Even before he had

hands laid on his head

consecrating him for

ministry, even back to

high school when he

preached the Youth

Sunday sermon and

his pastor said, “You

have the gift, son,”

he wished only to

follow Jesus. All

these years and four

denominations later,

he knows he means

little to nothing to

the institutions, but

he means some-

thing to himself

and, if truth be told,

it is nice to get a

birthday card each

year from the pension

board.