Twentieth Monday after Pentecost
My first day as Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church, North Wilkesboro, was Wednesday, January 5, 2005. Marianne spent the entire day working with the movers to get 20 years worth of accumulated possressions into our new parsonage.
My first church meeting was at 10:00 with the Worship Committee. There I met a number of people who would become important close friends over the next six years. Teresa Minton, the Chair, led us through a good worship planning session. I also met Frances Casey, who would become and still is one of my closrst frriends. Frances was Chair of the Church Council and Head of Stephen Ministry. I remember her saying, "We are having a Stephen Ministry meeting tomorrow night at 7:00. You will be there!" (Frances does not remember this), I was there.
Peggy and Carl Swofford drove me around the community that afternoon, showing me where everybody lived. Years latewr I later found out that Peggy had been college roomates with Sylvia Perry of University UMC in Chapel Hill, where Marianne and I would end up six years later.
That night was the usual Wednesday night dinner in the newly built Faith Center, which was a fellowship hall and also a gym. It was much larger than the usual attendance.It was meet the new parsonage couple night. At one point one member launched into a speech about how there should be just one service. He wanted to know if I was supportive of just one service. Not knowing the controversy nor the background, I made no judgement. He seemed unsatisfied. Other members seemed annoyed that he brought it up.
After the program ended one couple hung around to talk. They talked and talked. I had the immediate feeling that they would become close friends. Little did I reaize that we would eventually make numerous trips all over Europe and the Middle East with them. They were Kin and Vicki Church.
It was an exhausting but rewarding day. The next day we would be plunged into the thick of it, learning quickly was parish life in our new church was going to be.
Faithfully,
Christian
1 comment:
Chris not only came to the Stephen Ministry meeting the next night, but he and Marianne were faith participants in the over 50 hours of Stephen Ministry training. Chris later went to the week long Stephen Ministry leader training and Marianne was a dedicated caregiver to a grieving member of our congregation.
Chris bribed me into leading the Companions in Christ study by offering to cook dinner for Bill and me. I couldn't refuse although that was a challenge for me--totally out of my comfort zone.
During their time in North Wilkesboro Chris and Marianne were always supportive of the members of the congregation, and all the ministries of the church and community.
It was and is a joy to know them.
Frances Casey
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