Nostalgia
A few days ago Laila and I had the opportunity to share with Covenant’s Pastoral Staff our journey of twenty-five years as the Senior Pastor’s Family. The chronicle lasted two hours.
What surprised me was how emotionally drained I was by the sharing. What also became apparent was that we shared so little of the total story. Our journey is inextricably woven into the fabric of the lives of precious people who have walked along with us, held our hands up, prayed for us, worked alongside us, and believed with us that what we are doing is a holy offering to Our Lord Jesus and His Church.
We did not share about Thurman Henry, an Elder, coming by our home when we were selling our furniture to move to Europe, Russia, California, Asia, or anywhere but Charlottesville. Brother Henry’s kindness distinctly affected our attitude, causing us to listen more carefully for the voice of the Lord and His whispered directions.
We did not share about Dr. Landreth, the former pastor, insisting to the presiding Bishop that the only proper action would be to allow the congregation to vote on the Bares. Finally, the Bishop held out that the vote had to be 100[%], or he would not approve the Bares becoming Senior Pastor. The vote was 100[%]!
We did not share about all the details about moving in the front door of the parsonage, while Pastor Landreth moved out the back door.
We did not share about the agony of sending our children to school and having them face intimidation and persecution for living in a church.
We did not share about the miracle of a roll of industrial wire re-coiling to make an attack against my body. A jagged wire tore through my dress clothes and missed a main artery -- too close for comfort.
We did not share that at the beginning Laila played the piano, I directed the choir, taught Bible class, preached, visited, helped with construction, and basically worked to satisfy Jethro’s prediction of Moses (Exodus 18): “You will wear yourself out and wear the people out.”
We did not share about the night lay people gathered on their own and agreed to share the load. That was a miraculous night that changed the course of Covenant Church. Lay people began to visit, care for facilities, teach more classes, and do many of the ministries that had previously been perceived as “pastoral.” Randy Smith was the initiator of that meeting.
We did not share about the Wednesday night before carpet was to be put down in the OT Sanctuary. After Bible study men in their church clothes drove more than 3,000 nails, securing plywood, and carried massive loads of construction materials to a new location. Ladies in church clothes with high heels vacuumed and cleaned the entire area!
The number of people in the congregation was not impressive. But we did not know we were a small church. We tackled big projects: taking the first computer for Indian Ministries to the Navajo Nation; relief goods by the truckload for post-hurricane assistance in Charleston, SC; raising $20,000 plus in six weeks to build a mission church in the Dominican Republic; building an 8,000 SF complex (lots of volunteer labor) from September to April, renting a city park and beginning an inner city ministry for children (of which Sharon Bryant’s family is direct results), and never did we cancel a regular worship service or Bible study.
It seemed forever before the Lord sent to us people of other colors. How our hearts rejoiced when God trusted us to be bigger than our own culture. I had wanted to be a missionary. Instead, the Lord planted me and has sent the world to Covenant Church. We rejoice as a people of God in sweet fellowship, common labor, joyous worship, and unity of purpose to present ourselves to the Lord as faithful, committed, and dedicated to godly living and the Blessed Hope.
Now, a little canoe can just paddle left and right, go with the flow, take sudden turns, and it has little risk. A large ship must think about every turn, the depth of the water, the flow of the current, and where other boats and canoes are. The U.S. Enterprise aircraft carrier must start docking while out to sea -- twenty miles from shore. Covenant is no longer a canoe. Covenant moves with carefulness and prayerfulness as a great ship.
However, our heart remains yet as passionate as in those days when our numbers were small. We seek to see and serve every person. We choose not to separate people by rank, race, color, country, or economics. Our brothers and sisters are all those who share with us in like faith and common vision. We labor together.
Often new pastoral staff members have asked me, “How long was it after you came, Pastor Bare, before the honeymoon wore off with the congregation?”
My answer remains constant and firm, “I will let you know when it happens!” Twenty-five years out the nostalgia and sense of God’s graciousness leaves me with optimism that THIS IS OUR FINEST HOUR!
It is a rich heritage! To God be the glory!
Pastor Bare
Philippians 4:8