The Old Wooden Doors

We had the doors on the East side of the building varnished last week. They are old, heavy, wooden doors; and the ones on the East side get battered by the wind, rain, sun, and snow so they need to be varnished frequently. Every time we do this I think of Howard Nicklaus.

Howard Nicklaus was the first person I met at St. John's after meeting with the search committee and going through the search process. From the moment I met him I knew he cared deeply about St. John's. He was involved in many ways - as an usher, the chair of the Personnel Committee, the maintenance team, and more. He would occasionally meet me on a Sunday morning with a friendly suggestion about something we could do to make things better, or he gently coached me on traditions of the church. I valued his guidance and support.

What I remember most, though, was how Howard would varnish the doors. As far as I could tell no one had asked him to do it; he took the doors on as a project he could do that would be helpful. Even when he faced physical limitations and some health challenges, he would still show up every couple of months with varnish and his paint brush and spend the good part of the day freshening up the beautiful doors. When he no longer could do it, I knew he was concerned about how it would get done. His quiet faithfulness continues to inspire me every time I smell the new varnish and walk through our doors.

Many, many people have walked through those doors. Some of those people, like Howard, have passed on to the saints of light. Some have been here for generations, and through their faithfulness and shared wisdom continue to inspire those of us who have not been here as long. This year we are beginning what I hope will become a new tradition, Heritage Sunday. On September 27 we will honor all of the people who have been members of St. John's for 50 years or more and thank them for their faithfulness to God and to St. John's.