How CRBC has Cared for my Family
By Kathy Shofner
From the time we were children, Pary and I received unconditional support and love at Council Road Baptist Church. We expected no less for our son Matthew. When he was born seven weeks premature and immediately whisked away to the NICU at Mercy, our young married class sprang into action with meals for the 18 days he spent in the hospital. We were overwhelmed with whole hams, roasts, 9x13 pans of lasagna, roasted chickens, plus all the sides and desserts to complete the meals. We were well-fed, and our freezer was overflowing with meals for later. Our friends surrounded us with food, encouragement and prayers at a time when we needed them all.
At every age, Matthew had leaders who taught him about Jesus each Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday night. That doesn’t always mean he understood each concept clearly, but he knew he was loved by them and by Jesus. After a day at Vacation Bible School as a three-year-old in Ruth Ann Cahill’s class, I asked what he learned that day. He thought for a minute and said that God made green people. “Hmmm, are you sure about that?” I asked. Emphatically he replied, “Yes! My teacher told me so.” I asked, “Exactly what did your teacher say?” He looked at me as if I surely should know this, but he humored me anyway and patiently explained that God made people of ALL colors.
When he was 10, his Royal Ambassadors camp counselor (who shall remain nameless) made sure he stayed safe at Camp Hudgens while learning more about Jesus. Matthew improved his skills at archery and canoeing, but most importantly, he swam daily. Unpacking his duffel bag on his return, I found a week’s worth of clean clothes neatly folded just as I had packed them. Obviously, daily swimming was as good as showering at Camp Hudgens.
Nancy Coffey and the CRBC Daycare also played a part in his life. He only attended for an hour each day before school started for three years in elementary school. Nancy made sure he got to school on time each morning. In my rush to get to my own classroom on that all-important first day of school, for three straight years I forgot that the school-age kids were not provided breakfast at the daycare. Thankfully, Nancy covered for me and stopped by her house to get a pop tart for his breakfast for that first day of school every year for THREE STRAIGHT YEARS. Yes, I am still embarrassed just thinking about this! Nancy loved him enough to make sure he didn’t go to school hungry since his mother could not be counted on to remember to prepare his breakfast at home.
As a teenager, Matthew was fortunate to be loved by his youth minister, Chris Wall. With his wacky sense of humor and typically crazy youth activities, Chris made sure our son had fun while he was learning important lessons about Christ-like living. In the early days of his apprenticeship at The Coach House, Matthew’s first assignment was to create the amuse-bouche for dinner one night. Did he share samples with his parents? No, it was Chris who got to conduct the taste test! His friendship with Chris lasted the rest of his life.
As a young adult at CRBC, James Hunt ministered to him in his Sunday connection class and made many hospital visits to let Matthew know he was praying for him. James and Ali even traveled across town to let him prepare a meal for them at the last restaurant where he worked as a chef. Every Friday night he received big hugs from Sue Ellen Ferguson and a warm welcome without any judgment from the others at Celebrate Recovery at CRBC.
The last week of his life when Matthew was dying from alcoholic cirrhosis, we were surrounded at the hospital with love and prayers from our friends and staff at CRBC just as we were 31 years earlier at his birth. The support and presence of our church family at his memorial service that next week in the Chapel totally overwhelmed us once again. For over 60 years, we have known that our CRBC family can be counted on in times of great joy and unbearable sorrow.
Author Bio
Kathy spent 26 years teaching eighth grade English and managed to retire with most of her wits still intact. She enjoys a good book, trying new recipes, belly laughs with friends and checking out every new chef in town. When she’s not planning for trips, she’s traveling with Pary, her husband of 49 years and chief partner-in-crime since she fell in love with him as a nine-year-old at Council Road Baptist Mission.