Sunday, September 18, 2011

Preachin' and Fishin' in Indiana

Sugar Creek in the autumn
      
 
          "Sorrowfully, yet the sweeter
            Sings the brook in rippled meter
            Under boughs that lithely teeter
            Lorn birds, answering from the shores
            Through the viny, shady-shiny
            Interspaces, shot with tiny
            Flying motes that fleck the winy
            Wave-engraven sycamores."
                        from: A Dream of Autumn
                        By: James Whitcome Riley 


I spent the weekend of September 17-18, 2011 in Greenfield, Indiana.  Greenfield is the birthplace of the "Hoosier Poet", James Whitcome Riley. (little known fact: he wrote "Little Orphand Allie" but the typesetter messed up and set: "Little Orphand Annie")  Every October the Riley Festival is the largest festival held in the state.  This fall my time in Indiana is spent between fishing in Sugar Creek for small mouth bass and preaching the Word in churches filled with folks who, at one time or another, have most likely listened to an Indiana brook "sing in rippled meter".  Fishin' and preachin'....two of my favorite things.

I was blessed to fish with several friends this past week.  Tom and Cordell Hull are two of the most gentle and kind Christian men I have ever known and they are two of the most knowledgeable fishermen in Southwest Indiana.  They will catch fish when no one else will.  A very good friend, Mike Crawford, drove two hours from Ohio to fish and fellowship (Mike hadn't been fishin' in three decades!)  And the fish were biting.

Saturday and Sunday I held 4 services at the First Church of the Nazarene in Riley's hometown.  Pastor Mike Clark is leading the congregation to great days.  He has the heart of a pastor and loves his people deeply.  He and Angie have a passion for ministry and it shows.  The people made me feel right at home and welcomed me with open arms to minister the Truth.  It was easy to speak and His presence was all over the place.  I believe our time together will make a difference.  Words cannot express how very much I am at peace, in the center of His will.  These are blessed days, spent with good people, serving my risen Lord.

Pastor Mike Clark in Greenfield, Indiana

No comments:

Post a Comment