John 15:12-17
Presented February 18th, 2007
Older Adult Sunday
Meditation by Roy Olwin
What do I know now that I wish I had known earlier in life? I think I’d rather turn the question around. What did I learn early on in life, that has carried me through the years? As one who graduated from high school in the midst of the depression years, what lessons did I learn from those days when material possessions were far scarcer than they are today?
The first thing I learned is to go with the flow, to take things as they come your way in life, one day at a time. Don’t waste your time and energy worrying. Learn to be satisfied with what you have in life.
My family moved from the Decatur, Indiana area—south of Fort Wayne—to Elgin in the late 1920s, as my father took a job at the Brethren Publishing House. During those early years in Elgin he also helped out with janitor work here at the church, and I remember helping him fire up the boiler on Saturdays, so the building would be warm for Sunday mornings. Following my graduation from Elgin High School in 1932, I spent the summer in southern Indiana, helping some of my relatives on their farms. One early job netted $25/month, plus room and board. I learned the value of hard work, of making do with what we had—using and re-using the resources at hand. And I learned the value of taking things in stride as they come.
I was married in July, 1936 to Wilda, first working on my father-in-law’s farm, then managing to buy 80 acres of our own. As World War II developed, resources became even scarcer. Lumber, for example, was in short supply. We learned to do what we could to make ends meet—including dismantling an old barn to sell the lumber, wallpapering the local schoolhouse, and working in a nearby canning factory, all while taking care of the farm and raising a family.
I learned to take what I had and do with it what I could. And I learned to be thankful for what I had. Gratitude is central. And even though our lives were busy, working where we could and raising our five daughters, being active in church was a priority.
Whatever I could do for the church, I was willing to do. Serving as church clerk. Teaching a boy’s Sunday School class. Helping take care of the church building. We moved back to Elgin in 1948, and when the church here was being remodeled and added on to, the old steam pipes had to be taken out. It was a job I performed with a sledgehammer, while others then carried the old pipes out of the building. I never turned down any help for the church I thought I could perform.
I experienced some difficult losses in my life, and it was then that my faith was of special help to me. Wilda died in 1995 from cancer, when we had been married nearly 60 years. In the midst of grief, it wasn’t easy carrying on, but I received a lot of help and support, especially from my family, but also from the church. The church was packed for her memorial service, a hot July day.
Through the years I tried to instill in my children the conviction that if you want to do something, you can find a way to do it. My children and grandchildren are my legacy.
If I were to give advice to younger folk in the church, one thing I would say is to honor your parents. Listen to them. Consider their advice; they’ve lived longer, and have learned some things along the way. But the other side is important, too. Parents, honor your children. Treat your children with respect, and they will in turn respect you. Respecting and honoring one another, helping out when you can, serving when you are called upon to do so, sharing your gifts—these are all important parts of living faithfully. These are the fruit that last.
I remember as a youth having the opportunity to meet many of the Brethren leaders, hearing them talk of their work and their faith, being challenged by the way they chose to live out their faith. Among those was Dan West, founder of Heifer International, a ministry that has touched the lives of millions through the years, beginning with a simple vision of one person sharing with another. Sharing the gifts we have been given—this is what the life of faith is all about.
Meditation by Marg Wallace
I was fortunate growing up. When I was four years old my family moved to McClure Avenue, just two blocks from Highland Avenue on the east side of the street, and I lived there until I was married. It was a good place to live. There were a lot of Brethren in the neighborhood. We walked to church and did a lot of things together. My husband and I had four children. We moved to the house I live in now on Worth Avenue. I’ve lived in that house for 60 years and there’s no where else I’d rather live.
My father attended this church as a young man. He came from Pennsylvania to Elgin to work in the Brethren publishing house. One time he and some of the other young people went to see a stage play in Chicago. As I recall, it was Ben Hur. Well, when they got back, some of the older people in the church called them on the carpet for going to see such worldly entertainment. My father said, “I don’t regret that I went to the play. I only regret that I upset everyone so much.” My father cared about the feelings of others, even if he didn’t agree with their opinions.
Over the years, some things at the church have changed and some things remain the same. We’ve rebuilt the church several times. I remember when what is now the narthex, was the sanctuary. I also recall how hard everyone worked to get the rooms upstairs on the south side of the building ready for young people. I think this is one of the things that hasn’t changed and that is good. We need to invest in our young people. Our children and our children’s children are a part of the fruit that will last.
I worked at Illinois Park School and I substituted in the Elgin Public Schools. I enjoyed my teaching and raising my four children. It was all worth it. Our church has always had a Sunday School and a lot of people spent most of their childhood in the church. When we were building the new sanctuary, the worship service was at Abbott School for many months, and the children’s Sunday School classes were in our house on Worth Avenue. We need to teach our children. They need to learn the importance of the Bible, of doing what is expected of them, and helping other people. We have always had an active youth program at Highland Avenue. I appreciate the work of Chris Douglas with the youth mentor program. It’s good to expect the congregation to nurture young people. Kids that age need someone to talk to besides their own parents.
Highland Avenue has always had a good choir. In the early days, we didn’t have a piano. Then we got a piano but at first it was only used to accompany the choir, not for hymns or other service music. Wil Nolen reminds me of Al Brightbill, who was a well known and dynamic choir leader in the denomination and directed here from time to time. Mr. William Beery was a member of this congregation who wrote many hymns. He lived to be over 100 years old. Every year on his birthday, his daughter would drive him to the radio station and he would sing on the farm broadcast. I sang in the choir and have always enjoyed the music at Highland Avenue. One time Mark Kuntz stopped by my house to visit and he had his cello with him. My son and daughter-in-law were here and Mark treated us to some beautiful music. They were very impressed. Mark lives in the neighborhood. I enjoy visiting with the people that still live close by. In some ways, it’s still a neighborhood church.
One time, when my daughter had a music contest, Lois Renz agreed to be her accompanist. I remember that my daughter missed an entire bar in that piece of music and no one ever knew, because Lois caught it and didn’t miss a beat. I didn’t know until recently that Nancy Miner now often accompanies our young musicians for contests. I appreciate the way that we make connections with and care for one another.
One thing that I miss is the strong ecumenical and community connections that we used to have. We used to worship together more as a community. We had a community sunrise service on Easter Sunday and all the school choirs sang. We gathered to sign the Messiah each year. From the time I was a child, we had community gardens that were divided into parcels, where people without land could raise food. I really appreciate our relationship with other churches in the community and I love it when the church is full on the Sunday we worship with Second Baptist Church of Elgin. I think the Global Holiday Bazaar is important because it contributes both to our community and to global mission.
What is the fruit that will last? I think it is our relationships to one another—how we live together, how we relate to the community around us, how we treat one another, how we care for and teach our children—not just our own children but the children of others. In our church, there is a place for everyone. And if you need something, there’s someone to help. It’s not an organized thing, it’s spontaneous. We take care of one another. This is what has not changed over the years and I am grateful.