Dear Jimmy,
I've given away so many pieces of my mind your Uncle Orley is certain I must be empty-headed by now. But I just can't help it.
Just last Sunday after church we went with a few other folks over to the Philabeli Deli for dinner and we were enjoyin' our meal. Orley says that except for his mama, Amy Sue Stewgal, who runs it now, makes the best pecan pie ever to come out of an oven. I don't happen to share his opinion about his mama's cookin' but he's held that notion for so many years now that Jesus will come before he changes it.
Anyway, while I was helpin' myself to a portion of Orley's pie — since I don't eat desserts anymore, myself — I heard a voice say, louder than it needed to be, “Well, I know one way we could get more money for library books. We could cut out sendin' the Religious Herald to everybody in the church.”
Jim White
Paige Turner, our church librarian — she is Miss Maisey's younger but bigger sister — was talkin' to some folks on the church finance committee over at the table in the corner. She was sayin' that most folks probably don't read the Herald anyway. Accordin' to her, most folks just set 'em aside intendin' to get to them but never get around to it. “Why, I just don't have time to read it every week. I'd be surprised if I read it more than every other week.”
Well, I'd be surprised too since it only comes every other week. It ordinarily pains me to see people put their ignorance on public display, but she is so good at it that by rights it could pass as an art form.
I know she means well and goodness knows I use the church library as much as anybody, I guess. And I know that the library is short on money. Ever since somebody discovered a Danielle Steele novel on a shelf in the church library the church council has discouraged people from just donatin' books. The title of the book has somethin' to do with blessin's so Miss Paige figured it had to do with the beatitudes.
Anyhow, it doesn't seem that she was gettin' as much support for her idea as she thought it deserved, so she renewed her attack and turned up the volume. “Well, if you ask me, it's a matter of stewardship,” she fairly shouted. “Can you tell me that you all read every issue of the Religious Herald? That money could better be spent on other things.”
I could see their heads begin to bob up and down. And I could feel my ears gettin' red — a sure sign that a piece of my mind was about to come shootin' out my mouth. Your uncle has come to recognize the signs so he grabbed for my hand, but he was too late.
I was on my feet and over to the corner table I went. Speakin' real soft like, I said, “Not that I was tryin' to, but I couldn't help overhear you all talkin' about church matters in this public place.” I paused for effect. They shifted uncomfortably. Paige Turner stared at her empty plate.
“Since this doesn't appear to be a private conversation, I'd like to share my thoughts. First of all, we all know what the Religious Herald costs because we can see it in dollars and cents. But what I'd like to know is how much will it cost our church if we quit sendin' the Herald? That's harder to figure out because we pay that cost in ignorance. What will it cost us to not have that consistent reminder that we are connected to the Virginia Baptist family?” I couldn't help myself. I had to add “every two weeks?”
“Or, what will we pay for not havin' good ideas about missions that we would have gotten from the Herald? What price tag can you put on not knowin' how Virginia Baptists have responded to disasters, or are involved in India and Italy and the Caribbean and a lot of other places around the world through the Mission Board and WMUV?
“Without the Religious Herald, how will our church members know what God is doin' on the Bluefield and Virginia Intermont campuses or at Oak Hill and Fork Union and Hargrave academies or at the seminaries? How much will it cost in future generations to not know about the children's home — its now called HopeTree by the way. And some of you all at this table for sure will want to know pretty soon about the Virginia Baptist retirement centers.
“Why we've had young people who were helped to go to college because they got scholarships through money invested in the Virginia Baptist Foundation. And, how did we even know to ask about those? Through the Religious Herald.
“And what about our history and cherished beliefs? If new folks who are joinin' our church from other denominations don't find out about what we stand for as Baptists, they'll expect us to do things like Catholics or somethin' else. How much will that cost?”
At this point I glanced over at your uncle half expectin' to see that he had disappeared under the table. Instead, he smiled and gave me a wink. Thus encouraged I went on.
“Do you consider it wasted money if we do not read every article? Well, I think we need to start thinkin' differently. We need to start thinkin' about what we'd be willin' to pay for the ideas we get from the Religious Herald.
“We all got excited about partnering with the city council to build the kids club. But do you remember that we got that idea from reading the Religious Herald? Why, I've read single articles I would have paid ten dollars for. For that you can just about get the Herald for a whole year!
“If we don't give our people the information they need about what God is doin' in our Virginia Baptist family, how will they know? How will they stay connected?
“Maybe its true that some people who get the Herald don't read it. I'll bet some of our people have Bibles and don't read them, either. But the answer is not to remove the Bibles! Instead, we need to encourage them to read them. The same with the Herald!”
At this point, Miss Paige Turner herself spoke up. “OK, Miss Ida. You've convinced me. It was a bad idea.” By their grins, I could tell the others at the table agreed. “In fact, you've inspired me. I'm goin' home and write an article about the importance of the church library. And I'm goin' to send it to the Religious Herald.”
Just thought you'd like to know so you can watch for Miss Paige's article. Come see us when you can, nephew.
Love as always, Aunt Ida