Pastor Jim Clarke    Pastor Paula McCutcheon

A Story About Names

I’m going to tell a story about one of our members here – but it’s a good story, so I don’t believe she will mind.

Cathy Russell works at Ridgewood Elementary, and one of her duties is to supervise the crossing guards.  She is out there each morning and afternoon watching all the children come and go, and she is able to greet each one by name.  I think there are more than 600 children in the school!  One early in the year when I was walking Kenneth and a few more neighborhood kids up to school one of those other kids, who was new to Ridgewood, commented on Mrs. Russell’s ability to do this, and ended her comment by saying, ‘that’s really spooky!’ 

Personally, I don’t find Cathy all that spooky, and I would guess her ability to remember all those names has less to do with some peculiar intuitive ability than with intent and some hard work.  It’s hard to remember names!  Especially when one is introduced to someone, my mind is passing through so many thoughts that unless I verbally repeat the names in my head, they will be lost.  I view remembering names less as a mystery than a discipline…. And a spiritual discipline, in as much as being attentive of each other is a part of our spiritual lives. 

We have many new faces at our church right now.  A new group of new members will join on January 8th.  This is a great blessing.  I hear many people comment on how hard it is to ‘get to know’ all the new people, and I know that’s true.  At the same time, think of what the new people are facing – to them nearly everyone is new.  In light of this I have a few suggestions for New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Wear nametags.  We bring this up every once in a while, and there is some improvement for a while, and then we all forget again.  It is important.  With a nametag we don’t have to repeat a name in our head seven times!  It is also an expression of hospitality, recognizing that while we may know the majority of people in the congregation, and since we have been here a good while, everybody should know whom we are, there really are people who don’t know us.  
2. Make an effort to identify, name and get to know people who are new.  That means people who are new to the church, or people who have been here a while, but nonetheless are new to us.  Don’t worry about being embarrassed.  Trust that the Holy Spirit will be our guide as we reach out to the unknown.
3. Pray for others in the church – even those we don’t know.  I use the directory for this purpose.  Each week I read through it, and pray for every family in it.  It does wonders for remembering names!  Remember those membership vows, to support the church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service?

One of my favorite passages in the Old Testament is in Isaiah 43:  But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:  Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine…. It is a good and godly thing to remember someone’s name. 

Pastor Jim