![]() Fifty years. Sunday, July 20, 1969. My first quarter of seminary completed and a few months into a role for which I was ill prepared - Youth Director at Brookhaven United Methodist Church. I put my little black and white TV in my car that Sunday afternoon and headed to the church for a UMYF Watch Party. After evening worship, we headed down to the fellowship hall and gathered around that old TV. While we waited, we shared snacks thanks to Othella, Margaret, Oscar, Bill and Elizabeth. The scenes broadcast that night were low contrast and grainy. Eventually, we turned off the overhead lights hoping for a better picture. Finally, at 10:56 p.m. Neil Armstrong placed his foot on the powdery surface saying, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” becoming the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Huddled around that old TV we shared an amazing moment of exploration and discovery. For me that one moment has become symbolic of my own explorations and discoveries during my three years at Brookhaven. Some of the happiest times of my life were spent there with the BUMCY kids - playing volleyball in the parking lot, going to Camp Glisson, on a youth choir trip to Florida, countless Sunday evenings in discussion groups, seeing one young person after another latch on to the grace of God, and, with the help of the BUMCY kids and adults, experiencing grace too. Some of the unhappiest days of my life were also spent there as I learned just how ill prepared I was to be a youth director - spiritually, mentally, morally. The “footprints” lead through the dark days as well as the happy days of exploration and discovery. If there are any good memories of those days we shared together thank God for them. For any angry, sad, disappointing feelings of those days we shared, I am deeply sorry and hope for your grace and forgiveness. Andrew Peters, Oscar and Margaret Grier, Othella McDaniel, Saidee Dial, Bill and Elizabeth Walker and many others have all moved on to larger rooms in God’s house for further exploration and discovery. Those of us still here are hopefully still engaged in exploration and discovery of God’s grace, who we are and who, by that grace, we have it in us to be. Three years at Brookhaven - “one small step” for me that led, not to giant leaps, but to a life of small steps, some well-placed, others not so much. In many ways, it was the beginning of life for me and I thank God for the time we had together. Hopefully, if you were there you, upon reflection will find yourself thankful too. Submitted by Larry Parton
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