It’s been awhile…
two months!
Again…it seems to me it should be time to stop writing.
But then…just last week… I heard the question again…
“When are you going to post something on caringbridge?”
Okay…here we go.
It seems memories come in clusters.
One memory leads right to another.
Or maybe it’s one particular memory that gets the wheels rolling.
This latest memory cluster began the evening of June 7.
I received an e-mail from a former Fernando church member.
In it she talked about their upcoming closing VBS program in Fernando.
She invited me to attend the program. They were celebrating 30 years of Bible School.
I thought about Fernando Bible School off and on for the next couple of weeks.
The memories were many and they were great.
They tugged at my heart and brought a smile to my face.
A week ago Monday I drove into the parking lot at church...ready for a day of work.
The parking lot was FULL.
What?
Oh yes…Vacation Bible School begins.
I recalled the number they were expecting.
…over 500
WOW!
But wait…
Look at this facility
And look at all these cars.
They must have a ton of helpers!
I thought again about VBS in Fernando.
For the FIRST time I thought seriously about what we had asked of the people in this small farming community.
Were we crazy?
A little
Were we dreamers?
Of course!
We were young and invincible…
Tim was installed at Fernando in the spring of 1979.
We asked about Vacation Bible School.
“We’ve never had Bible School.”
What?
In June of 1979 Fernando held it’s first Vacation Bible School.
With 22 students enrolled in Sunday School…St Matthew’s Fernando hosted 72 students for it’s first ever Bible School.
What were we thinking?
Were we thinking?
Here are a few “flashbacks”
Tim and his magic “tricks” – handed down from my dad – each with a message.
LOUD singing…LOTS of loud singing!
Laughter and shouting in the church
“Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu halleluia
PRAISE YE THE LORD!”
“All God’s children have a place in the choir.”
“Is your burden heavy as you bear it all alone…”
Softball games in the field next to the cemetery
Nuff (our dog) trying to catch the balls as they were hit into the field
Preschoolers working on the front porch of the parsonage
It was HOT and we weren’t able to get the windows open!
Tim leading a pack of boisterous kids around the church grounds
Kids listening attentively
ARMY TENTS from the National Guard
snacks
lunches
bats
bugs
glistening eyes
sticky fingers
burnt match crosses
children calling out to “Pastor Tim”
Tim joining right in with the kids
Smiling faces
I could continue
Many of you could add to this list
A week ago tonight Erik went with me to Fernando.
Kari was working and Micah is in Italy.
Bible School classes were in session.
I walked into the church and headed…where else?
… to the kitchen.
I looked in the kitchen and there stood almost the same group of women who were in the kitchen 30 years ago. There were a couple of new faces but for the most part it was “the crew.”
After some hugs and chatting I asked…”What did you think when we ‘announced’ that we were having TWO WEEKS of ALL DAY Bible School?” “Did you wonder who you had called as your pastor?
What did city kids know about life on a farm?
What did we know about wives preparing dinner for husbands who were out working the fields and caring for the animals?
We didn’t know anything …which is why we plowed (no pun intended) on ahead.
That got me to thinking about Tim and his approach to ANYTHING.
I don’t think Tim understood the meaning of the word “no.”
(lucky for me, eh?)
That was most likely his approach in Fernando.
He probably didn’t ask anyone anything.
We just DID IT.
Tim had a great time.
I had a great time helping Tim.
We had a great time together
Obviously the kids had a great time…those kids are helping with the Bible Schools that continue to take place in Fernando.
A newspaper article printed at the time of the third Bible School stated, “Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is having more fun this summer at Vacation Bible School in Fernando, Pastor Tim Maland or the over 100 students and teachers involved in two-week school!” The article went on to invite people in the communty to the closing program. It stated , “You can bet that that child at heart, Pastor Tim – will be waiting to see you there.”
A week ago tonight...
Erik and I sat in the sanctuary and enjoyed the closing program.??There was loud singing.?
There was a recap of what lessons were taught.?
There were smiles on faces.?
There were glistening, eager eyes.?
There were former students teaching this new generation.?
It was a good night
Tonight…
Missing Tim
Remembering Tim
Thankful for Tim
A seed was planted.
It grew in good soil.
It has borne much good fruit!
I’m betting that that child at heart is waiting to see us!
