We come to worship every week, saints and sinners; two sides of the same coin. Gathering to sing praises, studying scriptures, utter prayers and share in fellowship. We gather not as a perfect people but as those seeking to become a holy people; holy in God’s sight.
And we know we are not alone; the bible is full of sinners like us transformed by the love of Jesus. We read of Jesus welcoming the boastful, the prostitute, the tax collectors, the selfish, and even the hypocrite. In fact the Apostle Paul, the one credited with writing most of the New Testament, claims himself to be a hypocrite, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19)
Perhaps that is the only place where holiness can begin; the honest place of self-awareness. Paul knew of his own short comings and brought them before Jesus.
And so, to all those who are imperfect, seeking to find a place of refuge in a difficult world, I say, “Come as you are and find a place among us where sinners sing and saints pray. Where hypocrites are welcome and the lonely find belonging; come and break bread with us and find that in our imperfections we celebrate a perfect love made available to all.”
It was a cool and rainy morning following a cool and rainy night. He arrived to the cemetery just as the birds were beginning their morning song. As he scanned the cemetery he noticed the lid on the wooden box behind the shed was a bit askew. This box is used in the winter to hold salt and in the summer it holds large bags of grass seed. He cautiously approached wondering what it was this time; a raccoon or a skunk that had slipped inside? What he found was far more shocking!
If it had been anyone else that opened the box they would have screamed, ran and dialed 9-1-1, but not this guy. This retired Funeral Home Director, Pete, had seen countless dead bodies over his career, what was one more?
Thing was, this body, although found in a wooden box in a cemetery, wasn’t dead. As Pete fully opened the box the shoe-less figure stirred a bit but didn’t wake until the one holding the lid said in a rather loud and booming voice, “Hey! What are you doing in there?”
Startled the young man tried to get to his feet but was jammed pretty good inside the box. Pete helped him to his socked feet then aided him in getting out of his cramped quarters. They quickly walked to Pete’s pickup truck where he turned the heat on full blast and began to ask questions, many questions.
Since retiring up to “cottage country” this Funeral Director had become active on a couple of country cemetery boards and had taken on the role as Grounds Keeper. It was in this role that he arrived early that morning prepared to cut some grass, trim some weeds and put down new grass seed, instead he retrieved a tired soul from inside a wooden box.
As the young man attempted to explain how he ended up inside that box Pete turned his truck around and headed for home to retrieve an old pair of shoes and a warm jacket for this wayward guest. Pete then drove this young man back into town all the while listening to his not so happy tale.
Apparently, he had been enjoying an evening at the local Pub when a group of guys suggested he join them for a bush party. Young, foolish and feeling a bit adventurous he agreed to join the group as they jumped into a car and headed out. Before he knew it he was down a country road he hadn’t ever seen before and after a few more drinks he couldn’t possibly find his way home. The same group of guys decided to head back into town but tired of his company so they took his shoes and dropped him off at a cross road. He managed to walk as far as the cemetery, found the box, crawled in and the rest, as they say, is history.
Pete dropped him off at a Tim Hortons while passing him a couple of bucks. The young man thanked Pete profusely before getting out.
Jesus tells us that when we feed the hungry, cloth the poor and visit the lonely we are feeding, clothing and visiting him. He assures us that when we serve the least among us we are serving him; what he doesn’t tell us is that these opportunities to serve will, at times, arrive rather unexpectedly.
That morning Pete may have done more than just cloth and feed this young man but may have also restored this young man’s confidence in humankind; and modeled a loving response to life.
I wonder, what would you do if you found a body in a wooden box in the cemetery?!
As a rural minister, I have taken to carrying certain items in my little Subaru that otherwise I would not. Thanks to Mary Beth at Kemble-Sarawak United Church who, upon my arrival, met me saying, “Your GPS won’t always work on these backroads and if you are like most folks, you won’t have one of these.” And she handed me a folded roadmap which I gratefully placed in my glove box.
One afternoon at another rural church I served I received a phone call by a church member asking if I could come to their farm immediately. Leaving a meeting, I arrived promptly in a lovely floral dress, nylons and a pair of pretty flats. Imagine my surprise when told the pastoral emergency was in the barn! By the time I arrived to the dying animal, I was ankle deep in mud and manure. Turned out, one of their beloved sheep was dying and in need of prayer. This was kinda my own fault because the Sunday prior I had spent the Children’s Conversation explaining that all creatures belong to God- after all is that not the point of the Noah’s Ark story?
Since that day, I carry rubber boots!
Another pastoral visit resulted in me carrying dog treats because upon my arrival, three “friendly” dogs circled my van, barking loudly. I was assured they wouldn’t bite, but until the owner opened my door I was not taking any chances. This city girl doesn’t challenge three barking dogs!
I also learned that even with GPS, a cell phone and a paper map, I can still get lost. Sometimes country folks give unhelpful directions, such as “go down the third sideroad from the church, pass the red barn and turn left at the Scott’s place.” Only to discover the red barn was painted brown at least three years prior and the Scott’s sold the farm to someone named “Snider”! More than once I have pulled over to the side of the road, phoned the waiting parishioner and declared, “I am lost”.
At one church I served, the municipality had amalgamated with its neighbour resulting in the roads being renumbered, but the parishioners refused to use the new numbers! I learned that when they said ‘Road 24’, it was actually ‘124’ and ‘Sideroad 6’ was now ‘Sideroad 8’, and so on. I knew I had officially become a local when they would tell me to go to Joe’s place then turn left at the Smith’s farm and then turn right at the field of soy (even though it was January), and I knew exactly where they meant!
One other tool I have taken to carrying with me is my camera. While driving these back country roads I have caught some amazing scenes. One autumn day, I captured a gruesome shot of eleven Turkey Vultures sitting together on a wooden fence. Another time, I shot an eagle in full view as it soared overhead with outstretched wings. There have been amazing sunsets, incredible farming scenes of misty morning sunrises and, especially in Kemble, there are vistas of Georgian Bay from atop hilly terrain.
Most recently, my toolbox includes other tools of the trade. I have masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, a lawn chair, a video camera (so to record the worship video for YouTube) and I am never without my cell phone.
The other day my husband was cleaning up the SUV and brought in my rubber boots, bag of dog treats and the folded paper map saying, “you don’t need these!” I quickly gathered them up and said, “Oh yes I do!”. As well as the little pair of slippers I wear when entering folks’ homes, an umbrella, the portable CD player, the Bible, Church directory, bottles of grape juice for communion, my wide brimmed sun hat and an assortment of greeting cards.
Certainly, the tools of my trade as a Rural Minister are different then taught at Seminary, but when I view this basket of goodies, I smile at the oddity and the joy of my calling!
July 1st I arrived as the new minister at a country church: the Kemble-Sarawak, Zion-Keppel Pastoral Charge. The ministry now runs out of two church buildings, Kemble-Sarawak United Church and Zion-Keppel United Church. They are located along the foothills of Kemble Mountain, skirting the Kemble Mountain Management Area of the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. Each morning I drive along panoramic views of Georgian Bay on my way to the churches and marvel at God’s beauty in the picturesque countryside.
The folks of this pastoral charge have warmly welcomed me and my husband. A masked Welcoming Party surprised me one morning presenting a wicker laundry basket filled to the brim with homemade preserves, jams, wines, ciders, breads, baked goods, Kemble Mountain Maple syrup, Big Bay ice cream gift certificates, and some wonderful books to read. The basket was so large I could not possibly lift it. Each item given from different members of the churches. I was speechless. Their generous and sincere welcome brought tears to my eyes. It is good to be back among country folks!
Small country churches are big into curing! All kinds of curing occur, the curing of loneliness, heart break, and illnesses. They cure each other the best way they know, by the giving of themselves.
In one country church I served there was a woman who couldn’t tell the story of her husband’s death without crying. This isn’t surprising except she cried more from gratitude then from her grief. Now, don’t get me wrong, her husband’s death was the cause of profound pain for her and her family but when she shared how the folks of her country church responded to this death her tears of grief turned into tears of gratitude.
You see, she and her four children were new to Canada; they had arrived only 2 years earlier. When her husband died suddenly she was left to raise her children alone in a foreign country. When news spread of her husband’s death it wasn’t long and folks began to arrive at her front door with casseroles, homemade bread, baked goods and fresh vegetables. And, it is in this moment of the retelling that she always begins to cry, when autumn arrived the men of the church arrived one morning without warning and by day’s end had brought in all her crops.
She never forgot their generosity of spirit and even 20 years later, when sharing this story; her shoulders would shake from the sobbing.
Yes, country folks know how to cure, healing each other one loaf of bread or fresh baked pie at a time.
In another church I served a young couple with 3 children had their house burn to the ground one morning. It was early March and a spark from the wood stove caught something flammable in the kitchen. By the time the flames were noticed they were jumping through the kitchen window. Thankfully, the husband, wife and youngest child were in the barn while the two eldest were on the bus heading to school. They lost everything except each other.
We handed over the keys to our furnished manse, since I wasn’t using it. Soon folks came from all around with what it took to “cure” this shattered family. Mennonites drove their wagons up the lane way and quietly dropped off roasts of beef, bags of potatoes and boxes of home baked goods. Pickup trucks carrying new toys, clothes, bedding and even dog food for the two beloved canines arrived. Quickly a Saturday night dance was arranged in the town hall with all proceeds going to aid the family. It was six months until they returned home; during that time I often witnessed “drop offs” as folks continued to support this family. One Sunday morning the husband stood in my office door with tears running down his cheeks sharing his gratitude for all that had been done for him and his family. He said God had saved his family from the fire and the community saved them from despair.
The author of 1 Peter 3:8 reminds us to “be like minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” and by doing so, he writes we gain blessing. But, I would add that even more than being blessed we become blessing and by so doing we join God here and now in building up the Kin-dom of God!
Blessings,
Rev. Heather McCarrel
Minister at Kemble & Zion United Churches
I took the photo with this Blog just up the road from Kemble United Church; a view of Georgian Bay behind a farm (June 2021).
Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century 