The Spirit of First Pres
"The Spirit of First Pres"
by Rev. Neal Neuenschwanderfirst appeared in The Fisherman October 2006
I recently saw an attractive plaque describing Mr. Dan MacDonald, the first person in our church for whom a room was named. Mr. MacDonald served as our church custodian for many years. Not only did he do a great job of cleaning and maintaining our facility, he also charmed the whole office staff by serving them a proper Scottish tea each work day during which no “shop talk” was allowed. During the afternoons, he would place a small chocolate on the desk of each secretary, and he often invited church groups over to his house for tea and scones in the evening.
Mr. MacDonald was beloved both because of what he did and how he did it. He was a “proper Scot” and a gentle, loving man. No one could really imitate him. But as I think about First Pres, I believe that his spirit has remained. This is where I see it now:
First, there's the volunteer who is always here. I see her 4-5 times per week. She helps with Meals on Wheels, she brings food for youth meetings, she organizes snacks for VBS, and she serves on the commissions of our church. She also has quite a fondness for chocolate. The Spirit of Mr MacDonald lives in her.
Next, there are the men who lead our current effort to revitalize this church building. I see them here several times per week. One is meeting scores of contractors and consultants, making sure paid work is done reasonably and well. Another is fixing leaks. Another solves computer problems. Another checks the locks. Another changes light bulbs that the “paid help” cannot reach. The spirit of Mr. MacDonald lives in them.
Then, there are the donors who spontaneously contribute to the needs of our church. No one asked them to do it—they just did. First, there's the person who said, “I can't go to family camp, but I want to make sure that other people can. So, I'm going to pay my fee for them.” Then, there's the person who said, “I want to make sure that every teen in this church can go on a mission trip. If any teen cannot pay, I will make it good.” Then, there are some who can give big gifts: $65,000 to replace the air conditioning and $100,000 to help this church grow. The Spirit of Mr. MacDonald lives in them.
The more I think about this gentle, giving spirit, the more faces come to mind. But space does not allow me to talk about the pillars of prayer ministry, the teachers of our children, the leaders of our Bible studies, the chairpersons of commissions, the loving, faithful deacons, and all the other people who give so very much while expecting almost nothing in return.
I've known several churches that named rooms for former pastors, and (as a pastor) I'm glad they did. But pastors are not the people who really make church work. Our first named room was for Mr MacDonald. That's because Mr. MacDonald revealed the spirit of Christ, and that Spirit is alive and well here at First Pres.
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Page Last Updated: Sat Jul 7, 2007