Wow, I have really neglected this blog. Especially after stating that this was important to me. The problem is that I have neglected writing in general for quite some time -- but excuses are for a different venue. My last post was titled "Found." This one is "Lost."
I grew up in one of those households where I never doubted God. I think I always believed in Jesus. We didn't attend church much because we were migrant workers during WWII -- Really! After the war, we settled in Bellflower and began to attend the First Baptist Church. We became quite active.My dad was the chairman of the building committee that built the sanctuary still in use today -- yet in the middle of the building program, he became enamored with another woman and left our family. I was president of the Jr. High School youth group and later president of the High School group. My mother was active with the women. When the money from my father dried up, she became the pastor's secretary at the princely salary of $40 a week -- not much even in the early 50s.
One of the duties of my mom as the pastor's secretary was to attend cabinet meetings where the pastor, staff and major leaders of the church would gather. I can't remember whether this happened in 1953 or 1954 -- but I was in High School. In November, the cabinet was discussing how many Christmas Baskets they could purchase and distribute to the needy in town. My mom told them that we were really in need ourselves and that we could really use one of those baskets. She was told that that would be a conflict of interest -- they couldn't give such a gift to one of the people of the church, especially one involved in the meeting where this decision was made. Mom was devastated, but she was loyal to the pastor and the church; she kept at her post as secretary. I was pretty upset -- I thought, "Is this what church is supposed to be? Aren't we supposed to take care of one another?" I was beginning my descent into the Belly of the Whale.
Wait, the story doesn't end there. Guess what Mom and I did on Christmas eve? Yes, you guessed it! Mom and I traveled throughout the town with a car loaded with Christmas baskets. We spent most of the day distributing them. Certainly the leaders of the church couldn't be bothered with such a mundane matter. Mom was just an employee of the church -- after all she was getting well paid for doing such a thing. I personally was disgusted! We were able to get a little miniature Christmas tree and enjoyed hamburgers for Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas! Your church loves you. Do I sound bitter? I am not any more, but I was at the time. I would have probably left the church except for the fact that all of my social life was centered in the church.
One last thing that must be said is that First Baptist Church of Bellflower was a good church. The people were good people but they didn't really get it. They were locked into a certain way of thinking. There were many things that contributed to my slide into the Belly -- but this is probably the earliest one. Of course the lesson for the church is obvious. There is lesson there for those of us who feel mistreated. We have to learn to look to Jesus -- not always easy when one is just learning.
