Easter Friends

This happened about 5 years ago when I was serving Greensboro GA First United Methodist Church.

Mr. Herbert, age 87, came by the church today with an 8 foot ladder sticking out the trunk of his car. His Sunday School class, named the Adult Men’s Class, once over 100 strong but now down to 4, had 3 lights burned out of the 5 light chandelier that hangs in their room. Their room is actually a side entry way for the choir, a room which is taller than it is wide. Mr. Herbert shows up on a rainy Monday with a 4 pack of 75 watt bulbs and his ladder. He's a tall, lean, and somewhat frail man who is beginning to walk a little delicately as his body is showing its age. But he's independent, and maybe a little stubborn. He came into the office asking for a key to get into the main building. I volunteered to help with the door and the ladder thinking I might end up taking care of the thing myself, and avoiding the possibility that my old friend might fall on such a wet day. But this was Mr. Herbert’s job, his idea, and his ladder. So, guess who climbed the ladder?! There I was, the 41 year old youngster steadying the ladder for the old man who wanted to make sure his friends had the light.