The Small Things Make the Biggest Impressions

The person in today’s story holds a special place on the journey that my husband Jim and I have taken at Hayes Barton Baptist Church.  Having known her from working with her at the State Construction Office which is part of North Carolina State Government, Jim happily replied “we are about to” one Sunday when she said to us, “You’ve been coming here often enough.  Isn’t it about time you two joined?”  That seems to be how it happens for a lot of folks at Hayes Barton Baptist Church.  We are glad it happened for us that way and that Shirley Faulk played an important role in our journey story.

Shirley Faulk came to Hayes Barton Baptist Church as a child.  “My mother brought me here,” recalls Shirley.  “I had no choice.”  Yet, a little while later in our conversation, Shirley notes, “I had a choice to stay.  I’ve never been a member of another church and never want to be.  I love this church and all the people in it.” 

When Shirley moved nearby, she really moved nearby.  “There was a duplex apartment where the Rite Aid is today,” says Shirley. “I remember being baptized when I was ten and being a member of many different Sunday School classes through the years.  I have always, as long as I can remember, been involved in the activities of this church.”

One of the activities Shirley is involved in is what she describes as “the most fun job in the church.”  This fun job is something she’s been doing more than thirty years, and it involves what often is the happiest day in a person’s life.  The job now is being co chair of the Wedding Committee (I didn’t even know we had a wedding committee!).  Shirley, fellow co chair Cleo Edwards, and several others are responsible for directing the weddings that take place at Hayes Barton Baptist Church.

Shirley has many wedding tales to tell given her years of involvement.  “All the brides and grooms have shown up,” she laughs.  “And,” she laughs again, “most of the time they seem happy.”  Most of the weddings are pretty traditional, shares Shirley, but there have been some unusual situations.  One time, a bride added a bridesmaid on the day of the wedding, and Shirley had to pull together a bouquet from the other bridesmaids’ flowers for the added participant.  Another time, a bride who was a professional singer, actually sang at her own wedding.

“Bottom line,” says Shirley, “we get them up and down the aisle.”

And that is kind of typical Shirley.  Between the laughter and the “bottom line,” there is a person who cares about people.  Whether she’s helping a bride and groom at a wedding rehearsal, inviting people to join the church, or sending out messages to keep the Koinonia Class informed about prayer concerns, Shirley cares. 

And she often cares the most about the little things.  “It is really important that we pay attention to the small things around here,” says Shirley.  “They are what can make the biggest impression on people.”

One of the small things, or maybe not so small things, that Shirley cares about is that Hayes Barton Baptist Church offers an evening Bible study.  Shirley worked with others to make that happen.  A year ago the first class of “Study, Pray, Serve” was held, and its third study is now going strong.  “We have a wonderful time together,” Shirley says of the thirty folks who are meeting on Monday evenings to study the Gospel of Mark.

Shirley says she hopes that, with the activities she’s been involved with at Hayes Barton Baptist Church, she’s “played a small part” in its heritage.  “I am so grateful for all of those people who came before me,” shares Shirley.  “They were grounded, traditional, spiritual.  I’m glad they had the foresight to make the decisions they made.  I see hope because of them.  I hope we continue as we started as we have so much to offer.  I want our missions to grow.  I want our church to go on and on.”

Hayes Barton Baptist Church is certainly Shirley’s church home.  “I don’t want to be anywhere else,” she says.  I suspect hundreds of brides and grooms, and mothers of brides and grooms, too, are glad that Shirley isn’t anywhere else.  I know Jim and I are glad she isn’t anywhere else.  The smallest things can make the biggest impressions.  “Isn’t it time you two joined?”  That made a big impression on us.