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- One year since the passing of Charles Criniere by Ryan Corrigan Former students, colleagues, and friends gathered to remember the life of Charles Criniere. The passing of a year since Charles Criniere's death brings with it a time for reflection on the extraordinary life he l. Charles was more than a good person; he was like a guiding light who left an indelible mark on those who were lucky enough to cross his path. Let us remember him today and the impact he had on the lives of everyone he ever talked to. His story of getting kicked out of high school and running the streets of Chicago before becoming a public school teacher and incredible man of God is one that deserves to be told again and over again. His humor, his words of encouragement, the time he took to talk to us, the depth of his personal connection with God, and the way he prayed for each of us will be in our hearts forever. Charlie completely devoted himself to Jesus, and his life reflected that. And it is my hope that as we give these things serious thought today, we, like Charlie, will grow in our love for and surrender to Jesus. The finality of death prompts profound introspection in all of us as we will all have to face death eventually, and as tomorrow is not a given, it is important to think about how we ought to live in light of this fact. In Charlie's mind, it was all true: Jesus died, rose again, sent His Spirit to believers, and will return to judge the world justly. Charlie was reborn as a result of this faith. He truly experienced a new birth, as testified to by countless Christians over the ages. Christianity may be easily assessed for those hungry for truth because it is founded on verifiable historical occurrences rather than abstract philosophical concepts. Either Jesus actually existed, died, and rose from the grave, or he did not. If he did, then you must listen to what the Bible says, and if he didn't, then we are the most pitiful of all men, as the Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:19. We need to question if we truly believe that we shall see Charlie again, given that the core premise of Christianity is that Jesus rose again from the dead and that those who have faith in Him will also be raised from the dead. This doesn't negate the actual suffering we're all experiencing right now. We are hurting today, we miss him so much! But we do not mourn without hope, for God has a plan to destroy death forever at the Second Coming. Charlie would not want us to be weighted down with grief today because we miss him; rather Charlie would want us to grieve over the next generation who are yet to encounter the true glory of God for themselves. As we remember Charlie today, we also remember Megan and all their wonderful children and pray for them that this event will be used by God to propel them deeper into their calling and to continue living in the legacy that Charlie was living in. Today please consider joining Megan's subscription team to help support her budget and efforts to write a book about Charlie. - Ryan Corrigan

An overview of a truly glorious life by Megan Criniere I am not one for writing for a public audience, but love makes you do crazy things so here I am. Charlie has always had a way of convincing me to do things that I didn’t really want to do. He was always pushing me and our kids outside our comfort zones and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Like when he took our family up the scenic route at rocky mount national park in a 12 passenger van, even after we all said NO. But he was driving and we were all captive passengers on the side of a mountain so up we went. Peering down over the side of the mountain (that had no guard rails to catch you if you fall), seeing signs that said caution all along the road. The kids in the back screaming out “are we going to die?” And “can we fall off the side?" I wish he could see me right now. Being brave, facing my fears and letting God use me even in my weakest state. He would be my biggest cheerleader in the front row. He was always so proud of me for overcoming my fears and always telling me I am the strongest woman he knows. I’ll miss his constant encouragement and reminding me who I really am according to how God sees me. When I sat down to write this, and I struggled to fit such an abundant life into such few words, I decided that there was no better way to honor Charlie than to give you a glimpse of what his life looked like on a daily basis. His life was simple. His days were filled with hard work and lots of repetitive tasks, but he learned to do the small things with lots of love, and that made all the difference. He sometimes struggled with it, feeling like he wasn't going anywhere, not accomplishing enough, and not impacting enough people. But judging by the number of people I have heard from, I know he is looking down from heaven and seeing the fruit of his labor, and that makes me so proud of him. On most days, he got up before the sun came up. At 5:15, his alarm went off, and then he was off to the prayer room. His greatest joy was to be in God's presence and experience the love God poured into his heart; I'm glad he is still doing that right now. Then pulling out his laminated prayer list, he would pray for me and our kids, then students and colleagues, family and friends, the community, the government, and any other need that came to mind. He was greatly concerned for other people's needs, but he prayed with a unique fervor for his children and students. Most times, he lingered as long as possible, treasuring every moment before his day started. He knew that nothing he had to offer could transform anyone's life. Jesus was his life source, and he listened carefully to the instructions and directions he found in the bible every day. He left the prayer room filled with God's love and presence, went to work, and unleashed that love on the world around him. He would speak words of encouragement, share his lunch, lend a helping hand, and pass out absurd amounts of candy to students. He would avail himself when needed and often brought home his lunch bag completely full because he tutored kids on his lunch hour instead of eating. He would pray with anyone in need, no matter where he was or who was around. He worked hard to be a great teacher so he could help his students reach their highest potential. When he came home, there was always lots of commotion. Sometimes that looked like our kids and lots of neighborhood kids running to his car to greet him and tell him something they waited all day to say share. Sometimes it looked like him bursting through the door calling the kids to come get "treaties" (which was always some kind of candy). Then our kids came running from everywhere. Sometimes it looked like rounding up our kids and making them redo their chores that were not quite up to his chore standards. And sometimes, that looked like him making a beeline to me in the kitchen, giving me a big hug, and asking about my day. Shortly after that was family dinner time. He always wanted everyone there and always sensed a difference when someone had other plans, which wasn't very often. We would eat and share about our days, sometimes it was silly and outrageous, and sometimes it was serious. But it was always coming from his desire to stay connected to one another at the heart level. He always spoke openly and shared from the heart. I often wondered if it was too much disclosure for our kids, but now I see it producing authenticity and sincerity in my kids' hearts. His evenings were filled with playing with the kids, sitting on our couches talking, being a chauffeur for our children’s activities, or studying hard to finish his degrees so he could provide more for us. But Tuesday evenings were the highlight of his week, that was our weekly date night. I can’t tell you how many times we ran in to one of his students and they always said the same thing, "He always talks about your weekly date nights…". I will treasure every moment we spent together, not just the good ones but the hard ones too. Nighttime looked like us gathering everyone in the living room to read books and get ready for bed. He would read the bible with us and pray for the next day. Then bedtime came and it was usually pretty messy. I would put the littles down while he was finishing up a long-winded bible time. By the time he finished up, the littles would all be quiet in bed, and he would come up and lay next to them. Before I knew it, they were out of bed and squealing with delight. He would pretend to be a butler and neatly tuck them into their blankets. He would sing silly songs while tickling them, or pop his head in the room and get the big kids amped up until I could hear laughing all the way downstairs. Then I would scold him like a kid for stirring them up - but he would say he couldn’t help himself (and most days I understood that). After we got everybody settled back down, he would complain about how long it took for the kids to go to bed and I would tell him it was his fault because he always stirred them up. Most nights we finished off the day in our living room, just him and I, we would talk, pray about everything that came to mind, and worship God because we were so thankful for his kindness toward us. I’m grateful we still get to worship together even if we are in different places. What else can be said but that Charlie’s life was a life laid down - laid down to Jesus and laid down for others. He knew his life was not his own. That’s why his impact is so far reaching, that’s why we all have pain in our hearts because we were all so well loved by him and because we all loved him back so deeply. I can only think of one thing more tragic than Charlies passing and that would be to experience this moment and walk away the same. The example of Christ in Charlie should provoke those of us who know Jesus to be faithful in whatever assignment God has given us - leaving the results up to Him, and to live for the day we see Jesus' beautiful face knowing that it will be in that moment that we will receive our rewards. And to those who don’t yet know Jesus, I pray you find the same peace, hope, and love that Charlie experienced, knowing who God is, and how much He loves you. It wasn’t Charlie that made Charlie so great - it was Christ in Charlie that made him so great. The same is available to every single one of us. Let’s all receive the gift that his life was, a true expression of our Father in heaven's heart. And now there is nothing left to say but go and do likewise… - Megan Criniere Post to the Memorial Wall Learn More About Charlie's Faith

"Charlie loved prayer more than anything" - Ryan Corrigan I met Charlie in 2006 in an overflow parking lot coming to a church service. Instantly Charlie and I launched into a deep conversation about Jesus. From the moment I met him I knew that he walked in a nearness to God that was extremely rare. After only knowing him for a few months Charlie and Megan gave us $1,000 dollars to pay off a debt! At that time we were all about 25 years old a nd we had never heard of anyone giving away that kind of money. But that was the kind of person Charlie was. His love and generosity flowed freely from him as a constant. I am sure there are 1000's of other stories of his generosity. Charlie and I and our families were in various small groups together over the years. For a few years we were in this evangelism group. Every Wednesday Charlie and I, and 4 -5 others would go out onto the streets and share the Gospel. Charlie used to say that I was 'fire' and he was 'fragrance' because of how he would balance me out when I was getting overzealous. Over the years, I most often saw Charlie alone early in the morning in the prayer room but I cherished the times when I was able to be with him, Megan, and the whole family. I remember a time helping his family move from one house to another and watching him interact with his kids with such love and affection. At one point one of the kids was carrying a box and he startled tickling her which ended up into a full blown wrestling match. I can still hear the echos of that laughter. He had a very special laugh. I always left those times feeling so encouraged to be a better husband and father. But by far what defined my friendship with Charlie more than anything else - was prayer. Charlie was a such a man of prayer. Prayer was probably the thing that Charlie sought after the most in his life. He was a man who just wanted to be with Jesus. For years, I would drag myself into the prayer room early in the morning and Charlie was always there before me. He would most often be pacing, holding his small, very warn Bible, folded open, praying the scriptures. He would see me, come over, give me a big hug, and launch straight into unpacking one of the Psalms. Most of the time we would skip any introduction and he would start praying for me which was as if God himself was speaking directly to my spirit. Every time I was with Charlie the presence and power of the Holy Spirit was striking. I can remember one night 15 years ago after a church service. Charlie and I were standing alone in the parking lot and we started praying, and it was as if time stood still. It went on for over 2 hours. It was a such a marking spiritual encounter with God that it literally changed my life. Some of the things he prayed over me were so profound and so deep that I still think about them to this day. Charlie’s heart burned as a preacher and teacher of God's word. But I watched him lay down his ambitions of doing full-time ministry and he become a school teacher. This was a hard decision at first but once he got in the classroom he absolutely fell in love with his students. I can't tell you how many times we cried out to God for the transformation of his students, their families, and the schools. On a few occasions I went up to Grandview High School to help him facilitate christian school club meetings and I was blown away at the impact he was having. Charlie was far more than a teacher he was a father to so many more than his own children. I feel like I could go on and on. Charlie always had a smile on his face, He was always laughing, he wore his hat on a little crooked, I can’t every remember hearing Charlie complain. He was a constant encourager. I remember the way he lovingly adored his wife, and the way his kids fought to sit in his lap. He was a very articulate and gifted communicator. And most importantly he laid his life down daily, as a servant, to improve the lives of those around him. I am forever marked by the life of Charlies Criniere. He carried a torch to bring the gospel to the next generation, and though it will be impossible to fill the void he is leaving, it is now our turn to continue living out his legacy of faith and family till Jesus is glorified in every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Charlie we love you and we miss you and we will do our best by God’s grace to continue the work that you began. but thanks be to God that this isn’t goodbye. For on that Glorious day the dead in Christ shall be raised and we will be together with you forever. And God will wipe away every tear from our eyes and we will all sing together, “O, death were is your sting," and "O, grave where is your victory.” May God answer every prayer that Charlie every prayed, May God send revival to the youth of our nation! And May God uphold Megan and each of his precious children till the very end.

Start by watching the two videos below: The video above was created by Ryan Corrigan - Charlie's close friend for 16 years The video above features David Popovici - Charlie's brother in law Questions? Click on the let's chat button to talk to a live person What is the Gospel? The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Jesus Christ and the way of salvation. The key to understanding the gospel is to know why it’s good news. To do that, we must start with the bad news. The Old Testament Law was given to Israel during the time of Moses (Deuteronomy 5:1). The Law can be thought of as a measuring stick, and sin is anything that falls short of “perfect” according to that standard. The righteous requirement of the Law is so stringent that no human being could possibly follow it perfectly, in letter or in spirit. Despite our “goodness” or “badness” relative to each other, we are all in the same spiritual boat—we have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, i.e. separation from God, the source of life (Romans 3:23). In order for us to go to heaven, God’s dwelling place and the realm of life and light, sin must be somehow removed or paid for. The Law established the fact that cleansing from sin can only happen through the bloody sacrifice of an innocent life (Hebrews 9:22). The gospel involves Jesus’ death on the cross as the sin offering to fulfill the Law’s righteous requirement (Romans 8:3–4; Hebrews 10:5–10). Under the Law, animal sacrifices were offered year after year as a reminder of sin and a symbol of the coming sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:3–4). When Christ offered Himself at Calvary, that symbol became a reality for all who would believe (Hebrews 10:11–18). The work of atonement is finished now, and that’s good news. The gospel also involves Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). The fact that Jesus conquered sin and death (sin’s penalty) is good news, indeed. The fact that He offers to share that victory with us is the greatest news of all (John 14:19). The elements of the gospel are clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3–6, a key passage concerning the good news of God: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living.” Notice, first, that Paul “received” the gospel and then “passed it on”; this is a divine message, not a man-made invention. Second, the gospel is “of first importance.” Everywhere the apostles went, they preached the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Third, the message of the gospel is accompanied by proofs: Christ died for our sins (proved by His burial), and He rose again the third day (proved by the eyewitnesses). Fourth, all this was done “according to the Scriptures”; the theme of the whole Bible is the salvation of mankind through Christ. The Bible is the gospel. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is a bold message, and we are not ashamed of proclaiming it. It is a powerful message, because it is God’s good news. It is a saving message, the only thing that can truly reform the human heart. It is a universal message, for Jews and Gentiles both. And the gospel is received by faith; salvation is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is the good news that God loves the world enough to give His only Son to die for our sin (John 3:16). The gospel is good news because our salvation and eternal life and home in heaven are guaranteed through Christ (John 14:1–4). “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The gospel is good news when we understand that we do not (and cannot) earn our salvation; the work of redemption and justification is complete, having been finished on the cross (John 19:30). Jesus is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). The gospel is the good news that we, who were once enemies of God, have been reconciled by the blood of Christ and adopted into the family of God (Romans 5:10; John 1:12). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). The gospel is the good news that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). To reject the gospel is to embrace the bad news. Condemnation before God is the result of a lack of faith in the Son of God, God’s only provision for salvation. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:17–18). God has given a doomed world good news: the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Would you like to talk to someone about Jesus? Click on the 'let's chat' button to talk to a live person. Article from https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-gospel.html

The Fire-Starter by Athol Barnes I was one of the blessed ones because I can say that I knew Charles Criniere. We met on the 4th of July 2015. He had walked from the neighborhood with some of his children to celebrate the holiday with the greater community on the hill at Grace Point church. However, before we could enjoy the fireworks, it started to rain, and a strong thunderstorm disrupted all our plans. I offered to take him home, and quickly realized that I would need a bigger car! Over the years we greeted each other as our paths crossed, but we never really got to know one another until 2020, when he and his family joined our church family during the pandemic. Charles quickly stepped into leadership, joining our leadership team, and was ordained as a deacon. He infused everything he did in the church with his passion for prayer. He was a man of wisdom and was ready to articulate new ideas with passion and clarity. Frequently, he would challenge our leadership team to take steps that we would not have taken, and he had a gift to inspire faith for new ventures. Charles was a rare human being; he had boundless energy and had the capacity to motivate people into action in a brief conversation. He was a fire-starter and had a passion for moving things forward, but once the vision was rolling, he was ready to move on to the next thing. In July of 2020, we were driving back from a mission trip in Cincinnati, and Charles sat next to me for twelve hours in the van. There were so many initiatives and ideas that came out of that time, it kept us busy for a year as a church. He was the kind of man that everyone wanted to be around. But it wasn’t only because of his dynamic personality and smile, he was a man totally committed to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come .” Charles became a new creation when he became a follower of Jesus. He spent many early morning hours in the prayer room, praying for wisdom, praying for his family and praying for the Church. He had a passion for the Bible and would always be seen holding a well weathered Bible in his right hand, always ready to flip it open and share a word from the Lord. The time spent in the place of prayer and in the Word of God, transformed Charles into the man that we knew and loved. Though we miss him intensely, he continues to inspire us towards a life of devotion and wholehearted commitment to Jesus Christ. Athol Barnes

By Jeremy Clarkson It was June 2009 when I was first introduced to Charles Criniere in the library at Grandview High School. I was a new teacher getting ready to start my career, and we were at the school to work on the curriculum for the week. My earliest impression of Charles was that he seemed very happy and upbeat. Whenever asked a question, he would always smile while explaining something he had been doing with his family since school ended. Charles played a big part in my earliest years as a teacher. Some of my first two years brought a lot of challenges, as any new teacher has. I wasn't always sure I could handle the overwhelming feeling of being a new teacher. I would go to Charles to get advice or just some encouragement. Occasionally, I would stop by Charles' room, and he would stop what he was doing and say, "Hey, kids! Do you know Mr. Clarkson? He is the best Algebra teacher in the school!" Charles was the best at building others up! He knew what to say to make you feel like, whatever you did, you were the best at it. I gained a lot of self-confidence in my teaching abilities in my first two years working with Charles. We both taught Algebra 1 in summer school, compared notes, and discussed how things went each day. Charles and I left Grandview High School for different reasons, but it was a blessing that we both found ourselves back at GHS a few years later. Criniere saw me one day in a meeting and said, "There is Mr. Clarkson. The LeBron James of Grandview High School!" Not to be outdone, I countered my friend's claim by labeling Charles as "The Wayne Gretzky of GHS" (since Gretzky is known as "The Great One"). I cannot tell you how many times we called each other these over the years. In April 2018, I went with Charles to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Conference in Washington, DC. It was such an exciting time since I knew being with Charles would be an adventure. I was fortunate to attend the NCTM Conference at the last minute in place of a co-worker who could not attend. Unfortunately, since we could not get the registration changed before the conference, I had to wear the name badge of our colleague. There we were, walking around the conference, and I had this big badge on, but it displayed our co-worker's name instead of mine. Charles could not stop laughing every time he saw it. Over the next three days, whenever we met someone, I would introduce myself as our co-worker, then notice Charles would have this huge grin on his face and laugh. Whenever we would walk away, Charles would say, "Oh Clarkson! You're too much!" Much of our trip involved me finding new ways to make Charles laugh. I remember we went on a trip to see the White House, and then we decided to walk back to the hotel. As we walked, I would find a place and say, "Hey Charles, why don't we go and stop there for a bit!" Charles would laugh and shake his head at me and decline. Even though I knew he would refuse, I kept asking just to hear him laugh. The Covid Pandemic changed a lot of how things worked in education for a while, including us at Grandview. We seemed to instantly transition into doing everything on Zoom. During the pandemic, I started playing this game with Charles, seemingly to try to make him laugh. We would be in a meeting on Zoom, and I would find myself holding up notecards on my screen. The cards said, "Criniere 2021: Make Algebra Great Again!" I would hold up the cards until Charles noticed. Sometimes, he was so focused it would take him a minute. But eventually, he saw what I was doing and would shake his head and smile. Every time this happened, I couldn't help but start laughing. Later, after the meetings, I would run into Criniere, and he would give me his usual, "Oh, Clarkson! You're too much!" Since we returned to Grandview, I expected that Charles and I would work together for the next 20 years. I would always talk to him about how we were the two young guys in the Math Department when we started, but soon, we would be the two old guys who had been teaching forever. I always pictured that we would be two guys who could retire at any given year but keep teaching. Charles began teaching at Martin City Middle School in 2021, where he was taking on the new challenge of teaching middle school. I remember sitting with him at a football game that year, talking about school and seeing how happy he was with how things were going. Criniere loved the kids and his co-workers so much! His classes were going better than ever. He was so happy to be able to enjoy a new challenge and a new environment. But I was also jealous to teach with him again, so I told Charles I needed him back at the High School to "Make Algebra Great Again!" I remember a moment at the beginning of this year when we were about to have our meetings. I passed Charles in the hallway but eventually turned around and went back to give him a big hug. It wasn't new that I would hug him. I just wanted to hug him, tell him I missed him, and chat with him for a few minutes. Charles was a big part of my career, and I always believed we would teach together for decades. But, like so many others, I was blessed to have that unique friendship with Criniere where it felt like I could make him laugh no matter what. Everyone loved his special laugh! I hope to honor Charles and the legacy he left in our school and community through my efforts and continued service to our community. I hope he's continually looking down on my work, smiling and laughing at me like he always did. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for always doing what you could to make me feel special and build me up, even when I wasn't sure about myself. I love you Charles Criniere. - Jeremy Clarkson

by Ken DeBenedictis Something broke in me the other day when my friend died. It was so jolting. There’s something about hearing of a sudden tragedy of someone close to you that freezes time. This was personal. He lives across the street from us so our families are super tight. I have four kids—he has ten. With all the kid-filled homes in our neighborhood, with all their limitless energy, his front lawn would always become center stage to the cars driving by. Some days it felt like an endless family birthday party over there. There would be Charlie, right in the middle of it—scrappin’ with his kids— throwing the ball around, little girls swirling around him practicing cartwheels or swinging on the rope swing. All that beautiful imagery got shaken up on Saturday morning when we received the news that while on an early morning bike ride, Charlie Criniere had been killed instantly by a hit and run driver. It was one of those surreal moments in life—one that I didn’t want to believe, but because of the responsibilities of being a dad, I was forced to. After I told my family the news, we all raced across the street in our pajamas to be with the Criniere’s. This family who poured out so much to other people, and was so immeshed into our lives, had just had their whole world turned upside down in seconds. Before we knew it, word started to spread and phones and texts came pouring in. We live in a prayerful community that lives to follow Jesus 24-7. Charlie had given all he had to worshipping Jesus and leading by example to everyone he met, a life fully committed and surrendered. By the time the media caught wind of the news, there was already an alerted local church community surrounding Meg and the kids. The headlines on my phone read “Cyclist killed by hit and run driver.” Something struck me as odd with that statement. He was so much more than a cyclist or just an innocent pedestrian who was a victim of a crime. Did people realize who this guy was? As the day moved on, and more and more people dropping by, there were questions. “Why him? Why now?”, I’d hear people say. “Of all of the people for this to happen to…him??!!”. I think we all can relate. I can think of fifty people who this kind of thing would have been better suited. The deadbeat dad, the abusive husband, a pedophile, a serial rapist—but Charlie Criniere? Ultimate family man, step-in dad to those who had none, committed teacher to hundreds, faithful man of prayer… it just didn’t make any sense. How could Charlie’s life end like this? As that blurry day came and went and ran into the next, more and more people came. Meg was surrounded by family and friends. There was so much love. Stories of Charlie filled the air. It seemed like I was getting to know a different Charlie from each person that shared. From his days growing up in Chicago with a troubled and violent past, to the moment he found Jesus who gave him a brand new life with purpose and passion. This man was living proof that no life is too far gone. He had found a reason to live life to its fullest and now wanted to spend the rest of it telling people his story. It was an honest story. One that he never grew tired of telling. As I look back on it now, and as much as I heard of it, I wish I had listened to it more. As the memorial service was beginning, I noticed such an array of people from all walks of life. Kids he grew up with, relatives, fellow public school teachers, people who were up at 5am with him pacing back and forth in the Prayer Room, teenagers from his classrooms throughout the years, athletic coaches, hungry revivalists—they all had a story, they all had a memory. He impacted so many lives whether in a home group, a church setting or his chosen platform of the public schools. Jesus said, that you can tell what kind of a tree it is by the fruit that it bears. As I looked around that sanctuary that day, I couldn’t help but notice all the beautiful fruit. His wife is a living example of the one personified in Proverbs 31. His children are all tenderhearted, thoughtful, honest, young ones who love Jesus and love people well. It says in Psalm 1, that “he shall be a like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper.” As I ponder that scripture, I’m reminded of Charlie’s life. He planted himself by a river called a lifestyle of prayer and worship and allowed his roots to grow deep. That was the tree that you saw. It was a reflection of Jesus, the Tree of Life. All that time he spent with his own kids, with his students, with people, and friends…all that giving of his time and of his money, and that attraction to the fatherless kids and to the juveniles. If you were one of the fortunate ones who knew him and are grieving now, you can take comfort in knowing that the seed he put in you was intentional. It will live if you allow it to. It is designed to grow and to produce something great. Because that’s what he saw in you—something great.

Memories of Mr. Charles Criniere from a Former Student When I found out about what happened I was in complete shock and denial. Even now, I still haven’t fully accepted the fact that he’s gone. Criniere was my freshman Geometry teacher at Grandview High School. I am graduating this year. I was looking forward to seeing him at graduation and taking pictures with him. I have always heard that he enjoyed going to students' graduations and I really wanted to see him at mine. When I had his class, I hated and loathed Geometry. I'm pretty sure he knew that though. He always tried to help during class, but no matter what it always seemed too hard or too fast for me. I also never had the chance to get any photos or videos of him on my own because I struggled in his class. Most of the time I stayed after school with him to get extra help. These were the best moments from him in my opinion. You get one on one help with your assignments and he was always super patient with you. You also get those little one on one conversations with him. Most of the time they were random conversations but sometimes they could have been deep conversations. One day I stayed after school with him and I remember me and my sister were making jokes with him. I eventually said something to him like, "We should shine your head like you would shine shoes," and he laughed. He responded and said something along the lines like, "Noo don’t say that!" He knew we were joking and it was a good time. I am now realizing that he took the time to stay after school to help his students for 30 minutes to an hour before he had to leave and get home to his family. I am forever grateful for those days that I got to spend with him. He was devoted to his students and he was devoted to his family. He always talked about his wife and kids. Every time he spoke about them he would say, “I have to get home, it’s date night with my wife!” Or he always talked about his kids in such a nice way it was sweet to hear about. Every Thursday he would remind us what day it was and eventually our class would start reminding or asking him about date night. He was a big family man and I admire him because of it. Mr. Worldwide or Mr. Clean are some of the nicknames us students would call him. I think he liked those nicknames. I am going to miss his fun and chaotic energy. I am going to miss his smile that always seemed to never fade. I am going to miss the times he spoke about God and his faith in class. I am going to miss the personal conversations he and I had about God and what he would share with me. I look up to him because of how strong his faith was and how good of a human being he was. Lately I have been trying to follow his footsteps and work on my relationship with God. I wish he were here to help guide me. I would have loved for him to be my youth leader outside of school! I even invited him and his family to my church but he never ended up being able to go. I learned recently that my youth leaders at my church said they had met him 20 years ago at IHOPKC. I am glad they were able to have met someone so great. I wish I kept better contact with him when he moved to the middle school. I remember emailing him the first school year that he was not at the high school and told him that I missed him. He emailed me back within 4 minutes and said, “Hey Autumn! I miss you as well and the high school. I hope your first week went well. The middle school is a different entity...the kids are hyper, busy, talkative, and giggly. Its strange! Anyways, I am beginning to enjoy it. Well, I have a meeting to go to. We'll talk soon. Happy Friday!” These few short sentences made my day and they continue to keep me smiling now. There have been countless nights and days where I have cried because I miss him so much. The first couple weeks were the hardest. I had a couple times where I would end up crying in class but I am grateful to have a couple other teachers there at my side grieving with me. Another faint memory I can recall is him telling me about his graffiti art he did in Chicago. When he would bring it up I always asked him to show me some of his work and he always asked me to show him some of my art skills because he knew I liked art. I never ended up seeing his work! I wish he got to show me himself but I hope to see his work eventually. My most recent interaction with him was last year through a zoom call. I was in a graphic design program and we had to explain our program to the middle school and his class was one of the classes we got to speak with. When I saw him on call we waved and said hi to each other. He then had to leave the frame because of technical difficulties that he had to attend to. At the end of our explanation of the program I think he came on screen one last time and we said bye to each other. I wish I had more time with him at that last moment. I wish I had seen him in person. I have read and heard multiple stories from his family, friends, teachers, and other students about how he has touched their lives. He made a huge impact on this community. He has never left my mind since I've heard the news. Every night I have been praying for his family. I pray that they find comfort and peace and happiness. I know he is watching over his family and I know he will be cheering me on as I walk across the stage in May at graduation. I am so grateful to have known him. I love you and I miss you Criniere. We all miss you. Thank you for everything. - Autumn Arthur, Grandview High School Graduating class of 2022 My name is Autumn Arthur. I am a senior at Grandview High School. I have been apart of the Grandview community for all my life. I am passionate about playing softball, watching movies, being outdoors, being with my family, and spending time with my youth group at my church.

By Sean Cates I first met Charlie Criniere around 15 or so years ago. We instantly bonded over our love for God and our passion to see people encounter the love and salvation of Jesus! Charlie truly is in his own spot in my heart! He was such a unique man and his enthusiasm to inspire others was infectious. Charlie wasn’t being “true to himself” if he was focusing on “himself.” He loved solving problems, inspiring others, and starting a fire in people! While I Consider myself an “encourager” also - if I was with Charlie it was 90% HIM speaking affirmingWords over me and pushing me closer to Jesus and my calling! We spent many nights out sharing our faith on the streets together to whoever would listen. Charlie loved that I produced Jesus centered rap music and would give my albums out to his Students at Grandview High School. I’d attend his FCA events there and he and I would do our best to get the students to think about deeper things than the upcoming weekend party, etc. I remember distinctly one special trip Charlie and I took together to Omaha, Nebraska. We had no idea until we arrived at our outreach spot that we were in one of the most dangerous crime ridden and drug infested areas in the midwest at the time. That night as we were walking the streets talking to young people about Hope in Jesus we had Police officers stop us. They told us we needed to leave because it simply wasn’t safe for us to be in this area at night. An area where shootings happened regularly. I remember CharliePolitely saying to the officers, “But gentleman, if it’s dangerous for us..isn’t it also dangerous for these young kids we are trying to help and get off of these streets?” We ended our outreach that particular night but that was the type of heart within Charlie. He consistently thought about others before himself. His heart bled for children - and he yearned to see them free and happy. My heart is broken that this world has lost such an amazing man, husband, father, teacher, coach, & friend. He was one of the most special men of faith I’ve ever known. About 1 month before Charlie died him and I hung out for a couple hours. Talking, praying, encouraging one another. I’ve never shared this before now. I asked Charlie this question. “At your age, what are some dreams you have?” He thought about it for maybe 10 seconds and replied, “My biggest dream is to build up the next generation in their faith in Jesus.” His answer was completely unselfish and it didn’t surprise me at all. I pray that all of Charlie’s dreams for his family, his community, and the next generation are realized through CharliesTrust.com . Miss you Charlie. May your Legacy live on in us, Here is a song I wrote so that his children would forever remember his heart towards them. - Sean Cates

When I decided to do a press release after they found the driver that killed my husband I prayed and asked the Lord for the words. I tried to write out what I would say beforehand but I just couldn't. There were just no words. But God gave me the grace to answer all the questions the reporters asked me. Everyone always feels like they could answer better after the fact but all I could do was to just be as authentic as I could in the moment. Being in a place of such weakness in front of an audience is very uncomfortable but I felt God's comfort and strength has been present this whole time. The message I want to communicate is that God has shown such radical forgiveness to all of us in Jesus Christ so how can we not in-turn give that same forgiveness back to those who don't deserve it? I know I certainly didn't deserve God's love and redemption but he still gave it to me. I pray that Miss Fields can find redemption and peace in God the way Charlie did - the way all of us in Jesus Christ have. You don’t have to stay broken - you can become something completely brand new. That’s Charlie's life story. That’s what he loved the most about telling everyone and that is what he would tell Kyrie Fields right now. Below is the audio and transcription of the full unedited interview I did with the press yesterday. May God be glorified. Question: Meg I am sure, probably, when Miss field was out that day, she didn't have the intention of hitting your husband. What the police have said is that after she did it - she left. Not only that, she burned the car to try and cover her tracks. Obviously it took this long to find her. What do you think about all that? Megan: I think it (finding her) came quicker than I expected. I didn't really know what that would look like, it felt more sudden (quicker) than a couple of weeks. I think it made some of the initial feelings of that moment come back. So a little bit scary in that sense - just kind of re-living that moment of shock, pain and fear and all those things. Question: I guess from a practical point of view, your husband being the sole breadwinner, we understand and you have nine children living at home? I don't know if she has any kind of insurance or anything like that. But, I mean, there's the practical aspect of being able to take care of your family. What do you think about that going forward? Megan: We've seen radical generosity. We've had people step in and pay off my house, my cars, putting a new roof on my house - It's been above and beyond, just shocking generosity. I think God's gonna take care of us. I think there's practical sides too. We have a (little bit) of income that comes in through another source and there's some insurance coverages and teacher benefits coming our way. Maybe it should be higher on the concern list, but that's not a really a high concern for me at this point. Question: Can you talk a little bit about how these past few weeks have been coping with the loss and just trying to move forward as a family together? I know you've had a lot of support from your neighbors and even the church. Megan: Definitely. It's been very different obviously. Our whole worlds were wrapped up around each other. But then in some senses, it just keeps moving. You know, the kids are homeschooled, so they've always been with me. My husband was studying so there was lots of late nights of me putting them to bed by myself and, hurrying them off here and there. I think we will definitely miss the difference of everything he had to bring. But there's 10 people whose lives are still here. We just got to wake up every day and keep moving. Question: How are the kids doing? Megan: They have been amazing! I think they're taking their cues from me. They have their moments, we all have our moments where there's tears and not knowing anything and then we get up from that place and we just do what we always do. We play, we we eat, we do chores, we do school, we just, we just gotta keep moving. Question: I don't want to put words in your mouth. What struck me is that one of our folks talked to some of your friends after the arrest, and they said that they forgive Miss Fields and that there was no animosity, that's extraordinary. Do you forgive this woman for what she did? Megan: Absolutely. Again, like I said, we've been recipients of lots forgiveness, we came out of some pretty broken situations. And so we've seen radical forgiveness from God, and we've seen radical forgiveness from people. I think it would be criminal not to respond like that. I don't know how I can hold something against somebody when I've experienced so much forgiveness. Question : You mentioned the generosity. We checked, the fundraisers and saw that the GoFundMe, which has a target of a quarter million is already well in excess of $200,000. And somebody gave you $20,000, anonymously, what do you think about that? Megan: I'm shocked, we are such small people. We literally live such mundane lives. Charlie went to work every day, I homeschool my kids every day, and we played on our front lawn. that was the extent of our lives. Maybe we went across the street to Ken's house but that's that was about it. So to see such a wide ripple effect, to me is it's appalling. I can't even believe that so many people would take notice and care enough to actually do something as big or small as it was. Every little donation has been amazing to me! Question: Talking to friends, and even reading some of the GoFundMe notes that people were leaving shows he left an impact on the people that he came across. What do you want people to take from him and move forward with? What do you want his legacy to be? Megan: I guess that your story doesn't really have to be perfect. I think when you make amends with your past, there's lots of hope for the future. You don't have to stay stuck, you don't have to stay a mess, you don't have to stay broken. You can become something completely brand new. That's Charlie's life story, and that's what he loved telling the kids most in the classroom - It doesn't really matter your home situation or where you come from. He was a high school dropout who became a teacher with a specialist degree. Question: This generosity is not over either. I understand that there is a bike ride on Saturday. And, you know, there's obviously a very strong biking community in the Kansas City area. A lot of people are out on the road, it could have been any one of us that could have been in the same kind of boat. I think that's touched a chord with a lot of people. Megan: Oh, yeah, it's touched so many different streams - the church, the school settings, and the biking communities, our neighborhood. It literally could have been anybody. So I think it was just very sobering for anybody who hears the story. To be like, 'I don't necessarily know if tomorrow is promised to me.' So really to take advantage of every moment, even the little mundane ones. I think that's one of the things my husband did the best. He just made peace with just living every moment with lots of love. And it just made a huge impact, a huge impact. Question: As you keep telling the story and keeping his memory alive, are there certain moments that keep coming back up? your kids, and loved ones, any specific ones? Megan: For us it probably Charlie's goofiness. It was always a song or dance or some just some random outburst. I'm not quite as funny as he was. We have tons of videos so the little ones will grow up watching those. I think they will keep watching those videos hearing the stories - the outrageous ones. I think we're just gonna learn to keep laughing, keep remembering how much fun we had, and keep having lots of fun ourselves. Question: Are you starting to see traits in your kids that came from him? And will you appreciate them more now? Megan: Oh, yeah, some more than others. Yeah, I think everybody's got a little. A little bit of that wild, fun spirit. They're all a hoot. Some are strong, some are very intense - like they know what they want and they're gonna go get it. Some are quiet but very diligent. They don't necessarily have all the skills naturally, but they're not afraid to work to get them. There's just so many things - they love people well. Question: Meg, as you know, there's gonna come a point here in the not too distant future when all of us are gonna go away. There's not going to be as much attention on what has happened to you. But you still have to raise nine children that live in your house. What are your thoughts about taking that on going forward. Megan: Our whole journey in parenting always felt like it was something that we were called to not necessarily something that we were equipped for. We studied the Bible a lot. We prayed a lot. We asked for help from the community a lot, like, 'Hey, can you watch my kids' or whatever so it's always been something that was always beyond us. So now it's still beyond me. I just keep doing what I've always done. And I believe the community is going to come through, God's gonna come through, my family has been super supportive - they are thinking about moving down here. So I know when all the cameras and lights disappear, that we will still have so many people that are willing to stay and support us and see us through. Question: What else can the community be doing? Megan: I don't think there's anything anybody hasn't done. I have a basement shelf full of toilet paper, diapers, and if I put it on a needs list, it shows up in my basement on a shelf somewhere. I can't think of anything else. Everybody's come through in so many ways. Question: Pretty clearly, doing this at a church speaks volumes. I mean, you are a person of faith. And that's that's a big part of what's pulling you through this, correct? Megan: Absolutely. Yeah. Number one. I think our lives were well grounded before this. This isn't our first round through hardships - through life. You know life gets real. So we've worked this muscle a few times. It just seems the natural response. Something that's already been there. We're just drawing from it. Question: Anything else that you want to add? Megan: I think always in the back of my mind. (my kids are in the front of my mind.) I think right behind them are the kids, the students, in the classrooms that won't have that connection point (with Charlie) anymore. But if they want to be like him, if they want to emulate him, just walk in His footsteps, do what he did, one day, one step, one right choice at a time.

by Justin Jeffries I knew Charlie for a little over four years, and all I can say is that his prayers and constant encouragement to my family and me made a massive impact in our lives! He loved us so well! When I heard what happened to Charlie, I immediately wanted to do something because I know if the tables were turned, he would do something extraordinary for my family. 8 years ago Charlie and Megan bought a humble home in Kansas City to do life with their 10 kids. The house needed work when they moved, and they tried to do some renovations here and there to make it into a good living space for their growing family. However, they never made it very far down their list on their budget. Charlie was a dedicated public school teacher to impact the next generation, not to make a big bank account. However, just a few weeks before Charlie died, he was getting really serious about getting some projects done around the house! He had numerous contractors over giving estimates, and Megan and he were again dreaming together of what could be. But then tragedy struck... Once I heard what happened, I was moved with deep compassion to fulfill Charlie's dream to give his children a place where their most precious memories could take place. So I began calling around to different contractors and seeking to build a team that could completely renovate this home to make his dreams a reality. Just imagine if we could do an 'Extreme Home Makeover' for the Criniere Family! So far a roofing company put a new roof on the house for free - Amazing!!! Below is a video we put together showing you what else needs to be done, followed by a practical list of how you can get involved. A quick look at the new roof If you are a contractor that would like to get involved in any of these projects or you would like to donate specifically to one of these, you can contact me at 913-286-3020 - Justin Jeffries

- by Ryan Corrigan About a year ago, I was talking to Charlie Criniere, and he told me that he had started getting into cycling with his pastor Athol Barnes. I was excited about this because I started cycling about 3 years ago and fell in love with the sport. We talked about cycling together, but sadly it never happened. I live right off the Longview Lake Loop - I cycle there almost daily. One of my friends even took me out riding other roads because he said, "All you do is ride around that lake!". My passion for cycling took off in my whole family. After searching high and low for Jr. sized road bikes my wife and 4 boys also started riding on a regular basis. The boys are homeschooled, play soccer, and are crazy active (we can't believe how much they eat)! Almost every day after they finish school, they take off around the loop. They often come back bragging about the people they passed going up Scherer....hahaha! We even bought matching cycling kits after fellow native Coloradoan Sepp Kuss pulled Jonas Vingegaard to victory this year in the Tour de France. When we heard that Charlie had died on the loop, we were paralyzed with grief. For a week, none of us touched our bikes. Each day I went to the spot he was killed, kneeled there, prayed, and wept. Charlie was not only one of my best friends, but he was killed in the very spot where my family and I ride almost every day. After a week, I got up the courage to ride the loop again. When JC Van Deventer contacted me and told me he was going to put on the Bright Lights for Charlie Memorial ride, I was in shock. When I told Megan Criniere, she was in triple shock! Charlie had been riding less than a year and had only been out a total of about 10 times. So for the cycling community to rally around Charlie like this was unthinkable to us! He went riding to spend time with Pastor Athol who is an avid cyclist. Athol helped Charlie pick out a used Felt road bike, and at some point along the way, Charlie started finding time early in the mornings to go over to the lake to ride by himself. He obviously started to love the sport! Charlie would never have considered himself a "cyclist", and we didn't think of him that way either. But what we didn't realize was how amazing the cycling community here in Kansas City is. No matter if a person has been on a bike for one day or for 70 years, they consider everyone part of their community. Now I, too, understand this. Prior to Bright lights for Charlie, I was kinda known as a solo cyclist. Sometimes people would invite me to ride or join group rides, but I only did a handful of times. Like Charlie, I was a little intimidated to join group rides. But I also just love being out in nature alone, hearing the sound of rolling wheels, the wind in my face, the exhilarating feeling of descending down a hill, praying, and pushing myself to the limits! There really is something so unique about road cycling. But after what happened to Charlie, I was scared I wouldn't be able to enjoy it the same way ever again. However, Bright Lights For Charlie changed everything for me! I am more enthralled with cycling than I have ever been, and I am so excited to jump into the group rides that are happening all around the city every week. The cycling community here in KC is really outstanding! I didn't know what to expect prior to the Bright Lights for Charlie Memorial Ride. I was actually really nervous. I didn't know if I would be too emotional to ride. Pastor Athol asked me to ride 100 miles with him, 10 laps around the lake - 1 for each child. This was an idea that JC Van Deventer came up with when he spontaneously did this a few weeks before to promote the ride. I knew this was something I had to do! But the most I had ever ridden was 60 miles, and I had less than 2 weeks to prepare myself for my first century ride! I needed a miracle! On the day of the race, I was up at 4:45 am with electric anticipation. When I arrived at the beach and saw the hundreds of people, the news stations, the volunteers, the raffle, the RVs, and the merchandise, I was completely overwhelmed! Then to get to lead out the entire ride with Pastor Athol was a feeling beyond words. So away Athol and I went - 10 laps around the lake! For the first lap, Athol took his special needs son (Joshua, age 15) around the lake on a tandem, then he switched bikes for the remaining 9 loops. Going around the lake, we saw so many smiling faces, so many moms and kids, so many great cyclists, and so many who hadn't been on bikes in years. We rode and talked, laughed, and cried a little. We remembered our friend Charlie and thanked God for His amazing kindness shown through all who participated in the ride. This event brought us together with truly incredible people! I don't even know what else to say. No words can describe the event. This was one of the most amazing moments in my life. I was so deeply impacted by the hundreds of cyclists who came out. I am still overflowing and gushing with appreciation for everyone who participated! Megan Criniere and the whole family even came out for the event. Some of the Criniere kids rode with the 10-mile peloton around the lake to celebrate their dad! Megan was there for hours with a massive smile on her face! I came in for water a few times, and there she was, beaming with joy, with the community gathered around her! What an amazing site! I am so thankful to Athol for convincing me I could do the 100 miles with him; we rode together the entire time - what a joy! Jason Starforth from the Bicycle Shack also rode 3 loops with us which was a huge blessing! Athol and I finished 10 loops around the lake - 1 for each of Charlie and Megan's Children. I told Athol that I had gotten my miracle. Here are the names of the children, from oldest to youngest. Gabriel Eliya Mariah Justice Gloriana Ava David Hope Jubilee Caleb My 3 older boys each rode 60 miles (6 loops around the lake). My wife rode 30 miles (3 loops around the lake). And my 8-year-old rode 10 miles (one loop around the lake). In total, as a family, we rode 320 miles for Charlie in just over 6 hours. Others also completed the 10-loop century ride! JC Van Deventer (Solo 2 weeks earlier to promote the event!) Logan Vaught Andy Eastman Julie Fockler Mark Horn Most of the 500+ riders who came out never met Charlie one time - let that sink in. Thank you to VanDoIt, Elliott Truck Sales, 3 Feet Cycling, Dave's Bike Shop, Kurts Bars, Premium Water, & Major Taylor Cycling Club for ensuring the SAG stops were taken care of! The events team was also able to Raffle off the following items: VanDoIt Explosion of greatness bag (2 Vandoit t-shirts, medium & large, 2 Vandoit jackets, medium & large, 2 Vandoit trucker caps, 2 Vandoit beanies, Vandoit koozies, Vandoit keychain) Kuat Bike Rack Helmet by Smith Giant Helmet Peculiar Winery gift card Garmin Varia RTL515 Specialized lights Giant Lights Bontrager Ballista MIPS Helmet Thank you to 3 great ride partners: The Freedom Ride Tour de Bier Bike for Brains Thank you to the local bike shops which supported Bright Lights for Charlie: Bicycle Shack Erik’s Bike Stop West Bottoms Bikes Cycle City Velo Plus Trek Bicycles of Lee’s Summit PR Factory Store Elite Cycling Midwest Cyclery Dave’s Bike Shop Most importantly, thank you to all of you for making it happen! I also want to thank Rachel at Lemon Lane Farm in Raymore, Missouri , for donating two incredible flower arrangements to put at the memorial site. Here is a note from Megan Crineire and the Criniere Family - From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you Bright Light Riders! We want to thank every single person who was involved in this incredible event! We were absolutely amazed that JC. Van Deventer, who we had never met, came up with this idea! And we were astounded at the hundreds of people who showed up! WOW! Thank you for riding for Charlie! Thank you for riding for the safety of cyclists everywhere! Thank you for all the hard work, all the support you showed us, and all that you gave to us financially! We will forever remember this moment in time and hopefully, we will see you back out next year. If any of you would like to stay connected with us and learn more about Charlie, and our ongoing story you can subscribe to our updates at charliestrust.com. I pray that Charlie’s tragic death will end up actually causing his legacy to grow and continue in all of our lives. A thousand blessings.