At Pastor Orlan Koehn’s laidback leading, we enter relaxed into Bikemovement’s first experience leading a major portion of a Sunday morning service. We seek to share of both our experiences and thinking, offering stories, then reflection.

As a newcomer, even the oft-told stories – commitment to the long road of deep sand, unconditional hospitality at the Dayville church – come to me fresh and moving. I enjoy them, paradoxically, with both a sense that they belong to me, and with the simple appreciation of a first-time hearer. It’s exciting to be joining, with Bekah, Laurelyn, and Jess, at this juncture, as the trip moves into a more church-intense time. We dive in, quickly learning to talk about “our” trip - because it’s just less complicated, and also because it starts to feel true. The ones that have been together since Oregon graciously offer the wisdom and identity they’ve been working out in these four weeks. We get the sense, too, that what Bikemovement is moves, like we move.

While much needed rain falls outside, Tim and Dave spend the afternoon in “Russ’s Shop” (our lunch host just happens to be a welder) finishing work on a bike for Jess and putting together Tim’s. It’s been out of commission the last few days for disassembly, removal of all decals, and a creative painting. They stretch through their knowledge and frustration to finish as the sun goes down.

Russ serves us popcorn, then tells us stories about his service as a medical “guinea pig” during the war that brings our table full of young people into awed silence. With striking blue eyes he answers our questions in the same straightforward manner with which he asks them.

Then there is Sylvia, who ends up wearing a towel, gracefully, after she accidentally leans into some of our black paint. Luckily it was not oil-based. “I’ll just wash it out when I get home,” she protests as the other women insist on washing it out then and there, in the kitchen sink. They win, and she ends up in the flowered towel, giggling at suggestions that the slit in her “skirt” is too high, and claiming to be a fashion trendsetter.

We are delighted to learn later that she is over 90 (she doesn’t act it), and came around because she loves youth. Upon hearing that we’d be at the Roth’s for lunch, evidently, she invited herself over.

After the rain, church members slowly wander outside to gather in folding chairs ‘round the swing I’m sharing with the pastor’s wife. There is talk of grandchildren who love the trains, cornhusks predict winter’s severity, and Would Sylvia share heaven with the squirrels who chewed on her porch? I wonder again who’s actually learning more about community as we enter these close-knit church families.

Posted by Holly Showalter

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 6th, 2006 at 1:15 am and is filed under Trip06. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.