SPdL Update

Went to the Wednesday night Tech/Dayton game with Reid. Met at the SPdL Wednesday night dinner. Walked in with Sarah Reed – Bill drives the exact same Honda CRV that Ceil just got. Ate with Reid and some choir members. Saw Edie, but she was going somewhere.

Bill Dukes came and ate with us. As usual, he told the 1980 Mighty Mite story of when I arrived for the 8 am game dressed in a bathrobe. He added parts that I had forgotten about.

Dock Hollingsworth pulled up a chair just to talk to me, which was extremely nice. He asked about some of his father’s friends at work, so I filled him in as best I could.

I said hello to Jerry Head, and Marcine came up to give me a hug. Reid seemed to be in a hurry to leave, so I wasn’t able to make the rounds like I had wanted. I missed saying hello to the Cheathams, Taylors, Mr. Neal, and Denton Harris. Was able to say hello to Sharon Lim, Scott Roma, and Dan Barker.

Reid introduced me to Tech BSU legend Jim Haskell, who graduated in 1975 and knew Fred O, Wayne Price, John Rose, Steve Norman, Mary Deaton, and probably young Don Head. Jim has returned to SPdL and is teaching Sunday School. He took the time to ask about me, and where we went to church. Both he and Dock made it clear they’d like the Murphys to come back, which I greatly appreciate and don’t take lightly. It is great that Dock is turning things around in a way to become a more open and inviting church. It’s been a long time since SPdL (and many churches) were that kind of place.

Church membership is a topic I often think about. As Ceil and I age it would be good to be in a place not only to be ministered to by many other friends, but also have the opportunity to minister to friends and people around us. Like North Point, Passion City Church is a great place to worship and plug into – working with children, directing traffic, etc. They are much harder places to get to know and hang out with people in the same stage of life as us – especially for people like Ceil and me. We’re not the most outgoing people in a crowd – followers as opposed to leaders. Our group of good friends is very small.

In less than five years we could be empty-nesters. Passion is a great place for Ceil and the kids. She hopes to help out at the Passion Conference in January. At some point we need to look at the long term. While SPdL feels like home, how long would it be that way? Most of our friends are older, in their late-70’s and early 80’s. There are few remaining our age: Drew and Nancy, Bob and Patti Lamb, Jeff Bunch, Nancy Harris, David Hall.

Sometimes I cringe at what goes on at Johnson Ferry. People there seem to live their entire life there, making little contact with anyone outside their walls. Some people send their kids to school there, play sports there, and worship there. Johnson Ferry meets many needs and does minister to the community. As a visitor who doesn’t look and dress and drive the right car and talk like a typical Johnson Ferry person, I feel like an outsider whenever I am there. Does some of the fault lie with me? Everyone is not an outgoing, leader type person. Some churches like Johnson Ferry seem to only attract leader types, or I’m not meeting many of the non-outgoing followers. Makes sense. While at Johnson Ferry I feel like I have to put on an act and not be myself. I would imagine many others feel the same way.

TWO UPDATES: Margaret Hurt signed to be a part of the Auburn equestrian team. Young David Norman got engaged. He graduated from Kennesaw State.