"Muzzy Star"

One of the reasons for the existence of this blog is to celebrate the 85 years of ministry, missions, and members of Hayes Barton Baptist Church.  In that phrasing, “members” truly refers to any one of us who is part of this church. Each one of us, whether old or young, long-standing member or new, male or female, has a story to share.  Each one of us, including you, is “blog worthy.”

Some folks have said to me over the last week that they don’t have “much of a story” to share or aren’t a “star” that shines brightly enough to be included in the blog.  My contention is that each of us is a child of God, intended by Him to shine brightly for Him so that others may come to know Him. Through the 85 stories, we want everyone to get to know each other’s stories as our stories, especially the stories of our faith journeys, represent the lifeblood of our church. 

To that end, I turn my attention today to one of the people who is willing to share her story, much like she is willing to share of her time and many talents.  If I write that the story is about “Muzzy,” many of you will know to whom I am referring.  The rest of you will come to know.

Barb Dunn had Christian parents and grew up in the church.  “I still have my cradle roll certificate,” she laughs.  As happens with many of us, life seems to get in the way of attending church at various times in our lives, and so too this happened with Barb.  Yet, not attending church “was driving me crazy,” she says, and so she was open to hearing the knock at her door.

After moving into a new neighborhood in Raleigh, she was invited by Dr. Dan Brown and his wife Barbara to attend Hayes Barton Baptist Church, and specifically to attend the Danielson Class.  The year was 1976, and she and her family joined shortly thereafter.  

The mother of three immediately got involved in many church activities, from Bible studies to mission action circles.  She was “going all out,” but then her husband George was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.  Volunteer work she was doing for the Christian nonprofit Camp Oak Hill became employment that she maintained for eighteen years, until retirement in 2001.  George passed away in 1988, and, for a time, Barb attended another church.  In the mid 1990s, she returned to Hayes Barton Baptist Church and “joined for the second time,” as she puts it.

Barb didn’t just rejoin, though.  Particularly after she retired from Camp Oak Hill, she became “reactivated” in church.  When talking with her, I had difficulty writing down all the activities she serves in:  the Craft Circle; Kitchen Committee; Reception Committee; Breakfast Fellowship Group; Prayer Shawl Ministry; Martha Ministry; Family Night dinner; substitute Sunday School teacher for first graders; and, for the first time this year, chair of the Kidz Stuff Hospitality Committee.

Barb rattles off these activities without bragging, but with enthusiasm.  “I am an armor bearer,” she says.  “If I could come to church everyday to help, I would.  It is very fulfilling.”

Barb’s “take” on Hayes Barton Baptist Church’s heritage focuses on people.  “Heritage is about people like Henry Bridges and Hollis Fuller.  It is about Dr. and Mrs. Cashwell.  From the get go, you were welcomed like you were their long lost child,” recalls Barb.  “Mrs. Cashwell still treats me that way.”

Our conversation about hope turns to “keeping the young families that we have.  And,” Barb adds, “doing everything we can to keep the members we have so that they become servants.”  Barb references the recent Leadership Summit which was cosponsored by Hayes Barton Baptist and Hayes Barton Methodist churches.  “I think that more good things are going to happen in this church because of it,” she says.

In a déjà vous way, the home that Hayes Barton Baptist Church is for Barb is reflected in the fact that she is teased by coworkers at the funeral home where she works part time about how often she invites new people she meets to come to Hayes Barton Baptist Church.  “I say to them, ‘do you attend a church? Do you want to come to my church?’” much like Dr. and Mrs. Brown probably said to her back in 1976.

No story about Barb would be complete without mentioning her love of cooking and how good she is at it.  When meeting for our conversation, she began by telling me she had cooked all afternoon for one of the girls she “sits for.”  The girl had requested “Muzzy green beans” (“Muzzy” is Barb’s nickname.) and all kinds of country cooking for her birthday dinner, something Barb makes every year for this girl and her siblings. 

Although the girl asked for a lot, she apparently doesn’t know about Barb’s famous chicken pie as it wasn’t something she requested.  Evidently, a lot of people do know about it, though, and do ask for it.  One mention of it from the pulpit by Dr. Hailey brought a phone request from someone watching the televised service.  “The person wanted a chicken pie and even wanted delivery all the way to Fuquay-Varina,” Barb laughs, “but I don’t deliver.”

That is about the only thing Barb doesn’t do.  She serves Hayes Barton Baptist Church in so many ways.  She is one of those members who is like an unnamed star in the sky.  She shines brightly through her many acts of service.  She bares her armor and serves behind the scenes.  If she were a star in the sky and we could name her, we might name her “Muzzy Star.”  “Muzzy Star” shines brightly for God as she serves Him and Hayes Barton Baptist Church.