As DeHart explained in his column, “The day before Ash Wednesday is known as Shrove Tuesday.” The name Shrove Tuesday derived from the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of Confession and doing penance. The shrift, or confession, was made before Lent began.

Following this description of exotic customs involving fatted calves, giant pretzels and kegs of beer, DeHart turned to the customs that underwrote the event the choir had planned. The English had associated the pancake with Shrove Tuesday. For the Germans it became the doughnut. Both customs grew from the tradition of using up whatever grease might be on hand before Lent began, during which time its use was forbidden.   

In 1962, a Pancake Supper was a novel event in Midland. In fact, First United Methodist may have been the first to provide this repast locally. They gambled folks would give the event a try and they were not disappointed. A large crowd came, either to eat their fill or support the Bell Ringers or both. Chef Ellis Conner supervised the cooking crew while members of the choir helped serve and clear space in the Fellowship Hall for folks to dine.

The dishwashing crew of Gil Ward, Jane Schulte, Sharon Heidelberg and Monta Jo Johnson clown around at the 26th Annual Pancake Supper.
From the March 13, 1987 church newspaper.

On March 4, this venerable tradition will take place for the 53rd time. Traditions are wonderful treasures of a church like ours. However, traditions remain alive only if each new generation is willing to carry them forward. So the choir (or choir spouses like me) must band together to cook for hours, serve for hours and clean for hours and members of the church community must come and pay their money (and eat all they can!). Otherwise, this tradition becomes history.

I hope many of you make a special effort to be a part of the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on one side of the serving line or the other so that, together, we can continue working our way through the next 50,000 pancakes.

In 1957, the Capital Campaign Team at First Methodist prepared a brochure to help members understand the need for and importance of a new construction project. The Midland economy was booming; the community was growing; times were changing. The leaders of the church, Pastor Timothy Guthrie, Music Director George DeHart, Steering Committee Chairman Ben Black and church members such as J. Holt Jowell and George Glass believed the church plant need to grow and change as well.

Pastor Guthrie wrote, “It will take big thinking, big vision and big giving. Anything less is sure to lose the victory we ought to have.”

The primary focus was on creating more space for worship and for the youth of the church and the community. The leaders reminded each reader of the brochure that the true goal was not the additional square footage and new facilities. The half-million dollar investment would be repaid many times “because of the Christian young men and women it will produce.”

On the pages where they described the pledges, they reminded readers that “A sacrificial pledge is one that has a spiritual impact upon the one making the pledge.”

On Sunday, January 19, 2014 Senior Pastor Tim Walker’s sermon was on growing spiritually. He focused on three areas—growing faith, growing love, and growing the church. Isaiah 54:2 served as the scripture reference for the focus on growing the church. The scripture says, “Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.”

Tim used the analogy of a cruise ship, focusing on the feature that determined the quality of the cruise experience—the ratio of passengers to crew members. A higher ratio of crew to passengers greatly increases the likelihood of a memorable cruise rated highly by passengers. Tim asked the congregation to think of the church as a mighty cruise ship and posed the question, “Are you a passenger or a crew member?” With a slight smile, he pointed out that, to succeed, we need more crew members. His closing challenge question was, “What will your next ‘yes’ be?”

The challenge of more active service—becoming a member of the crew—is one that pastors continually issue to church members in a variety of formats. Church leaders offered such challenges from the beginnings of the church and have continued to do so down to Tim’s sermon last week.

In 1997, John Rech served as Associate Pastor here at First Methodist with Senior Pastor Lane Boyd. Long-time church members remember both leaders fondly. The church newspaper at that time had already taken the “Tower Times” as its banner and resembled an older style large format newspaper. Digital print was not even on the horizon. But service and growing the church certainly were.

“Not long ago, a man greeted the pastor following the worship service with the words, ‘I’m new in town, and I’m looking for a new church home; but I want you to understand what kind of church I’m looking for.’ The pastor inquired as to the kind of church the man was interested in and the man said, “I don’t want a church that demands too much, one that is always asking me to do something, or one that expects me to sing. Also, I’m not interested in Sunday school or other church meetings and please don’t ask me to give.”

The pastor, after hearing the description of the church, said to the man, ‘I think I know a church where you will feel right at home,’ and he wrote down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to the man.

Several weeks later, the man decided to visit the church which the pastor recommended, and on Sunday morning he drove to the address which was written on the paper. But, as he drove up, he thought he must have been given the wrong address. There were weeds growing through the cracks in the sidewalk, the grass had not been cut, and as he looked at the building, there were boards nailed across the windows, and the doors were locked. As he sat in his car, suddenly he realized that it must have been the right address. He returned to the church he had visited earlier and following the service said to the pastor, ‘I found the kind of church I thought I wanted, the one you suggested, but that really is not what I want. Can I become a part of this church and will you help me find a place here to serve the Lord?’ He was obviously eagerly welcomed.”

I think if Pastor Rech had heard Tim’s sermon, he would have reminded us that there are always positions available on the crew.