Written in Gratitude for the Life and Ministry of the The Reverend Dr. Hill Carter Riddle 1936 - 2018

Written in Gratitude for the Life and Ministry of theThe Reverend Dr. Hill Carter Riddle 1936 - 2018

We are grateful to the many people who shared tender thoughts and memories of our ministry with Hill Riddle. A few of your responses are printed below and all of them may be accessed on our website https://www.trinitynola.com/hillriddle

First and foremost, Hill Riddle was a good friend to Trinity and to me. Hill understood the human condition. He forthrightly acknowledged the daily struggles of life. This allowed him to connect with us so efficiently and effectively, through his sermons and his ministry. His daily Meditations and his Tidings reflect the common sense that he incorporated into his Gospel-rooted messages. So many of Hill’s sermons reflected his understanding of the challenges of being a Christian. His sermons stretched us to be better, without saying that he was better. In fact, so much of his humor from the pulpit stemmed from admitting how he could be better. Hill lived the values inherent in the mission statement of Trinity Church. He put action to his words of the ultimate characteristics of which we are called as Christians- - love and forgiveness. One of his memorable sermons involved defining true Christian forgiveness as “forgive AND forget.” On the topic of love, one of his sermons

addressed the power of the “warm and fuzzies” that each of us have in our metaphorical pocket, just waiting to freely give to others. Each of these sermons encouraged the Trinity community to put action to the words of the Gospel. Hill stretched our minds and souls to look beyond the walls of Trinity Church and into the community. He led us in our efforts to broaden ministries into the community, resulting in deepening the spiritual lives of all involved. He welcomed African American ministers to the pulpit of Trinity Church, again putting action to his words. He showed courage in leading us into transformative actions in community ministries, which led to transformation within our hearts and souls. Hill also made us realize how important Trinity was to our core values that guide our lives. This realization encouraged us to be generous, cheerful givers. He enriched each of our lives through his enthusiasm and friendship.

- G. Bruce Parkerson,

Hill clearly cared deeply about his family, his friends, and the Trinity community. For me, Hill was a father figure, mentor and dear friend rolled into one. Hill not only married Sabrina and me, but he baptized our two oldest children as well. I would like to think that our shared military backgrounds and ties to Virginia established the foundation for a strong bond between us, but my sense is that one of his many gifts was making everyone feel at ease in his presence. When I served as senior warden, Hill was always available to provide invaluable advice and guidance. Indeed, he lived his life as an example to others, demonstrating – even celebrating! – the importance of joy, wisdom, gratitude and humility. And Opera. Last spring he asked me to send him the list of Metropolitan Opera productions scheduled for this coming year – my sister plays with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra so he knew I had an inside source. Even though this year he will be listening to those productions with the angels, I am grateful that I could perform that one small favor for him. Because I will never be able to thank him enough for one of the biggest gifts that he gave me: the honor of calling him a friend.

- Andrew Pilant

I traveled to Roanoke with Clare Chaffe and Haughton Randolph to Call on Hill Riddle on behalf of the Rector Search Committee. We were to take Hill and Macon to dinner on Saturday night, and attend services at his church on Sunday. Macon invited us to their home to meet the family before dinner. That was our first meeting. We had not been in their living room for five minutes when we knew we’d found the right man. And I could tell Hill felt it too. I could also feel that Macon did NOT feel that way. Luckily for Trinity, the search committee and vestry discovered this was correct, and persuaded them to accept our offer to join us. Only Elizabeth took a few weeks after the move to register her enthusiasm. What a lucky computer match it was that found Hill for us, and how lucky we were to have them as friends and inspirational leaders for the next two decades.

- Ron J. French, MD,

Hill always made me think every time I heard him preach. Such a great voice of wit and dignity. I cherish the memory of our occasional lunches together when we would discuss almost anything but religion! His friendship was one of the highlights of my life. Hill was special, truly a man for all seasons.

-Monty Burlingame

MORE ONLINE

All responses can be accessed on our website https://www.trinitynola.com/hillriddle

Hill accompanied us on three Medical Missions To Central America. There’s no better way to get to know your priest, than to roll out your bedroll at the end of a long day working in the Clinics and pass a few minutes in conversation with your rector before falling off to sleep. One night at the end of a long day Hill gathered us together on the porch of our little cabin overlooking the great lake of Nicaragua and retold the Tolstoy story of ‘Two Old Men’ setting out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. As we listened to the tale as told by Hill, Tolstoy’s words came to life. As we too were Pilgrims, on a journey, we could relate to Hill’s story. We hung on every word as there is a surprise at the ending. It has remained one of my favorite short stories to this day. A fond remembrance was asking Hill to present this Tolstoy tale to the Faith and Fiction group which meets each Sunday in the Parish House at Trinity. It brought back a cascade of memories of Hill’s guidance on our spiritual journey in Nicaragua. Even more memorable was a Eucharist Service that Hill conducted in Honduras: It was the last day of the mission 20 plus years ago. We gathered on a hilltop outside of our village. As our procession passed through the countryside, villagers and children and dogs joined in. We ducked under barbed wire and worked our way up the hill. We carried tables for a place to lay the host (tacos) and a clay chalice. This hilltop, an old overgrown airstrip, was enveloped in clouds. In this mist Hill conducted the service, he told us that we were each standing on Holy ground. We passed the communion amongst ourselves and blessed each other. As the service ended the clouds which enveloped us parted and the sun broke through revealing a beautiful valley below us. We could all feel God’s presence. We were indeed standing on Holy Ground.

- John and Mary Margaret Hevron and Jeff Hooton

Trinity Episcopal Church • Tidings3

At staff meetings Hill’s custom, after a few preliminaries, was to go round the staff and we each would bring up a project we were working on, or hoped to do, or voice any other pertinent concerns. Well, it would happen every so often that someone would present an idea which I would think to myself as being the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. Hill, however, would quickly and enthusiastically respond, “Yes! Wonderful. Let’s do it!” This often left me dumbfounded. But, I figured, he’s our fearless leader, so, wow, I must be missing something. Well, eventually, after repeated similar occurrences during staff meetings, I learned that this was just another way in which Hill motivated and empowered not only his staff, but with everyone he came into contact. I learned never to second guess Hill: he always steered you right.

- Albinas Prizgintas

Hill was rector of Trinity Church in 1988 when I was discerning a call to ordained ministry. There were no women priests in the Diocese of Louisiana at that time. After speaking to Bishop Brown on my behalf, Hill told me, “I am going to fight these battles with you, Mary.” I asked Hill, “How many battles are we going to have?” Hill said, “We don’t know yet, but I am going to be right there with you.” Hill was like that: strong, steady, very present. After seminary I was serving a church in Palo Alto, CA when Hill called me to be the first woman priest at Trinity. He gave me oversight of all the inreach, pastoral, and spiritual nurture ministries. Hill’s support and encouragement allowed me to initiate a number of new ministries at Trinity with strong lay leadership—the first Taize service in the city of New Orleans; the Labyrinth ministry; women’s spiritual retreats; the Intercessory Prayer Group. On the day of Hill’s funeral at Trinity, I was honored to preside at St. Mary Magdalene Church, my church in Boulder, CO, remembering and celebrating Hill’s life and ministry, and leading prayers for the repose of Hill’s soul and for his family. I will always be grateful for Hill’s mentoring and all that he taught me about being a good, faithful priest. Well done, Hill. Rest in peace.

- The Rev. Mary Hardy

After a period of darkness in my marriage, I needed love and pastoral care. This came to me in the person of Hill Riddle in his early days at Trinity Church. Hill delivered through prayer and divine intervention, the gift of renewal of our marriage vows, following my husband Alfred’s long awaited return to his family. Now in my diminishing years, I am losing my hearing and eyesight. Once again Hill has been my guide when I was struggling with new challenges in my life. Hill’s courage in his own life has been passed onto me, and I am forever grateful. Thank You, GOD for the gift of Hill Riddle.

- Marjorie Leverich Moran

When Michael and I moved here from Boston, I felt like a tourist. Hill and Macon immediately made us feel right at home, reassured me about many things and helped me to truly love New Orleans. One day after we’d been here for a year or so, Hill asked if I’d come to work at Trinity and organize Stewardship. Though I had done fundraising in the performing arts, I was not at all sure I knew what to do in a church. Hill just said, whatever training you need, we will get for you. This October will be twenty-two years for me at Trinity and I have Hill and Macon to thank for that and for their continued friendship. Hill knew how to make our work both meaningful and fun. Our Trinity staff prayed and sang together in chapel and enjoyed monthly birthday celebrations. Each Christmas for our potluck, Hill would come with his homemade coconut cake and a specially written poem that featured each of us in some amusing way. I think it is a testament to Hill’s leadership and trust in his staff that three former Heads of Trinity School came to his funeral. All of them, Ed Cavin, Julian Bull, and Michael Kuhn, remarked that Hill never interfered in the running of the school, though he was always supportive, always available, and a willing partner whether in attending Board meetings or rehearsing his starring role as “The Riddler” in a Follies performance. I think that Hill was someone who cared deeply - for his family, his church, his friends and his staff - and we wanted him to be proud of the work entrusted to our care!

- Maria Elliott

4Trinity Episcopal Church • Tidings