From the Interim Pastor

Another month has come and gone since I began serving here as interim pastor for Harmony Grove Baptist Church. I thought of what I would say this time, and I’m going to share with you a true story that happened to me in the years I have served as a pastor. Maybe you think a pastor’s work is all serious with never anything to laugh about. Well, let me correct that thought for you. Being a pastor can be fun, and some funny things do happen.

One Sunday night I was preaching and I saw a squirrel jumping back and forth in the vestibule of our church. Suddenly, I saw the squirrel stick its head under the double doors and I knew that if that critter got inside we would have a problem. I know of a man who made millions when he wrote a song about a Mississippi squirrel, but this was a Georgia squirrel.

We had been having some problems with visitors visiting our parking lot and we had a meeting, and the men were instructed that if I heard anything I would just ask one to get up and go and see what was going on. So I asked one man to check the vestibule, and I did not tell him that a squirrel was back there. So he went to the vestibule looking for someone. He does not see anyone so he goes down into the basement where he discovers the squirrel. Suddenly we began to hear a noise coming from the basement and the man was trying to eliminate the squirrel with a broom. When the noise was heard, some other men thought a terrible fight must be going on, so they dismissed themselves to see what was happening. When they got to the basement of the church, they saw what was going on and decided to try and give some help. So the noise became louder and people were looking at one another, wondering what was going on. Now, I’m trying to finish my sermon, and with all the noise my sermon was not being heard at all. After some more noise, and I didn’t know what was taking place, but that squirrel suddenly made a dash to get away and up the pants leg of one man it went. This time louder noise, and shouting and laughter! The squirrel had made it to the belt line when it met its waterloo. By this time my sermon was not being heard, so I informed the people what I had seen and I stop preaching, and dismissed the congregation. There was laugher everywhere when we heard the whole story, about the squirrel and what it had done running up the pants leg.

So yes, pastoring can have some happy times.

May the Lord bless, and pray for us and come and visit with us, just maybe another squirrel will sacrifice itself and we can laugh again.

Pastor Jerry