October 3, 2018
This morning I had coffee with the pastor of Shalom Mennonite. Hmmm — a pleasant, affirming and stimulating conversation that has led me to remember other pastors during my years.
Hiram Kauffman was quite old, so aged in my opinion that I could not understand what he said. He talked with me one time. When he asked me why I wanted to be baptized, my mother had to repeat the question so that I could make an answer.
I picked tomatoes and even plowed a field for Christian W. Frank. I was a young teenager. I can’t remember his sermons, although I recall that he looked off toward the side wall instead of at us. When he complained to my dad (not me) about a prayer I offered at Wednesday evening prayer service, (he thought it lacked humility) I turned away. Later he refused to give me a letter of transfer because I stopped wearing a regulation “plain” Mennonite coat.
The first pastor to know me and communicate meaningfully was Howard Zehr in Elkhart, Indiana.. He spoke quite loudly when he preached, a volume seemingly unnecessary for the size of the sanctuary. I felt confident enough to confide in him about my elevated anxiety level at the time.
Throughout college and graduate school I/we didn’t settle into any congregations.
John Mosemann, pastor of (Goshen) College Mennonite church, delivered long thoughtful expositions on big ideas. He was a missionary, churchman and intellectual all in one. Because of the many parishioners in the congregation, he could not relate to everyone. I was outside his close circle, but I didn’t feel excluded. His assistant Bob Detweiler carried to the pulpit a theology and speech tone used in his radio broadcast. I tuned elsewhere.
My children grew up in the Goshen congregation during the pastorate of Arnold Roth. Their church experience helped me to remember my childhood relationship with congregation and pastor. Pastor Roth was even referenced at my 80th birthday party.
Earland Waltner was a studious, articulate and personable Bible scholar. He authored a book on the Psalms. Coming from South Dakota, he seemed from a social and theological world totally unlike Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
In our overseas ventures, we did not establish strong congregational ties. Later, our move to Indianapolis opened for us the larger urban and non-sectarian world. Our first pastor was the Quaker Phil Gully whose world view intersected with a comic view of life. He went on to be a successful writer and lecturer.
I learned to know three Mennonite pastors in Indianapolis. Ryan Ahlgrim preached persuasive sermons during his 18-year tenure at First Mennonite. He was known for reciting a scripture passage prior to his sermon. He published a book of sermons as well as many essays. He was one of the founders of Bagels and Bards writer’s group. He now pastors the Richmond, Virginia Mennonite Church.
Shalom’s first pastor, Ethiopian Dagne Assefa, transcended the cultural gap to pastor an American congregation successfully for 24 years. By taking notes, I was able to appreciate more fully his expository sermons. While he didn’t ride the racial issue, he quickened our consciences on differences generated by race and wealth and personal orientations. He and I were, and continue to be, friends.
And now Brian Bithner is half-time pastor at Shalom. He grew up in the Grace Brethren Church, lost his faith, and then began to rebuild it at Duke Divinity School under the tutelage of Stan Hauerwas and others. When his denomination could not accept his thoughtfully constructed view of same-sex orientation, its leaders refused to appoint him to a church. Now he is Shalom’s half-time pastor. In our conversation today, warm and affirming, he took me through the discipline of narrative theology. He and I will collaborate in the autumn Shalom retreat that will feature story-telling.
Know this: after having listened to many sermons, participated in various congregations and learned to know congregational leaders, I know I would be a terrible pastor.
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