The Bungee Cord   9-7-20

Hello,

 

If you happen to be in Ligonier, Pa., and you drive from the Diamond to the Giant Eagle store, you will pass St. James Lutheran church as you go down the hill.  And if you look at the church while passing by, you will see a new sign on the church lawn.  “Q: Y wave?”

 

I asked one of our members, a high school sophomore, to paint it.  (He was also the painter of the previous lawn Post-Covid closure sign that said, “Alleluia!  Jesus has risen!  So have we!”) Just as with the previous sign, it is my hope that the sign catches people’s eyes and causes them to think.

 

“Q: Why wave?”

 

As the readers of the Bungee Cord know, every Sunday I stand out in front of the church and wave at people driving by.  I started doing this nearly 30 years ago when I was the pastor of a church in a small town. If you have ever lived in a small town you know, that waving is part of the culture.  So enculturated is waving that people have their own distinctive waves. The index finger wave from the top of a pick-up steering wheel.  The elegant wave from an older person sitting low in a Buick.  The eyes popping out “I can’t believe it is you” wave that is given to the wavee no matter how many times they have been seen.  The semi-salute wave.  Waves a plenty!

 

In small town, waving is expected.  As a matter of fact, if you don’t wave, people think of you as a bit of a snob.

 

So for nearly three decades, I have waved at people as they have driven by the church that I have served. My wave….mmmm….a semi-energetic wiping of the mirror wave.  As I wave, I try to catch people’s eye, and when I do, a nod is attached to my wave.

 

Ever since I left that small town, I have lived in places where waving at everyone is not the norm, and so I have found that my waving has caught people off guard.  They don’t know what to do….some wave back, some act like they didn’t see me, some stare and do nothing.  It has been an interesting adventure, standing out there on the sidewalk waving.  And I bet that more than once the question has popped into the minds of those to whom I am waving, “Why is he waving?”

 

If the answer that comes to mind is, “He is trying to get us to come to his church,” that would be a wrong answer (although if that is the result, that is not a bad result).  If the answer is, “He’s just a friendly guy,” that, too, would be wrong answer (although I hope that it is true.)  If the answer is, “He must want something from me,” again, a wrong answer and isn’t at all why I am waving.  If the answer is, “He is such a fool,”…..well, no comment on the correctness of that answer.

 

So, what is the answer? “Q: Why wave?”

Guess you’ll have to wait until the next lawn sign goes up to find out!

 

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger