Rev. Rick Burhans’ final Sunday as rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Port Orange, on May 30, 2021, marked the end of an era for Burhans and his wife, Carolyn, now retiring and moving to North Carolina. But that era, and the Burhanses’ relationship with the church, extends much further back than the 13 years Rick served as rector –  and much farther into the community than Grace Episcopal alone.

Years before Rick’s ordination, he owned a surf shop in the Port Orange area and served as a lay leader at Grace, leading in both worship and youth ministry and ministering alongside his future wife.

Growing in Grace

“When I first met Rick and Carolyn, they weren’t married yet,” said Rick Thompson, who grew up at Grace. “They were dating and had a passion in teaching the youth. They were my Sunday school and youth group leaders. They were actively engaged with us as people, with the struggles teenagers have. They showed true Christlike love. I was with them both in the old chapel of Grace Episcopal Church when I accepted Jesus as my Savior.”

Kathy Wilkes also shared fond memories of Rick. “I have such wonderful memories of them [Rick and another priest] talking to us as teenagers and playing their guitars and really showing me and sharing with me their love for God,” she said.

Maggie Thompson, mother of both Thompson and Wilkes and a member of Grace since 1982, also spoke with appreciation for the Burhanses’ ministry, including what she said were “many years” of cell groups and small group Bible studies.

“Rick and Carolyn and I shared a love of Cursillo,” she said. “We made the same Cursillo weekend many years ago, Cursillo No. 63. They became very involved and both of them did weekends as the leaders, and my husband and I were a part of their teams.”

Returning to Grace

Years later, after Rick left his surf shop to attend seminary and then worked at another Florida church, Maggie served on the committee that called him to Grace. “We had a lot of prayer about that, and he spent time in our chapel and really felt that he was to come back home,” she said. “It was such a thrill for him to be back where he had been.”

Throughout his ministry, Rick maintained his interest in young people and creative ways to reach them, Maggie said. He never lost his interest in surfing, she said, noting that his farewell service included a surfboard as a Communion table. She recalls him taking the Grace youth on ski trips to North Carolina, and as recently as five or six years ago, beginning a skateboard ministry.

But Rick’s ministry reached well past the youth. “Before COVID, we had a Lunch Bunch,” she said. “Rick wasn’t in charge, but someone would set up a place, and a group of people would go and have lunch together. And he and our deacon tried really hard to be there. And he was really in touch when we had Cursillo Ultreyas [meetings held after a Cursillo experience]. He was always there leading us.”

The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, diocesan bishop, also noted the depth and variety of Rick’s ministry in a letter written for his final service at Grace. “Whether in your role as Sunday school teacher, youth leader, vestry member, cell group host, worship musician or ordained clergy, your life and ministry stand as a triumphant example of Christ’s gospel in action,” Brewer wrote.

“When I think of your time as rector, the three main descriptions which come to my mind are ‘devoted pastor,’ ‘encouraging leader’ and ‘missional,’” he added. “Your warmth, kindness and sense of humor stand out among the many traits which have contributed to your exemplary witness and service in ordained ministry.”