Telling the Preacher Where to Go

It was my first Sunday morning as their appointed pastor.

The Benediction was done and I checked my watch.

Right on time!

I’d been told it was only a 10 minute drive to the next church for the next Service of Divine Worship, and I had 15 minutes. All I needed now were directions.

“It’s easy, you can’t miss it,” I’d been advised, “and the people at the first place can give you simple directions to the second.”

Sounded great!

You may be wondering why I didn’t use my GPS. Simple reason: this was before such a thing was available.

And “cell phones” would have been a mistaken reference to jailhouse amenities.

Maybe you wonder why I didn’t use a map. Another simple reason: the church wasn’t in a town, wasn’t even at an intersection, and it sure wasn’t on a map.

Handshake time at the back of the sanctuary complete, I asked someone standing nearby for the “simple directions” I’d been promised.

An awkward pause followed.

“Well, now this won’t be easy,” was the beginning.

Then came, “but you’ll need to turn where the old Johnson barn used to be.” That line was said with a straight face.

Turned out he was right: it wasn’t easy.

The people in the three farmhouses where I stopped for directions all knew how to get there. And shared the sentiment that it wasn’t going to be easy.

It wasn’t.

But it was sure worth it — delightful people with whom I would make, as I’d learn an old gospel song says, “precious memories.”