For a moment I want to reflect on the word longevity. Webster’s dictionary cites this word as originating in the 1600’s from the late Latin word, longaevitas, for great duration in life, length of service, or tenure. Being in my mid-thirties and part of the attention deficit culture, other than my life span, the most longevity I’ve probably expressed is watching a complete thirty minute sitcom without changing the channels. But attention span stands as only one way of talking about longevity.
Longevity in the sense of duration, devotion, and dedication of service is another way of talking about areas of life that we commit ourselves. My twenty plus years of contributions to the local workforce culminates in over fourteen different employers and only fourteen years of full time employment. To my defense, many of those jobs were during my high school, college and seminary years when I could only work part-time.
My point is this, gone are days when people started working for one particular company early in life and expect to retire from that same company with the gold watch in hand. Instead, the average person will work only three to five years at any one position or company as stated by the Department of Labor. Three to five years! I might start reaching a good stride in that amount of time; why come to a halt only to start over again and again and again?
This past Sunday we recognized Ruth Gatlin on her ninetieth birthday. On top of the special day surrounded by her family and church, we also acknowledged her as a member of the church for seventy-eight years. Imagine that: she is a lady who for seventy-eight (78) years has prayed for this church, given leadership and instruction to its members, faithfully contributed to her ministries, listened to more sermons than any of us would dream, celebrated more baptisms and professions of faith, and mourned the loss of the saints more times than we would like to imagine. She was part of this church when the building still had that “new church smell” and wasn’t even broken in yet. She’s seen little saplings grow into the towering trees. She’s watched more young infants, children and youth become young men and women, with many of you being among those she has been blessed to watch mature.
If I had the authority, I would include in the Webster’s dictionary pictures of people like Ruth Gatlin beside the word longevity. Not only does she possess memories of our nation and world going through such tremendous change—the roaring twenties, the great depression, numerous wars and conflicts, the hula hoop, the Civil Rights Movement, a space race to the moon, the slinky, the internet—she has seen our church ebb and flow through the currents of change to the place we reside today.
As we stood to honor Ms. Gatlin’s birthday on Sunday, I stand today to honor the dedication of people like her who give of nearly everything they have—their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service and also their witness—so that the message of Jesus Christ remains alive and well in us and in this community. I only hope that one day people can say that I, too, committed myself to the message and work of the church for as many years.
I look forward to seeing you at the “longevity” place on Sunday.
