This has been a rough summer for our Covenant community. After the loss of one of our professor's sons, we have now lost one of our own. David Taaffe died over a week ago now, but the pain is still really fresh as we have lost a part of our body.
From our President, an email no one wants to ever send:
For those of you on campus this summer, or in the area, we will have a time tomorrow, Thursday, July 25 at 11:00 a.m. in Sanderson 215 to pray together for the Taaffe family and to remind one another of God's promises to his people. We will also plan on having a time to remember David and celebrate his home-going once everyone has returned to campus for the fall term.
From our President, an email no one wants to ever send:
Dear Covenant Scots,
No doubt many of you have heard already via personal contact or social media, but it is with deep sadness that I write to inform you that we have recently learned that rising junior David Taaffe died on Monday as a result of injuries sustained due to a fall while hiking in Switzerland. We have limited information at this point, but wanted to let you know so you can be praying for the Taaffe family in this incredibly difficult time. As children of God and joint heirs with Christ we cling to the promise of the hope of glory, and we take great comfort in knowing that our brother, David, is with his Lord and Savior already. This is a wonderful truth to ponder even as we grieve an extremely painful loss.
David was a Maclellan Scholar from Nashville and was majoring in Spanish. He played on the soccer team and was set to return to 2nd Central to serve as the RA there for a second year. For those of you who didn't know him, you likely would have recognized his warm smile, bright eyes, sonorous voice, distinctive afro ("Taaff-ro"), gentle and courteous manner, or intensity on the soccer field. He was a wonderful guy, and we--along with many others--will miss him deeply.
For those of you on campus this summer, or in the area, we will have a time tomorrow, Thursday, July 25 at 11:00 a.m. in Sanderson 215 to pray together for the Taaffe family and to remind one another of God's promises to his people. We will also plan on having a time to remember David and celebrate his home-going once everyone has returned to campus for the fall term.
We trust that our God will use even this for His glory.
Yours in Christ,
JDH
J. Derek Halvorson, Ph.D.
President
Covenant College
In omnibus Christus primatum tenens
It's hard enough thinking about our Covenant College family having to deal with this, so I can't imagine how his family is. However, we can all look forward to the day when Christ will call us home. In the meantime we can live to serve Christ in all that we do, just as David did.
Oh love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee.
