When I was in sixth grade, a pudgy young man with a really bad afro and brand new to town, I was befriended by a fellow classmate named Garry. Up to that point in my life I didn’t know what faith was and my family really didn’t participate in church. Garry started inviting me to various youth events and one of the very first I ever attended was a roller-skating trip to Cheap Skate. On that trip was this foxy older girl. Ah man, she was hot and had her own roller-skates with these huge fuzzy pom-poms. Call it fate, kismet, or the holy spirit at play because the foxy girl I met that day would become the love of my life and with just a bit of convincing, my wife. And that is where our story with the green church begins.
Through my confirmation years I started to find my faith. Many of my life lessons and lifelong friends were discovered right there in that musty fellowship hall. I remember on one occasion the smart ass young man that I was, I snuck up behind Hank (one of the youth leaders) and pretended to wax his then balding head. He didn’t take to kindly to that and scolded me in front of the entire class, a bit of humility and respect were instilled in me that day. Pastor Joel’s first day of ministry at St. John was our confirmation day. He had me quaking in my shoes as he barked at us about all the questions he was going to quiz us with while we stood in front of the congregation. Humor, it turns out was one of his best suits and I loved his positive spirit about life and unyielding faith he saw in everything.
A few years later Pastor Joel was consoling us as we laid my father to rest. Gone to soon, without warning and after he and I hadn’t spoken in a year, it was a very tough time. Pastor Joel shared in our grief and yet was able to counsel us through as the Wifie and I prepared for the next big step in our lives. One month later on a warm autumn day we were again at the front of St. John as we said our marriage vows. Young love twinkling in our eyes as we embarked on our life as one. If we had known how rough those first few years would be we might have run screaming in opposite directions. But through it all St. John was there. They put groceries on our table when we couldn’t afford to eat. Pastor Joel lead us through sessions together when we were too angered to speak, and the holy spirit kept us together when our love was too blind to see.
When Michael was born and passed it once again was our faith and the community of St. John giving us strength to carry on. Not long after we were blessed with a strong and healthy son, then a few years later another. Both baptized by the Holy Water within that sanctuary dedicated to St. John. During each of their baptisms the Wifie and I stood before the congregation and made a commitment to raise our sons in glory to God, to teach them the word, and to be active participants of the church. We have fulfilled that commitment and today are proud of our sons. They are both intelligent, polite, caring young men, each with a strong faith of their own.
Through this journey we have participated in just about every committee, group, or event St. John has. We have seen the wonder of making a financial commitment starting with meager coins in our pocket, to a regular offering, to tithing, to being able to give back and help support the church during some financially rough times. We have both had our strength and faith challenged, yet somehow, some way we made it through and our experiences have made us better for it.
Unfortunately, the recent chapter in our St. John lives is one of pain and sorrow. We have a pastor and leadership team who have all but completely ignored us, ridiculed us, and have accused us of everything from lying, to spying, to stealing. We have seen a cloud of paranoia and distrust take root and lead the day. This last year has broken our hearts and our faith in St. John. As I type this I am even asking myself why I am bothering to try and explain how we feel since those who need to hear it most refuse to read any of my written words…..