Colleagues, Linked below is the obituary for Annette Patton Bingham. Somehow, I had not known, or didn't remember that she was born in Greensboro. I also didn't know that she was born of Greek Orthodox parents with a family name for which Patton is a derivative. http://www.greensboro.com/obituaries/bingham-annette-patton/article_1a6c2813... Nelson and Elaine Stover, Charles Lingo, Herman Greene and I represented the EI and ICA at her very meaningful memorial service in Raleigh this afternoon. Allen Bingham's words about his mother and his family's journey were especially meaningful as he spoke of being raised to the words of a song sung to the tune of Yellow Submarine, which grew out of his family's experience with the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. He went on to relate the words of the song and admitted that it took him years to realize that these were words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's paper on Freedom. So, freedom, responsibility and duty all were keystones to their family's understanding of life. I can imagine that Allen is a very powerful shepherd to his UMC congregation, many of whom were there in the service. A representative from the NC UMC Conference Board of Missions spoke of Annette being known as the Draggon Lady because she was always Draggin someone off to some mission. A gentleman from Haiti who was introduced as "an adopted son" of the Binghams had flown from Haiti to be present. He is an engineer working on water systems in Haiti. I wondered if he could have been one of Engineer Bill's students. (By the way, Bill was an engineering professor, not an economics professor as I had previously reported.) Each of the four designated persons who presented the eulogies attested to the wide reach of this family's care regardless of race, gender or religion. Toward the end of the service a gentleman from the audience introduced himself as a member of the Muslim community and celebrated the difference that this woman (and Bill) had made for people of his community through their interfaith dialogue work. I met several people from Ghana and from Sierra Leone who were part of the welcoming outreach of Annette and Bill. Also celebrated was the about 20 years of a Kids' Café, co-founded by Bill and Annette, an after school care of enrichment, nutrition and tutoring for immigrants and minority students. With this family we celebrate a life fully and gratefully lived in service to others. "For All the Saints who from their labors rest...." .... Alleluia! Lynda Cock