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On a recent Sunday afternoon one of our former seminarian youth pastors visited the church. In the late 1940s, while attending seminary, William Tapscott lived in an apartment in our church's "youth center" - a house located in the back corner of our present day parking lot (near the Boy Scout trailer and tool shed) - and worked with the youth in our congregation. Rev. Tapscott resides now in California; he and some of his family were in the area and he wanted to show them one of the churches where he had served. In our conversation, several names were mentioned - colleagues in ministry that both he and I know from previous places we have served, as well as a few members of our church who made a special impact on his life. One such member was Myrtle Ambrose. Some of you may remember Myrtle, I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to know her, since she passed away in 1988. It is my understanding that Myrtle, and a few others in our congregation over the years, took a special interest in the seminary students who served our congregation - providing a home cooked meal, a place to go on Sunday afternoons, friendship and kind words. Bill Tapscott fondly remembers the doughnuts and conversation on Saturday mornings that Myrtle provided. How many times do we offer some gesture to others that we consider inconsequential, but is significant to the recipient? We may never know who and how we touch with our words and actions. Jesus instructs in the "parable of the final judgment" (Matthew 25:31-46) that when we care for others, perhaps even offering things like a cup of coffee, a doughnut or a cookie, a friendly greeting or a compassionate ear - we are really doing it for Christ. Who around us could benefit from a note, phone call or visit? Compare the cost of time and energy we may expend with the blessings the individual may receive. As the Apostle Paul wrote to his younger friend and student, Timothy, in the scripture quoted above, our good deeds - whether large or small - will not be hidden forever, but will be noticed and remembered. So, let's follow Jesus' instruction and be about doing good deeds, even if they do not seem obvious now. Someday, someone will recall our kindness. Pastor Martha Dominy
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