prayed for me every single day throughout those years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are dozens or more people in ministry because of Thomps\u2019 mentoring and leadership,\u201d says Robert K. Johnston, professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and former dean and provost of North Park College and Theological Seminary.<\/p>\n
Among those are Barker and former Pasadena Covenant Church youth group members who went on to pastor the congregation, David Hicks and Curt Peterson, who now is the executive minister of the ECC Department of World Mission.<\/p>\n
Johnston also was one of the students nurtured through Thompson\u2019s one-on-one ministry and has repeatedly spoken of his influence. \u201cEvery afternoon when he left work at the 3M company, he would pray, \u2018Who would you have me see today,\u201d he says. \u201cThen he would stop at our homes and talk with us and pray with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
During his junior and senior years of high school, Johnston met with Thompson once a week to discuss how the student might best use his gifts. Ironically, it was Thompson\u2019s love for God that caused Johnston to consider not going into the ministry. \u201cHe was just an example of saintliness,\u201d he explains. \u201cI knew I was no saint.\u201d<\/p>\n
That saintliness included humility, Johnston says. \u201cAs the church grew, he gladly and willingly took a secondary counselor role when under his previous student.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thompson and his wife, Nancy, joined the Pasadena church in the 1950s. Barker says, \u201cEvery week well into his 60s, Thomps led a youth small group, participated in the mid-week program called \u201cCampus Club,\u201d participated in senior high Sunday school, enjoyed monthly socials with the students, and served as a camp counselor for winter and summer retreats.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barker adds, \u201cThomps exemplified a life of wholehearted devotion to the Lord.\u00a0 He was devoted to prayer, devoted to using his spiritual gifts to build up others, and devoted in every way to caring for his family and for his church family.\u201d<\/p>\n
After retiring from youth ministry and the 3M company in the 1980s, he became a licensed lay minister and continued to serve the Pasadena congregation for 20 years. \u201cThomps met weekly with the pastoral team, visited and prayed for our sick and homebound members, led a men\u2019s prayer group, joined a Companions in Christ spiritual formation group, served as co-chair of our Centrality of Prayer ministry team, served on our Vision to Action team, and continued numerous one-on-one spiritual friendships in the church,\u201d Barker recalls.<\/p>\n
Thompson was born December 6, 1921. He married Nancy, on July 10, 1946. She preceded him in death. He is survived by two children: daughter, Nancy Jensen; a son, Randy Thompson; and four grandchildren.<\/p>\n