August 27, 2001
CYBERCOLUMN:
We all need one another
___By Brett Younger
___Calvin Curry is the first to arrive. He’s been a deacon for 40 years and has been the first one to arrive at 95 percent of the meetings. Calvin serves on the finance committee, repairs equipment on the playground and gives generously to the church. He owns lots of insurance and blames the Beatles for much of the evil in the world. He’s a clean-shaven World War II veteran who thinks there’s been nothing good on television since "Hogan’s Heroes." Calvin is black coffee, Brooks Brothers, Ford Explorer, the Dallas Cowboys,barbecue, Wall Street Week, classical music, the New York Times and John Wayne.
BRETT YOUNGER
___Marc McAlister shows up five minutes late--early for Marc. He’s been a deacon for a year and has yet to show up on time or figure out how he got to be a deacon. Marc serves on the hunger awareness committee, volunteers at the local food bank and gives generously to the church. He owns almost everything in the Land’s End catalog and blames Ronald Reagan for much of the evil in the world. He’s disappointed that he was too young to officially dodge the Vietnam draft and thinks there’s been nothing good on television since "M*A*S*H." Marc is caffeine-free Coke, Birkenstocks, Volkswagen, the Oakland Raiders, cappuccino, "West Wing," classic rock, Mother Earth News and Tom Hanks. Marc and Calvin are amazed that they go to the same church.
___ The treasurer gives her report: "I have checked and rechecked the numbers. At first, I assumed there must be a mistake, but no matter how many times I go over it, it comes out the same. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but last year our income was several thousand more than our expenditures. What should we do?"
___Marc is the first to respond: "I think it would be wrong for us to keep even a dime of this money. I vote we give it all away to other ministries."
___Calvin replies thoughtfully: "I understand how you feel, Marc," (even though he’s sure he doesn’t) "but I think it would be wrong for us not to care for our church. There are maintenance issues that we’ve ignored for too long. This is an opportunity for us to strengthen the base from which we do ministry."
___Marc says kindly: "I understand what you’re saying, Calvin," (even though he’s sure he doesn’t), "but if we don’t give this money away, then we’ve missed an opportunity to support ministries that serve people we don’t get to."
___Calvin’s face is turning pink when he says: "Marc, if we want to do something for those ministries that will matter 10 years from now, we’ll make sure there’s a strong church here to keep supporting them."
___Marc’s face is red when he says: "Cal, who would want to go to church that doesn’t realize that there are people who will never come to this church who need our help?"
___Crimson Calvin answers: "Son, you need to realize that we wouldn’t have money to give away if people had not been looking after this church since before you were born. This church wouldn’t be here without people caring for it."
___Marc, now maroon, adds: "And this church would forget that it’s here to care for others without people reminding it."
___The room is silent long enough for Calvin to realize that Marc has a point, and for Marc to realize that Calvin has a point. Calvin remembers what it’s like to be young and idealistic. Marc thinks about the amazing commitment that cares for the same congregation for an entire lifetime.
___ For the first time it occurs to them that the church needs both priests and prophets, Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot, ties and T-shirts, maintenance and mission, and cathedrals and soup kitchens. We all need one another.
___ Brett Younger is pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
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