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I was at the funeral yesterday in Allentown as were about 75 or
so brethren from the old fellowship and about 75 of his family and
friends.  Brothers and sisters were there that I hadn't seen in over 20
years.  Rem Lederer, Janet (Lederer), Rick Costa, Janet Costa, Harold &
Dorothy Stoudt, Bill & Andrea Liedlich, Patty Powers, Pam (O'neill)
Short, to mention a few.  There were also many I have seen more recently
like Paul and Ann Galante, Neil Pendry, and John and Darlene Griffith.
All of these brethren were there with me 26 years ago at 137 witnessing
the miracle of the revival God was bringing upon that city.  There was
the body of our dear brother Skip and all of us there to say goodbye.
Any one who wanted to give any type of eulogy was able to come up front
and do so.  Paul Galante and Bill Liedlich gave very personal eulogies,
having been somewhat close to Skip.  Neil Pendry was close to Skip for
many years and compared his friendhip with Skip in the early days to the
relationship of David to Jonathan and was crying at the end.  I came
after Neil.  I was not as close to Skip as many, but I shared some things
I shared in what was posted on the web.  Here is what I read:

REMEMBERING MY MENTOR

Skip (George) O'neill was probably the overall strongest influece
for me to choose serving Jesus back in 1972 when I got saved through his
ministry back at 128 S. Church St.  Like many new Christians, I did a lot
of goofy and dangerous things.  I was headstrong and therefore in great
need of a shepherd.  Skip always happenedto be there when I was "spacing
off" in one direction or another with a gentle but firm nudge in the
right direction.  At the time I didn't like the discipline, but now I
stand securely in Christ because of it.  Skip, as many will testify, was
the first real shepherd of the F.F.  I remember one of his first "lamb
Bible studies" in which he asked, "who all are lambs?"  My youthful pride
didn't really like being called a lamb, but I grudgingly raised my hand.
Night after night he would go into these very basic Bible studies with
us.  The way he would present things made them fun, interesting, free,
and exciting.  None of us felt intimidated contributing our "spacey
ideas."  Skip had a peace and freedom about him that made me say to
myself, "I want to be like him."  God's peace was truly opon him.
Anxiety was far from him. The solidity and depth he had rubbed off on
many of us.  He had a special way of diffusing problems and conflicts
between people so that they would forget about  what they were fighting
about.  All qualities of a shepherd and not a hireling.  In the Gospel of
John, chapter 10, Jesus compares the two and their effects upon the
welfare of the sheep.

Many of us stand here today because he was a real shepherd and not a
hireling who cared only for his wages.  It was his example of
shepherdship that influenced me and many others to shepherd the flock in
the same ways.  I don't believe that any of us did as well at it as he
did.  Had things turned out right in the fellowship, he would have been
the lead shepherd or senior pastor over all of us.  Would that he had the
chance!  I know he wold have accepted that role and that God would have
raised him up to perform it well.  It is not my purpose here to go into
why or through whom he was violently kept from that role.  I only testify
that it was not his fault in any way.  Bad things happen sometimes even
in the sheepfold, and we had no power to stop what was happening.  God
still used him as a kind of testimony to grace and peace over performance
oriented goals, cut throat competition, harshness, and anxious works that
were diseasing the fellowship more and more.  When it came to being harsh
and going with the program, Skip could not play, especially when it came
to hurting someone in the name of the truth.  Others of us learned better
the art of sheepbeating.  Would that his influence and testimony to
gentleness and peace would have prevailed in the fellowship!  Some say I
live in the past and maybe I do.  I was there and my testimony is true.
I remember the day in Skips new York apartment that he confronted Stewart
for the last time about his wrong behavior and then left for the last
time.  The sense of loss and emptyness that I felt at that moment showed
me that somehow things would never be right again with the "right arm"
gone!  As many of us know, things went even more terribly downhill ever
since.

I cannot help lamenting over the past even as we lament over the
loss of Skip who touched us in so many ways at such a critical time in
our lives. Like George Baily in "It's a Wonderful Life", George O'neill
was indispensible with regard to our little "town."  Mnay of us have
testimonies of the countless ways God used him for our help.  Sure, there
wasn't much in the way of glory for himself.  He knew it belonged to God.
But, "God is not so unjust as to overlook your help inserving the
saints."  I trust his reward will be a special one, despite his many
fallings.  I long to see him honored for his part in the revival that
touched so many of us.  I long to see his vindication at the judgment bar
of heaven and be able to see him in the place God prepared for him before
the foundation fo the world.  Thank you, Skip, for al you did that made
it possible for me to serve the Lord in the freedom and peace you
exemplified so well.  I hope all of us will be able to share many good
and victorious things with you that God did through us while you were
separated from us for a little while.  I love and miss you my mentor.