A year ago, Marc posted this on his Facebook page. The memory popped up for me today and I realized this was a very big deal that impacted our family greatly and should have a spot here on the family blog…
It is with heavy heart I share that the Chandler/Ray 2nd Ward was dissolved on Sunday 7/14/2024. This unit was organized on June 17, 1979 under the name Chandler 2nd Ward. Now, there was a ward before this particular unit that was called the Chandler 2nd Ward, but this ward was formed on that date after the Chandler Stake was organized in 1978. The first bishop called to this unit was Hugh Edwin Dana (1979-1986). In fact, my baptismal certificate has his signature on it since I was a member of this ward. It is interesting because the history of this ward is a lot of my personal history.
There were only a few timeframes when I wasn’t a member of this ward, but I was a member of this ward during part of every bishop’s tenure. Bishop Matthews (1986-1992) helped me prepare for my mission as a young man. Bishop Lamb (1992-1995) finished that preparation and sent me on my mission. Bishop Lawrence (1995-1996) was my bishop for the short time when I returned home from my mission before I began attending the San Marcos YSA Ward. It was during this time that The Chandler West Stake was created and split from the Chandler Stake.
After that, the ward was re-named the Ray 2nd Ward. Bishop Toolson (1996-2002) was the bishop when my small family moved back to the area. He, along with Bishops McCurdy (2002-2007), Richardson (2007-2014), Grohman (2014-2015), and Willis (2015-2021) were the men that served in that capacity while my family has grown here for the past 24 years. My spiritual growth is due, in part, to these men and the opportunities to serve given to me in the Ray 2nd Ward.
Almost 3 years ago I received the call to be bishop of the Ray 2nd Ward. I did not expect or want this calling, but I knew it was probably coming. The call of bishop has been a blessing to me and my family in ways I may not fully comprehend yet and I thank the Lord for the opportunity to serve Him in this way. I commented to someone the other day that moving to a new ward when boundaries change feels a lot like a transfer in the mission; you’re still in the general area (depends on the mission) so yo
u’ll still see or have an opportunity to see the people you love and have served with, but you won’t see them all the time. And so it is with these changes. I look forward to the coming days when we’ll rejoice when meeting again and find that we’re still “brethren (and sisters) in the Lord.”
