25 North Eugene Field Road

As most of you Missourians know by now, I am going forward into my future into local church pastoring again. On July 1, I become the pastor at McMurry UMC in Claycomo, MO. Both the church and the street it sits on are named for persons of distinction. Bishop William McMurry's name was given to the new church whenit was started in1922, because he was the presiding bishop at that time. The street, though, was named before that. Earlier in the century, when Claycomo was established as a township, the man who owned the property named all the streets, several after poets. McMurry UMC's street address is 25 North Eugene Field Road. The first time I drove by the church, I noticed the street name. I knew I knew who that guy was---something about children---but I will admit I had to go home and google. Silly me. Eugene Field, who lived only 45 years, is the most prolific writer of children's poetry who every lived. He was born in St. Louis in 1850. I have learned quite a bit about Mr Field, especially preparing for this blog post. I've just read over 30 or so of his poems, and the way that he was able to take children out of the mere fairy tale into a different place and time is mystical and magical. Think Wynken, Blynken and Nod, if you have ever heard it. Find it on the internet and read it if you haven't. He was quite an interesting man too. I read an account of how, early in his career when he was working for the newspaper in Denver, the town was to be blessed :-) by a visit from Oscar Wilde, by all accounts a conceited and "puffed up" man as the account reads. Field got word that Wilde's train had been delayed several miles east of Denver, and so, Field found his way over to the next town east, hopped a train that would arrive in Denver several hours before Wilde's would, dressed up to look like him, and fooled folks into thinking he was Wilde, until Wilde himself appeared.

Despite all this, though, he had much loss in his life. His mother died when he was quite young; one son died in childbirth; and, one of his little boys died young. Several of his poems have a melancholy, poignant theme running through them.

One of the things I am most looking forward at the McMurry church is working with children. I have not had much chance for interaction with kids since coming on the cabinet, and I miss them very, very much. Driving around the church, there seem to be plenty of children in the neighborhood---many in some of the rental housing that borders the church to the west. There are children in the church, too, and programs are provided to grow these young disciples. I'll get to do "time with children" again in worship! I am excited about this, and especially look forward to getting to know the kids around the church, and down across Vivion Road in the large trailer court that is there, and those who attend the school not too far away, and the kids who play in the parks around the church in the summer. I hope to take my lunch down to the park, to eat and to listen. I plan to laugh and be silly and scoop the toddlers up in my arms and rock the babies. And I hope, in the the ways that I am led, that I too like Mr. Field, can help the kids to use their imaginations and celebrate in the wonder of what it is to be engulfed in the arms of God.

The last stanza of Wynken, Blynken and Nod, which follows the imaginative telling of three fisherman who go sailing reads:

But I shall name you the fishermen three:

Wynken,Blynken,

And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,

And Nod is a little head,

And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies

Is a wee one's trundle-bed;

So shut your eyes while Mother sings

Of wonderful sights that be,

And you shall see the beautiful things

As you rock in the misty sea

Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:

--Wynken,Blynken,And Nod.

Who knows? Some of those children I will meet might not have parents who, out of their own personal struggles, do not often sing to them, or sing at all. Some of these children might not see too many beautiful things. I know that I will sing, in as many ways as God gives me to sing--I will sing the Lord's song and tell of that place to which only poetry can point the way. Thank you, God.