Ten years ago, when it was clear that Hurricane Matthew was going to cause some real issues for folks on the Southeastern coast, I wrote an email to the church congregation asking them to pray for all in the path of the storm and to encourage them to heed the call to evacuate, should such a call be issued. It was a note to be prepared for the worst, even as we trusted that God would work through all things to bring about good, even with a hurricane. One of the recipients, Elizabeth Rogers, encouraged me to post it online, but since I didn’t have any online presence at that moment, she posted it on her social media account. Thus was the very first version of what is now Pastor’s Perspective posted online. The following week, at my wife’s urging, I opened my first social media account and posted my first update on the recovery efforts that were underway on the island.
Those first weekly posts were all about how our phenomenal community was banding together to clean up the mess left by the storm. Trees needed to be removed from houses, refrigerators and freezers needed to be cleaned out, roofs needed to be tarped, debris needed to be cleared away, and those who had lost their jobs or places of work needed to be protected as best as possible. Every day was an opportunity to link arms with our neighbors to make another dent in a massive pile of destruction, and every week gave me an opportunity to simultaneously brag about our community while encouraging individuals to join the efforts. Then, after six months had passed, and the last FEMA crews left the island, there was no longer a need to keep writing about a recovery effort. Yet several people who had grown accustomed to seeing my weekly posts encouraged me to keep writing, so I honored their requests, thinking of it as part of my broader ministry to the island.
As far as I can recall, I haven’t missed a week in the last ten years. Some of my posts have come from far away lands, inspired by mission trips to Central and South America. Some posts have come during vacations, demonstrating a deep personal flaw in my character (Pride? Stubbornness? Inability to compartmentalize?). Most posts have come from my office, inspired by whatever hit me while living life in this remarkable place. All of the posts are heavily influenced by my faith and the fact that I am a pastor who is deeply concerned that my life reflects my beliefs – but only occasionally do I directly quote Scripture. I sometimes wonder if I should do that more (you’ll get plenty of that from me if you visit the church on Sunday morning), but I assure you that there is almost always a verse that has provoked me to write whatever comes up that week.
Here’s what I know – there are others on this island, including Joe who lives down the street, who are much better writers than I am. Yet ten years ago, God used a hurricane to help elevate the status of the church here on Daufuskie, ensuring that everyone knew that they were welcome to come and worship Jesus together in an austere yet beautiful building in the geographic center of the island. And since that time, through storms and pandemics and tragedies, as well as through times of achievement and celebration, this simple weekly post has attempted to convey that this is a very special place, made even better when we come together to embrace whatever life has in store for us. So, even though these posts will never garner so much as a glance by the folks who hand out the Pulitzer Prize for writing, I’ll continue to write them. My prayer is that you’ll find in them two constant reminders: 1) God is constantly at work in this beautiful place; and 2) this place is even better when we gather together. And in the meantime, thanks for reading.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron