The Meandering Mind

John Bernstein

“Ministry Musings,” a series about some humorous and serious stories in my life as a pastor.

The small town in which I served my first church had a population of about 4,000. I wanted to reach into the community and become more than a pastor who stayed in his office or only tended his own flock.

I coached Little League. I played on a local softball team. I met with the ministerial group made up of most of the other pastors in town. Of course, some clergy didn’t join that group because they didn’t have time or didn’t want to associate with other pastors.

One of my most enjoyable community activities was the Kiwanis Club. They had weekly luncheons with good food and interesting speakers. They did many helpful things for our little town. The members included people from every part of our area— oil men, business owners, doctors, lawyers and retired people.

The meetings were always fun. Lots of joking and joshing, especially when you were fined for some silly breech of some silly rule. A particularly humorous member was the local funeral home owner.

People would always joke with him. He gave it to others as enthusiastically as they gave it to him. Example: One day it was raining. A rare happening in our desert town. The funeral director had to leave the luncheon early. A member quipped that maybe he was departing early because the ground would be soft enough for him to dig a grave. It was that sort of group.

On another occasion, I said something I thought was funny to the owner of a local travel agency. Can’t remember what I said. He responded by calling me a “Smart A.” Smiling, I retorted, “That Reverend Smart A. to you.”

For the rest of the time that I lived in that town, this business owner would greet me, “Hello Reverend Smart!” Often, he would yell this greeting across the street. Most people knew both of us. They knew my name, and it wasn’t “Smart.” People continued to wonder. The travel agent and I just smiled and went about our business.

Life is to enjoy!