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Summer Issue, 2009
Cathy’s Corner
“I love to tell the story of unseen
things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to
tell the story, because I know it’s true; it satisfies mu longings as
nothing else would do.’”
Katherine Hankey.
My first exposure
to our organization was in 1984 when it was Lutheran Church Women. A
few women from Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte invited me (a
Catholic) to come to a circle meeting. I was familiar with church
women’s group because I grew up going to the Christian Mothers Society
(now called Christian Women) at my home church in Milwaukee. My mother
was very involved – she served as president of our parish’s group and
did just about every other job there was including a Christmas bazaar
that lasted three days.
From
Charlotte we moved to China Grove and my dear friend and mentor, Ruby
Martin, invited me to her circle at Ebenezer Lutheran Church – my
husband was the pastor. Ruby was the first person to invite me to a
Conference Meeting and then to my first Convention! I was impressed. I
liked what I heard and saw – and well most of you know the rest of the
story. I got involved in the Mission – Growth Committee and here I am
today.
That is my story – at least the part that tells you how I
got here. It doesn’t however tell you my faith story. In Luke’s Gospel,
chapter 11, verse 9, Jesus said to his disciples, “ask, and it will be
given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened
for you. Yet many times we are reluctant to tell our faith story.
If we
are to take seriously our goal, “Sharing the Faith – generation to
generation” then we need to begin to tell our story to everyone we
meet. What better way to pass on to children, and adults alike, the
faith we hold dear. Some will say that actions speak louder than words –
but admit it, don’t you love a story.
A few
years ago, my grandson, Kolbe, asked me, “Grandma, what were things like
in the “olden” days?” He wanted to know what I did as a child and was
amazed when I told him we didn’t have TV. “What did you do?” he asked.
I told him that we read books and played games.
I also
told him about the milk man who delivered milk fresh from the dairy
every other day. I told him about the coal man who delivered coal for
our boiler, and how he would throw it into the coal bin through the
basement window. Then there was the ice man who brought 50 pound block
of ice for the icebox. He would look at me with big eyes and say,
“Really, Grandma? That was the olden days!”
I also
told him that we walked eight blocks to church and school. That the
nuns wore black habits with white bibs and had rosaries hanging on their
cord belts. I shared the funny stories that weren’t so funny at the
time. One boy named Albee wasn’t paying attention while sister was
teaching division of fractions. She called him to the front of the
class and asked him to explain inverted fractions, (what she had just
taught us) which, of course, he couldn’t do. She reached down and
grabbed his ankles, turned him upside down and said, “Albee, this is
invert!”
Kolbe
and I talked about first communion and confirmation. And later on when
he was in grade school we talked about what he was learning in theology.
We all
love to hear stories – funny ones, sad ones, fairy tales and true
stories. Peter and the disciples told the story of Jesus. Peter would
not be silenced. He said, “We cannot help speaking about what we have
seen and heard” (Acts 4:19).
This is
what happens when we are washed with the “Flood of Grace”. There is no
turning back. We have to tell our story – how we are re-created by the
cross of Christ and the power of the Spirit.
In her
book, “Memories of God” Roberta Bondi says that the process of telling
our stories enables us to hear for ourselves what it is we need. She
also says that as we share our stories we have the opportunity to learn
by listening to the stories of others.
What
better way to teach the children about the undying love of Jesus. When
is the last time you told your story? Maybe you haven’t told your story
to anyone. Some may think their story isn’t important. Just remember
that we cannot keep quiet about the great things that the Spirit has
done to us, among us, and within us.
I
love to tell the story; ‘twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, 0ld story of Jesus and his love.
May
our hearts be open to the Spirit’s transformation so we may witness of
the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Peace be with you,
Cathy
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