By the time this issue of His Voice is printed and
distributed my 40th birthday will have come and gone. As
I write this reflection I am still a 30-something, for a
few more days! It is an interesting place to stand: to
be crossing this threshold in my own life and to be
serving a community of faith that will celebrate 65
years of ministry on September 17th. So it is that I
find myself at 40 looking back 65 years.
First United Methodist Church of Warner Robins was
formed in 1941. It was actually Wellston Methodist at
the time. Wellston Methodist Episcopal Church South to
be real specific, but it was just known as Wellston
Methodist. The church was started because of the
population growth spurred by the building of the new
Wellston Air Depot. The interesting and mostly unknown
fact is that it was the Elko Methodist Church in south
Houston County that began the work in Wellston in 1941.
It was August of 1941 when Gordon King, the pastor at
Elko and two student ministers, Ernest Seckinger and
George Clary, were sent by the Annual Conference to
conduct a visitation in the then small hamlet of
Wellston. My how things have changed! So much is
different now. They tell me that the pavement ended at
Commercial Circle in those days. The name of the town
has changed. The size of the community has radically
changed. And the demographics, the make up of the
community, has changed as well.
A lot has changed, but one thing has remained the
same: people still need to know about the love mercy and
grace of God. For 65 years First Methodist has been
about that work. Over the years groups and individuals
from this church helped start or restart four Methodist
churches in this county. The church has been involved in
outreach ministries and ministries of mercy. In this
area more than any other we have labored beside our
brothers and sisters from other faith traditions.
Last year nearly 7, 000 people received a week's
worth of groceries from one ministry alone. First
Methodist is a vibrant church with a servant heart. I am
proud of the history and the heritage of First
Methodist. The story of the church is full of changed
lives and transformed circumstances. And even though
lots of people retire at 65, we are showing no signs of
slowing down.
It is reported in chapter 4 of the Gospel of John
that Jesus said to his disciples. "One sows and
another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you did
not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered
into their labor." This may be the best evidence
for Jesus being a Methodist. For it certainly is true
about our connection. In our Methodist system of
itinerate ministers we enter into each other's labor. I
am just the newest link in a long chain of pastors that
have served with the people of this great church. Right
now I am reaping that which was planted and tended by
those who went before me.
We live in a time when there is not a great deal of
institutional loyalty, but I am glad to be part of
something that is bigger than me. I believe the history
and heritage of this church is a great foundation upon
which to build. I am glad to be in Warner Robins. I am
challenged by the stories of days gone by, but I am also
very clear that God is about the future. God is not held
captive by the past. So even though I am reluctantly now
a forty something – I am leaning forward with
expectancy for what God will do in the years to come.
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