Allen-Lee Memorial United Methodist Church
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Pastor
    • Calendar
    • Allen-Lee Honors
    • Our Community
    • Outreach >
      • Unity Elementary School
      • United Methodist Children's Home
      • Operation Christmas Child
      • Missions in China
    • Photo Gallery
  • Prayer Requests
  • Weekly Bulletin
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
  • Our History
    • Young John Allen
    • Dr. James Wideman Lee
    • Previous Pastors
    • History Book
  • District News
  • Useful Links

Lessons from the Neighborhood

3/11/2013

0 Comments

 
By Quincy Brown, Vice President at LaGrange College
Reprinted from Monday Morning in North Georgia


When I was a child, there were adults in my neighborhood who played special roles. They were characters who entertained and taught us in their own special way.

There was Mr. W.T., who sat on his front porch and threw candy at us like it was a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Isiah, whom we called “Wise,” always had a sing-song rhyme of a wisdom saying that sounded more like “pool hall banter” than a proverb. And then there was Mr. Alvin, who was the self-proclaimed Sheriff of the neighborhood. He actually walked around with a toy badge and an unloaded Colt 45. He saw his job as making sure that things were running smoothly in the neighborhood. But if there were any signs of conflict, like Barney Fife of Mayberry, he would often complicate matters and someone else would have to come in and clean things up. 

Mr. Richard, who drove his 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville like Richard Petty in the Daytona 500, played rule enforcer. He had the keys to the neighborhood park and wouldn’t allow profanity, violence, or mischief to occur on park grounds.

And there was Mrs. Patterson, who made homemade cupcakes and had a choice selection of grape, orange, or strawberry soda. We could buy a cupcake and soda for a quarter at her house - and get a lecture on the importance of saving money  while we were there.

Many of the lessons I learned in childhood seemed to center around the basketball court in the neighborhood park. I watched my adult neighbors practice fairness, responsibility, and doing their share to make our community better. I learned about honesty, patience, compassion, generosity, courage, gratitude, forgiveness, loyalty, and respect by walking up and down
the  streets.  

But it didn’t stop there. I saw many of the same adults in church on Sunday mornings worshipping God.  They were ushers, greeters, lay speakers, Sunday   school teachers, confirmation class mentors, and choir members. Like the mentors who trained their protégés by walking around using hands-on teaching; I was taught that character is about who we are and what we do when people aren’t watching us. I learned how to “walk the walk” of Christian  character.

Prayer Focus for the Week
Gracious God, we are grateful for the people in our communities. Help us learn from the Christians "walking the walk" around us. Amen.
                                                                - Bishop Mike Watson
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

         

    Melanie Stanley-Soulen pastored Allen-Lee United Methodist Church from 2007 until 2013.

    Archives

    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Lent
    Monday Morning In North Georgia
    Thanksgiving

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Pastor
    • Calendar
    • Allen-Lee Honors
    • Our Community
    • Outreach >
      • Unity Elementary School
      • United Methodist Children's Home
      • Operation Christmas Child
      • Missions in China
    • Photo Gallery
  • Prayer Requests
  • Weekly Bulletin
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
  • Our History
    • Young John Allen
    • Dr. James Wideman Lee
    • Previous Pastors
    • History Book
  • District News
  • Useful Links