First Christian Church

I’ve been reflecting over the past few weeks on “the colors of ministry.”  There’s a delightful children’s book by Dr. Seuss called “My Many Colored Days.”

On Bright Red Days how good it feels to be a horse and kick my heels!

On other days I’m other things. On Bright Blue Days I flap my wings.

If you have a friend who’s a pastor, you might ask her: “What color is your ministry these days?”

At the end of August, I attended a purple funeral.  Van Hicks was a dedicated Harley rider.  He’d always enjoyed being active - hunting, fishing, skiing, and boating.  Late in life he discovered the joy of riding motorcycles on the open road, and Van donated a great deal of time to the “Purple Jesters” unit of our local Shrine Club.  Standing around the graveside, I couldn’t help but notice all the black leather jackets with purple fringe, one biker buddy even had purple dyed hair!  It was a purple day as I felt both the joy of seeing so many lives touched by one man and the sadness of Carolyn newly widowed.

Sometimes the colors come in just a brief moment.  Not long ago, I stepped out of the front door at church.  We’ve had a late, warm summer.  I was surprised to see roses still blooming at the end of September.  The sun shone down upon a perfect red rose and I caught my breath, marveling for just a moment in the beauty of creation.  The rest of the day was brighter for having seen God’s loveliness in a single rose.

Next week, the pumpkins will arrive.  FCC Casper is the “pumpkin patch church.”  Every year, we get a semi-truck-load of pumpkins, gourds, multi-colored corn and other fall harvest items from the Navajo reservation in northern New Mexico.  For a month, I’ll see orange, think orange, be orange.  It’s a delight to watch children come with their parents and grandparents to wander through the patch trying to pick out that perfect pumpkin to carry home for carving.  The ladies of the church bake delicious treats – pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, even pumpkin chili!  This fall orange has new meaning for me as our exchange student son William is playing on the orange-and-black Natrona County High Mustangs football team.  One of the home football games was held on “orange-out” night.  The school gave away free t-shirts and the stands were completely filled from left to right with bright orange.  You know, all of us naturally are prone to like some colors better than others.  I’ve never been a huge orange fan.  Wearing it doesn’t enhance my complexion.  It seems too bright, too obnoxious.  I’d pick a sunny yellow over orange most any day, and yet…  orange is coming to have happy memories for me – cheering on a young Swede as he plays American football for the first time – sharing in a congregation-wide ministry to reach an entire community…  Isn’t it nice to know that the God of ALL COLORS can change our minds?  What we once considered dark experiences can become moments of learning and grace.  I’m learning that even orange days can be a blessing for me.