No person in ministry in the early 1960s had the audacity to have a resume. Following God’s will was somehow prostituted by a person with a resume, and it was difficult to follow the leadership of the Lord if you moved ahead of His plan. Having a resume was a sign that we were moving ahead of God’s will. God would work at His pace; we just waited on Him to make decisions about moves to a new ministry location. I remember how I reacted when I first heard about someone who had a resume. By the way, I believe with all my heart that it still works the same way. God knows our needs and is more interested in our future than we could ever be. “Wait on the Lord.”
So it was that in1963 I saw a small group of people in the worship service at Calvary Baptist Church of Denison, and it was a group of people that I did not know. I just assumed that this probable committee was there to listen to our pastor, Roy Cloudt. After the service, Othal Brand, approached me, told me they were a music committee, and asked if RL, Chris, and I could go to lunch with them. He told me they were from McAllen, Texas. I went to RL, told her that they had invited us to lunch, and said they were from McAllen. “Where is McAllen?” RL said. I replied, “Somewhere in south Texas.”
WHERE IS MCALLEN?
Just as an aside, this committee was actually planning on visiting another music director somewhere in north Texas, but at the last minute, their plans had changed. They had already flown to the area, and they came to visit our church based on some reference that they had about me and my work in Denison. That is how God works. I hadn’t mailed them a questionnaire; I hadn’t talked with them; I didn’t even know Calvary Baptist Church existed.
I didn’t realize that the “somewhere” was about 500 miles south on the Texas/Mexico border, but after the usual interviews and two flights to McAllen on Othal’s private plane with a private pilot, we found ourselves in an exciting new ministry at Calvary Baptist Church. The first time we ever drove that long 500 miles was when we moved to McAllen; we wondered along the way about the many miles. The church, which was averaging about 400 in Sunday School, was located in a thriving area of town, and I was now the new Music-Education-Youth Director.
We moved into a beautiful tan brick home owned by the church, and it was our parsonage during our years in McAllen. The house was very nice for that era, had hard wood (parquet) floors, a nice carport, and a beautiful yard surrounded on the back by oleanders. The side wall was covered to the roof in the winter by poinsettias. We also shared the carport and sometimes even the house with hundreds of salamanders. This tropical world was a beautiful place to live.
Calvary Baptist Church had begun as a “mission” of First Baptist Church, and I am sure that the dominating personality of Othal Brand and other community leaders was very influential in the beginnings of the church. Many of the early converts of the church were baptized in the Brand’s swimming pool. Othal Brand had begun his career in the Marines after selling produce on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. He was now a multi-millionaire with produce business all over south Texas and Mexico. He ran in some big circles, was later Mayor of McAllen, and has remained very active in Republican politics. I learned much from Othal. I was asked a question one night in Deacon’s Meeting about a particular subject, and I answered rather hesitantly. Othal corrected me in the group, told me it was my job to give them answers, and told me to bring my ideas the next time we met. Othal wanted his leadership to make decisions, and he expected the same from me. I took that helpful concept and used it the rest of my life.
Othal’s wife Kay was an ex Marine and was/is a sweetheart. They were very wealthy and used a Mexican maid at their home, and Kay used her wonderful gift of hospitality and ministry. Their home was open for any and every possible meeting whether for the church or the city or the business. Often times Kay would go to the packing shed and fill up the back end of her large Cadillac with flats of strawberries. She would then go home and make at least one dozen strawberry pies; these would be delivered along with a flat of strawberries to at least 12 homes all over the community. Chris was several years old before he discovered that everyone didn’t have strawberries at their beck and call. Chris was actually clothed by Kay during his early life in McAllen. Of course, our Kelli Kay, who was born after our move to Baytown, was named for Kay Brand.
Othal was very competitive, and we often played ping pong together in his garage. Since I was just a little bit better than him, our sessions lasted for many long hours. He just didn’t want to lose, and he’d always say while sweat soaked and without his shirt, “Just one more game.” There have been several nights when RL was visiting with Kay in the house a long time after Chris was supposed to be home and in bed.
Othal and Kay were strong supporters of Baptist life at Hardin Simmons University and at Howard Payne University.
They were great examples for our lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment