Jean Dick on her 100th Birthday
When we lived in the city of Sudbury I served the downtown St. Andrew's congregation with many members who were part of the "mover and shaker" crowd of the city, past and present. I felt awkward in my role at times, called to the church at age 33, to work as lead minister with people who were often decades older and held positions of responsibility and influence in the community which could be intimidating.
I learned recently that an elegant and accomplished woman named Jean Dick has died, her longevity a surprise because she seemed, well, old, when we arrived in 1988. I've done the math and she was a couple of years older than we are now -- ancient! -- but she lived to just shy of her 103rd birthday.
Jean was a widow who lived in a gracious home on a large property situated on one of Sudbury's several lakes. She held an annual Christmas party at her place which was legendary, and at least one year the Sunday School picnic was held there as well. Jean and her husband had discovered the property by paddling around the lake in a canoe in the early 1940's.
Jean attended study groups and in one on prayer she commented that when her husband died her Protestant friends told her that they were thinking of her while her Roman Catholic friends said they were praying for her and lit candles in his memory. Always straightforward, she wondered why United Church folk were timid about prayer, herself included.
On another occasion we talked in one of the groups about the intensity of emotion and outlooks regarding the inclusion of gay and lesbian persons in congregational life and leadership. Just before I'd arrived in 1988 the General Council of the United Church had made a momentous decision about those who are part of what we now describe as the LGBTQ+ community:
General Council declares that "all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are welcome to be or become members of The United Church of Canada" and that "all members of the United Church are eligible to be considered for ordered ministry."
As I attempted to navigate my way through this decision with people who were often confused and angry we tried to be intentional and pastoral in discussing the implications including in a multi-session study group. I recall Jean expressing her exasperation at what she felt was the narrow and unChristian outlook of some and admitting wryly that she was "intolerant of those who were intolerant."
While Jean might have been amused at being described as part of the "communion of saints" in terms of those who influenced me as I led them as a pastor through the years, she was a remarkable person, and it sounds as though she was to the end.
Was it writing about Jean or my walk in the woods on this frosty morning that got me thinking about a cold New Year's Day in Sudbury and a foray to Dreamer's Rock? My Groundling blog today
https://groundlingearthyheavenly.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-frosty-morning-memories-of-dreamers.html
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