May I sit down please?

I'm at the District Minister's Meeting (Methodist Minister's Synod for those in the know) and as such it has some quaint ways.  One is that ministers can't just retire but have to ask for permission.  They call it permission to sit down (presumably from riding one's Methodist horse around the circuit).
One of the retirees (all of which were allowed to sit down by the way - I guess one day we will be refused on account there are fewer and fewer of us now) gave thanks for all those people who had been influential over the years and who had encouraged them and 'I wouldn't be here today had it not been for their support...'.What will people say about us?  Encourager? Supporter? Helper? Friend? I am concerned that with our selfish society (and I include our  churches here) this vote of thanks is likely to be heard less and less.