One of the things that gave me the most anxiety as I returned to the pastorate was how my congregation(s) would treat my children. I had heard good stories, but I also heard horror stories about churches that didn't want children, treated them as nuisances, placed unrealistic expectations on the pastor's children, etc.
There have been many times over the past year when the people of the Cheriton Charge proved those fears wrong...they have been OUTSTANDING in terms of loving and embracing my children, showing them God's love, living out their baptismal vows...we've been truly blessed.
But today knocked my socks off...and it wasn't until we got home and were eating lunch that the magnitude of what happened hit me.
Susanna (my 5 1/2 yo) has been serving as an acolyte since September. She showed interest, and the member who trains our acolytes did an excellent job training her. In 10 months, we have had no incidences, and Susanna now needs very little supervision. She knows what to do, and she does it.
At the close of the service today, Susanna was in the area around the altar, doing her thing. She had lit her wick, extinguished one candle, and was on her way to extinguish another. We were singing the closing hymn, and all of a sudden I look down (the pulpit is a foot or so above the altar) and see Susanna, crying...with no candlelighter in her hand.
The candlelighter is on the floor...with the WICK STILL LIT.
I swung into action, picked up the candlelighter thingy, extinguished the flame, tossed it aside, and then checked on my daughter. (I was worried about her, of course, but I also didn't want us all to go up in flames.)
She was fine: some melted wax had gotten onto her hand, and so she instinctively dropped the candlelighter. It hurt a little bit where the hot wax had touched it, but I think she was more scared than anything.
What happened next amazed me.
One member (a retired nurse) came up, took Susanna by the hand, and led her to the kitchen to get some ice (I still had to do the benediction).
After I did the benediction, at least 10 other people came up to me and asked, "what happened? Is she OK?"
Everyone asked about my daughter.
No one asked about the carpet.
Their first instinct, their first thought, was about the welfare of my daughter, because they care more about her than about the carpet (which is fine...there may be a teensy burn hole, but it's not very noticeable).
I know, I know...that's the way it's SUPPOSED to be...
But in so many churches, it's not that way. In so many churches, we place a higher value on things than on people. In so many churches, there would have been a stampede to check out the carpet rather than a stampede to check on my daughter.
I am so very, very thankful that my children are being shown Christ's love through the members of my churches. I am so very blessed to serve a church that allows a five-year-old with the desire to be an acolyte to serve in that capacity, and that when she makes a mistake, they respond with love and concern, and not judgment.
Susanna may or may not remember today's events, but I always will. And I will remind her of the little church in the little town on the Eastern Shore who showed her, and her parents, God's amazing love and grace, and helped us all grow up a little bit.
Thank you, Cheriton UMC. The Moneys are blessed to be among you.
