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Back to Sunday school

This week I had some really great interviews for the “Back to Sunday school” story.

The kids at Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church were great. Deuante, Bryson, Zack and the others were full of energy and, let me tell you, they knew their Bible verses. I included slides of the boys, as well as of Jaleen Jackson and her teacher. The folks at Spring Hill always leave the door open for me. They are indescribably kind and welcoming and their informal yet unrelentingly Biblical  way of doing things is inspiring.

Some churches, such as Spring Hill, rely more on older, traditional models of Sunday school. Others, like St. James and All Saints’, utilize more program-driven models. I suppose some of that has to do with the difference between liturgical and non-liturgical churches. Both do things well and I applaud them.

Rebecca Feather at First Baptist explained to me a very clear plan. LifeWay Christian Resources seems to be a coherent, sequential program. Rebecca really knew the material and was confident about how well it fits with what she called the “character” of the church. I was particularly impressed with Rebecca’s sincerity about her work. She’s very passionate about religious education. She told me about her musical education and how that fits with the rest of her ministry. Unfortunately, I didn’t include those comments in the article. Like so much other good stuff people share, it winds up on the cutting room floor. It’s always a great injustice for which  I perpetually apologize.

My friend Mary Ann Plasencia at St. James was rightly cautious not to sound alarmist; still, she spoke seriously about the climate of security at Catholic Sunday school. Skeptics might say “Wait a minute, those were priests abusing children, not Sunday school teachers.” They’d be right. Still, the climate of caution and safety will forever remain a staple of how religious education is done in Catholic circles. Rightly so. I think its also permeating other denominations as well.

Mary Ann and the rest of the staff are top-notch professionals and conduct that program according to the highest standards.

I was particularly impressed with All Saints’ Episcopal Church’s “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.” What beautiful facilities they have! So many of the hands-on materials, made to be used according to the the Montessori Method, were made by parishioners. Several slides are included below. Their atria are virtual wonderlands of religious education. I also admired their catechist certification program. They want to make sure that the people who are teaching their children are knowledgeable.

I am working on a story, for Labor Day, about people of faith who perhaps at one time considered ministry; or ministers who work a second job; or young people who are considering ministry. I’m looking for a way to blend the ideas of work and vocation. If anybody knows someone who might be a good interview subject, I invite them to call me. 678-1510.

Thanks to all for reading. I send you my blessings and prayers.

Peace,

Galen

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!

Outtakes from the Adam Whipple interview

Adam Whipple is one of the most poised, sincere 21-year-olds you’ll ever meet. He answers complex questions with intelligence and discernment. He has a quiet, calm demeanor and seems much older than his 21 years. Perhaps some readers will wonder “Where’s the ‘news’ in his story?” That is a fair question. Perhaps, on the other hand, what I write is less news than interesting personality profiles and subject-driven pieces. Discipleship and missionary work are themes that come up again and again in my work. There was something about Adam’s story that just deserved printing, I thought. Here are some of his comments that didn’t make it into the article.

(Adam): “We lived in four different places while in Mexico, all similar: No television, no luxury appliances, no distractions. We began each day with prayer and meditation. Other LDS missionaries had gone before us, months and years before, on the same routes, so we’d pretty much follow in their footsteps. We’d end each day, around 10:30, with prayer and scripture study.”

(Galen): “What did you eat for a typical meal?”

(Adam): “The midday meal, in Hispanic culture, is typically the largest. We ate ‘mole poblano.’” (This is an indigenous Mexican dish with spicy sauce and rice).

(Galen): “Tell me a funny story about your time in Mexico.”

(Adam): “Once I was eating a meal in the home of some very nice people. We were having soup. I was eating happily when I looked down and saw a worm in the soup. While the people weren’t looking I discretely flicked the worm out of the soup with my spoon and continued eating.”

(Galen): “To some extent, there’s salesmanship involved in being an LDS missionary. You have to ‘get in the door’ as the saying goes. What’s the trick to getting across the threshold?

(Adam): “No trick, really. I think the success of the missionary depends less on the skills or salesmanship of the missionary and more on the receptivity of the people to whom he is speaking. Some people want to listen, others don’t and that’s  o.k. We don’t push our beliefs on anybody.”

(Galen): “Tell me another thing you’ll take away from this adventure.”

(Adam): “I really came to love the people. The language was tough at first but I picked it up and found that communicating and sharing the truth of Jesus Christ is more than words. You ask me if I got homesick for Tupelo. Yes, but, now, I’m homesick for Mexico.”

submission from a reader from Potts Camp

This is an article that was submitted to me about two months ago. I did some minor editing. It didn’t make it in the paper but I wanted to share it with my readers.

A trip to Mississippi reveals a history of blessings

By Kristen Johnston
Guest Columnist

POTTS CAMP – Bethany Baptist Church has been around for a while – over 70 years. During this time the church has undergone many wonderful and blessed changes. These days, under the leadership of Brother Donald Worsham, his wife, Deborah, and a long-standing, faithful congregation, Bethany is more successful than ever.
Brother Donald describes Bethany best. “We are a family, and we are a group of extremely loving people,” he said. “At the end of the day, we all love one another very much. We fish together. We help each other.  When someone is sick, we tend to them.”
On the surface, Brother Donald is a typical Baptist pastor: An honest man with a lovely, kind-hearted wife, four successful children, a love for the people of his church, and a passion for sports and the outdoors. Dig a little deeper, however, and he proves a complex theologian, intimately connected to the messages he preaches.
One of eight children from Charleston, Miss., Donald Worsham discovered God at the age of eight. “I came from a family that was not very religious,” he said. “The first time I explored the Lord’s word was after family dinner, with Billy Graham articles taken from my father’s newspaper. I would sneak into the bathroom to read them.”
After high school, Donald joined the Marine Corps and later the Memphis Fire Department, where he experienced much of the spiritual growth that shaped his youth. Living in a Southern city during the civil rights era, Donald was forced to stand firmly behind his moral and spiritual convictions. “I did what was right,” he said. “Even when I felt like I was one of the only guys who would.”
It was in the fire station, on April 15, 1976, when Donald announced himself saved before God. Since that day, he has been a devoted member of the Baptist Church and has witnessed many of his friends being saved. As Brother Donald says, “Once you’re saved, the whole world can tell.”
Brother Donald moved to Potts Camp in 1982. He soon began a 12-year run teaching Sunday school at Bethany. On August 7, 1996, he retired from the Memphis Fire Department and became Pastor of Clear Creek Baptist Church in nearby Lamar. Thus began a period he describes as “preparation” for his ultimate goal, which was to become the pastor of Bethany Baptist. His dream soon came true.
Since July 2002, Brother Donald has helped mold Bethany into a mature community, a firmly rooted family tree on the outskirts of Potts Camp. His eyes sparkle when when he speaks of God’s plans for his humble church. Thanks to the kindness of silent donors the congregation now enjoys the crisp, white, wooden walls of the sanctuary amidst the breathtaking natural landscape.
The next major project for the church will be the addition of a steeple, something that is important to Brother Donald and his congregation. Each Sunday’s collection plate brings them closer to fulfilling that dream.
It is with proud smiles that the people of Bethany Baptist speak of their church, their community, and each other. Brother Donald is quick point out, however, that “none of this would be possible…without the enabling of the Lord Jesus Christ.” He added, “We, the members of Bethany Baptist Church, give God all the glory for the great things he does here.”

Kristen Johnston is a freelance writer from Houston, Texas. She traveled to Potts Camp to write this article for her friend and former Bethany member, Linda Moorehead, who also lives in Houston.

Transfiguration and other preoccupations

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the Rev. Terry Ledbetter, out at North Star Church in Saltillo. Great guy. I took a few pictures. I told him I’d been working my way around town, trying to meet the pastors at all the major churches in the area. Rev. Ledbetter was very gracious and gave me some good comments for this week’s feature.

My prayers go out to the Rev. Bill Smith, a Baptist minister, well-known around town. He’s in NMMC for complications with his heart. He’s one of my favorite people in the area and I ask all my readers to please pray for him.

I also had the pleasure, this week, to meet with the good folks out at Cornerstone United Methodist Church. The Rev. Frank Newell was there, along with Mrs. Don Wildmon and Lisa Murphree. They recounted to me the history of their church and I hope to have that written up soon. I’m starting a new project. I want to do a “profile,” fairly brief, perhaps twice per month, on local churches. This will be the first and I hope to have it in next week’s paper. We’ll see.

My prayers also go out to our brothers and sisters in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation. The shooting in Tennessee saddened me greatly. I’ve asked our congregation here in Tupelo to write a reflection and I hope to include it in next week’s section. I ask all my readers to please pray for the congregation. They’re fine people who value literature, learning, and are all on a spiritual quest. Do pray for healing within their communty.

I’ve got two pieces coming up in the weekly paper. The first will be the Lee County Neighbors section on Wed. Aug. 6. It features the Rev. David Smith, minister of recreation and senior adults at Harrisburg Baptist Church. I greatly enjoyed following Bro. David around this week, although it’s hard to keep up with him. I’ve included a couple of photos, taken by Todd Sherman, in the slide show this week. Bro. David has been very gracious with his time and I’ve been on the phone constantly with people who have high praise for his service and good will. I hope you all enjoy the article. It’s my first time writing a LCN section. Thanks to Bobby Pepper for the opportunity and for the editors and copy desk folks for helping me shape the final product.

The second piece will be Local Folks section next Monday. Some time ago I interviewed the Rev. and Mrs. Roy Pitre in Oxford. They moved here from Cut Off, La., and they have a great story about building a ministry, then seeing it crumble due to marital infidelity. They recovered and started over again. Good people. Very hospitable and I hope you all enjoy it.

Last but certainly not least you’ll notice that in my section this week I ran a “wild photo” of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Annual Conference here in Tupelo. Thomas Wells, our chief photographer, went out with me. I was lucky enough to speak to Bishop Brown and a couple of other members and their comments were very enlightening. The three Northeast districts of the CME Church have been meeting in Tupelo since 1993 and their presence has been a blessing. The historically black church is very involved in social justice and community issues and, when I visited, they could not have been more hospitable. I offer my thanks to all the area ministers and volunteers who made this conference possible and I hope they’ll choose Tupelo again, next year, for their meeting.

Other things on my plate? I recently interviewed a bee keeper and Todd Sherman took great photos. I’m a busy bee myself. Thanks to all for reading and thanks for your kind words and comments. Thanks, also, for your criticism. It makes me better. I value every letter and email I receive.

Peace and blessings,

Galen Holley

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