A Tale of Two Towns

Ordained Elders in The United Methodist Church can sometimes be an arrogant lot. The Reverend Nancy K. Flader, who preceded me at Burwell-Taylor, was one of a growing number of clergy couples where both husband and wife were ministers (Carol Roettmer-Brewer was also in this category; her husband, James Brewer, was later to become my district superintendent when we moved to Oakland, Nebraska). The impression of Flader given me by parishioners in Burwell and Taylor was of someone so intent upon moving up in the conference hierarchy that there was little or no time to be a real pastor to these folks who resided far from the prestige of Nebraska’s “important” churches. This naturally worked to my advantage as the people in these two backwater bergs were somewhat dumbfounded by my personal interest in them. Both congregations had done a remarkable job of staying alive and vibrant in spite of their relative anonymity with regard to conference politics, and to have a pastor that was willing to devote the same time and attention to them as to congregations ten times their size resulted in an almost giddy enthusiasm for being the church. Programs were instituted; attendance and offerings increased, and apportionments (that UMC tax) were paid-in-full. It was the best of times, with little thought of the worst.