The Coral Gables Times

Huge Flock Is No Bar To Spiritual Closeness

By RAYMOND LANG Times Reporter If a pastor is head of a large congregation, is it still possible for him to develop an intimacy, a sense of closeness, between himself and his church members? The Times put this question recently to the pastors of two of the largest churches we have in Coral Gables: Dr. John Hanger of the First Methodist Church (3,800 members), and Dr. T. Rupert Coleman of University Baptist Church with about 1,800 members. Both said very definitely that a pastor, even though his congregation is large, can develop a sense of closeness. "The greatest rapport comes, I think, from the informality of the preaching experience," said Dr. Hanger. "I like to draw on sermons from life's experiences. "These sermons — I'm no scholar and they're no masterpieces of literature—are filled with stories that come from my contact with people." His sermons have touched recently, he said, on frustration and depression, for example. It is this getting down to the level of the people, touching them where they feel it most, in their personal problems, that Dr. Hanger says has helped him develop a closeness with his people. Dr. Hanger said: "I generally preach to three or four people in the congregation. "My eyes cover everyone, but I concentrate on three or four people, different ones each Sunday . . . and it gives them a sense of my talking to them individually." Dr. Coleman said: "It's a matter of ways and means of communicating. "I think the closer you are to the Lord Jesus Christ, the closer we are to one another. "I seek to be," Dr. Coleman continued, "expendable in every way, as their leader, their brother, as a demonstrator of Christ. "Love is the secret of it all. "If one of my people is in trouble or in need, if I don't know it, I suffer, I'm in pain," Dr. Coleman said. Both Dr. Hanger and Dr. Coleman placed great value on visiting the individual homes of their congregation. This helps to foster a sense of closeness, they said. Both pastors singled out their church's fellowship activities. These give the preachers a chance to drink coffee and munch donuts while talking personally to his people and finding out how they are and how things are going for them. Both pastors again stressed the importance of recording each Sunday the names and addresses of visitors to the church and visiting these people at their homes to encourage them to come back again. "But," the final question was asked, "Are you as close to your congregation as you would want to be?" "Oh, no! no!" said Dr. Hanger. "I was with a church in Ft. Lauderdale for 13 years and I was never as close as I wanted to be. You never are." Dr. Coleman said emphatically "No, you never are, far from it."

DR. COLEMAN

DR. HANGER

Their Special Ways

First Methodist and University Baptist have their own special ways of developing a feeling of closeness. Each Sunday at First Methodist, everyone in the congregation, whether a long-time member or a visitor, puts his name and address on a card, once to each pew. Each card is passed from person to person in that particular pew and this enables the people to learn one another's name. University Baptist has 27 deacons, each responsible for 25 families. The deacons keep in close contact with these families. If some problem arises, the deacons, acting as liaison for the pastor, will inform him that that particular family needs his help.

Newcomers

BIRTHS AT DOCTORS' HOSPITAL MARCH 23 Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Walton, girl 3340 S. Lake Dr.; Mr. & Mrs. John Tallon, boy, 8711 SW 192nd Terr.; Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Rafield, girl, 9280 Ocean Curve; Mr. & Mrs. Alphonse Schwitalla, girl, 6260 SW 26th St. MARCH 24 Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Chislett, boy, 3331 SW 105th Ave.; Mr. & Mrs. William Hein, girl, 11941 SW 176th Terr.; Mr. & Mrs. Robert Evans, boy, 600 SW 44th Court; Mr. & Mrs. John Goodyear, boy, 3537 NW 10th Terr.; Mr. & Mrs. Judson Baker, boy, 3965 NW 169th Terr.; Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Savage, boy, 1881 So. Bayshore Dr.; Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Paterna, boy, 6029 No. Waterway Dr.; Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Derby, 10265 SW 35th St. MARCH 25 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Liskiewicz, girl, 7500 SW 100th Ave.; Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Rowland, girl, 10320 SW 12nd Terr.; Mr. & Mrs. Ignacio Fiallos, girl, 8030 SW 26th St. MARCH 26 Mr. & Mrs. Julian Arnold, girl, 8200 SW 95th St. MARCH 27 Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Tyson, boy, 1498 Sevilla. MARCH 28 Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Homan, girl, 7755 SW 120th St.; Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Brailsford, girl, 2485 SW 18th St.; Mr. & Mrs. Albert O'Haver, boy, 55 SW 76th Ave. MARCH 29 Mr. & Mrs. Calvin McBryde, boy, 237 SW 114th Ave.

New Group For Singles Is Formed

New at the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Gables is the single young adult group sponsored by the church and made up of a young non-denominational group. They meet the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month and have a social supper at 7 p.m. On next Tuesday they will have a "hoe-down" for entertainment. Mrs. T. W. Washington is sponsor. Miss Mimi Johnston 2800 Alhambra Cir., and Miss Susan Chrisman, 819 N. Greenway Drive are chairmen of the party.

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