Conference Minister's Corner - 12-16-2025

I got locked out of my car on my way to church last week.  I was 45 minutes from home.  Twenty minutes from the church and everything I needed (i.e. cell phone and key) was in the car.  It was 9:15 am and worship was at 10 a.m. I was at a gas station in the middle of nowhere trying to get gas.  I freaked. I saw two men standing by a snowplow and confessed my dilemma (stupidity).  There was lighthearted laughter and advice on how to avoid future situations. Meanwhile I tried to figure what to do next:  I envisioned the worst-case scenarios:  10 am would come and go and I wouldn’t be there.  No one would know where I was.  AAA could take hours.  Could I ask one of these nice men to drive me?  Finally one of the men said, “I know a guy who might be able to help you. He lives right down the road.”  While we waited for “J” to show up, this nice man (ok, an angel) and I chatted.  About life, faith, family.  We got quite close in the 15 minutes we waited for J.  Weirdly close.  He had served in Desert Storm and had spent time in the ICU with Covid (he did not believe in vaccines) and he showed me pictures of his time in the hospital as well as pictures of him with his nieces.  He said he probably should have died a dozen times, but Jesus (God?) kept coming through.  Our politics and beliefs couldn’t have been more different.  Yet this man was helping me and truly, saving me.  The relief I felt when his friend showed up and opened the car door was palpable.  Because I had no cash, this man insisted on paying his friend for me. I hugged him and then we wished each other well (actually he said, “Go and do good work!”) and I made it to church with 10 minutes to spare.

Christmas comes with many hopes; one of which is peace. Especially among those of us who hold radically different opinions and views. For me, this was one of those moments where it seemed like peace was possible.  Finding the common among us and leaving our differences to the side opened a window; albeit, a small window, yet a window, nonetheless.  I’m quite sure if this gentleman and I were to find ourselves at a political protest we’d be on opposite sides but maybe we’d recognize each other and hug again. And a pathway to peace might begin.

Wishing you peace this Christmas. 

Linda