November 4, 2011

Bro. Michael Nekora, well known to nearly all our readers, completed his term in the “School of Christ” and passed to his service above, on the evening of November 4, 2011, as the clouds parted near sunset.

Bro. Nekora served as one of the founding editors of Beauties of the Truth in October 1990 and continued to serve as a thoughtful and insightful editor for the next 17 years. His life here ended at home, where he had received hospice care in his last weeks.

Bro. Nekora was a tireless servant of the brethren. We will miss his crisply prepared lessons, presented with enthusiasm. A favorite passage of his from Shakespeare extolled the virtues of Mercy.

“The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: it blesseth him that gives and him that takes. Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown. His scepter shows the force of temporal power … But mercy is above this sceptered sway; It is enthroned in the heart of kings; It is an attribute of God himself; And earthly power doth then show like God’s when mercy seasons justice.” This quotation closed one of Bro. Nekora’s well remembered lessons.

Bro. Nekora leaves to us an example of responsible application to his duties. When he accepted an assignment, a project, a task – and he accepted so many – one could count on his faithful and timely fulfillment. When these were done, he would seek others, in order to serve the spiritual interests of the brethren.

His responsibilities have been distributed to many brethren, each to shoulder a little, to help fill the void he leaves. He has now entered into rest. His labors have ended, but “his works follow after.”

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