I’ve had the idea for a while to start sharing all of my newspaper stories beginning with the first. The problem is, or really, the thing is, the newspaper keeps printing and I get caught up in the day-to-day, the week-to-week life of telling the current stories.
Last week was prom. Covering this event got me thinking about the times I attended prom: both were typical “go with your friend” experiences.
As a sophomore I was asked by one of my friends, a senior, to go with her.
My senior year there was a girl I thought about asking, but I was friends with her brother, so was unsure whether I should. When he suggested to me that I ask her, I did, and we went.
I wish there was more to the story. We had a great time, played lots of games and danced on a riverboat.
Back to the present.
I wrote a couple weeks ago about the First Congregational Church closing in New Richland. I’ve had many, many thoughts about this.
Attending church again this past weekend, I was reminded of a question Deb Bently and I were contemplating the other day: Given a choice, which would be preferable, to lose a loved one quickly or suddenly, or slowly, with time to say goodbye?
I find myself comparing the loss of my childhood church to the losing of a loved one.
Even though it’s painful, I’m glad there is some time to say goodbye.
The thing I will miss most are the memories I won’t get to continue to make there. That, and Pastor Pam’s sermons.
I didn’t start going to church as an adult, again until this past year, attending with Deb.
I’m sad that the number of times I’ll get to hear Pastor Pamela preach, the number of times I’ll get to sit in those same pews where I played Yu-Gi-Oh (a card game) with my brother growing up can be counted with one hand.
On Sunday, my niece and (soon to be) god-daughter Aria will be baptized there, the final baptism of the First Congregational Church. Pastor Pam is really happy to have a baptism scheduled. So am I.
The final Sunday, I hear, will feature a lot of music. Pastor Pam wants it to be a celebration. She has served as our pastor for two decades.
I sat in for the church meeting after service on Sunday. Many, really all, of my questions were answered. Bruce Berg showed me pictures from the final youth “Christmas Play” ever held at the church. My older brother Nathan, my sister Jessica and myself were all pictured numerous times. I was 5 years old and remember being too scared to say my lines. Even though my only line, as my dad likes to remind me, was, “And myrrh.”
I remember wanting to be in the play because I thought wearing the different crowns was cool.
In the coming weeks I imagine more memories will be shared. Doubtless, I will write more about this topic.
“And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean and the circuits of the stars yet pass over the mystery of themselves without a thought.” - Augustine
“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” – Augustine