Doris' Stories of Faith & Life

On a Sunday in the late 1960s I decided to start my search for a church home. We had just moved to Little Rock where my then husband was the new Commissioner of Corrections under Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. So I dressed for church in what I was used to wearing in West Virginia – one of my big hats and dress gloves as well as Sunday clothes. Well, so much for sneaking in to give a new church the once over and decided if Faith was the church for us. Lucky for me, my search was over and Faith has continued to be the church for me. The folks at Faith are so accepting, so full of grace, it is a happy place. I was raised a Methodist and became a Lutheran when I married – an easy transition.

It was easy to find a teaching job for me because that was the year that Little Rock started integration of elementary teachers – sending white teachers to the east side of town and black teachers to the west. What an opportunity for a do-gooder like me – I could integrate the elementary schools and Bob could solve the many problems in the state’s prisons – dream on! You can tell from the news reports of today that we did not accomplish the opportunities set for us!

In retirement I have enjoyed hiking, traveling to many parts of the United States and Canada to pursue that hobby. That hobby is now in the past so I get joy in vegetable gardening. I eat my efforts and give lots to the food pantry. I care about food hunger and do what I can to support organizations that help relieve that. This is one of the issues I truly care about.

The people who have shaped my faith in the past are legion. Now I have Sunday sermons and the Wednesdays Bible study at Faith to keep my faith fed every week. Our monthly meetings of WELCA feed my faith, also. Faith Lutheran is a cafeteria for faith feeding – come join the feast.

As the church changes, I hope it keeps its focus on community service, especially helping those who need food, clothing and a safe place to live. I like the variety of ways the leadership of this church gives us to serve. 
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Some wisdom I can pass on is there is always more than one side to every situation.  Be quiet and listen to those other sides.  You will develop a wonderful, peaceful tolerance for your fellow travelers through life--granted I have to work on tolerance every day!

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​Doris has been a member of Faith Lutheran since 1969. She has served on the church council and numerous committees through the years. She is active in WELCA (Women of the ELCA), Church Women United, a First Touch greeter, sharing the word of God as lector in worship, and studying the word of God in the Wednesday morning Bible study.