Reflections from Tom Merrill

Tom Merrill, who spent 55 years in a variety of ministries before retiring and becoming a member of our congregation, returned to the pulpit on Dec. 8 and delivered a lively sermon on John the Baptist.

Tom reflected on John being the “voice in the wilderness” and also used it as a comparison to the passing of Nelson Mandela.

Setting up his sermon, Tom said he had considered being more in character as John the Baptist, wearing a hair shirt (but JC Penney didn’t have any, he said) and eating locusts (they only came chocolate covered, he said, and they cost $52 a pound).

No hair shirt, no locusts, but from Tom, his words were all that were needed.

Also during the 10 a.m. service in which Tom Merrill preached, Mariah Parker read the scripture lesson — on her 16th birthday.

Mariah Parker