John

May 26, 2018

A well-laid foundation will stand the test of time; the storms that inevitably come may be ferocious, but the edifice stands. In 1974, a man started building in Sinclairville. Stone by spiritual stone, he labored for seven years preaching to the saints and ministering to the community. Soft-spoken, with a ready smile and story, he made my early pastoral ministry easier than it should have been. When he moved on in 1981, he left behind a growing and cohesive congregation and a community that trusted his Christian leadership. I walked into a winning situation; it would have taken some determined effort to mess things up. 

John Rough suffered a mini-stroke today. The word that I received is that he is resting in ICU, but expected to be moved to general care tomorrow. For 32 years, I built on the foundation he laid. The structure I built may in places be deficient, but the foundation he laid remains solid and immoveable. I owe him more than I can say. I was young and relatively inexperienced back then, but although he probably had ample reason to, he never interfered with my ministry, but was consistently supportive. Although for many years, it was a back-burner lesson, John taught me how to pass the baton. I am grateful for this man, and pray for a full and quick recovery.