Musings from the Ozone

Rev. & Mrs. Joseph D. Carpenter---

my sister and brother-in-law

Although words do seem unable to truly convey the deepest of emotions, one has to admit that  there aren't many ways left in which one can pour out the anguish of the soul.  Crying does ease personal pain a little, but the reader and listener have no comprehension of why the tears. unless the story is told first.

 I am on an airplane. This is a perfect time to try to tell this story, if I can; it is quiet onboard, and everyone appears to be asleep. There is no phone to distract me, so I am alone with my thoughts.

 The story goes back quite a long ways.  My father Rev. Victor L. Jordan,  took a church in Michigan when I was 13 years old.  It was a big step for my father.  Our little home missions church in Indianapolis, had been so small, and suddenly, almost overnight, I was thrust into a church of approximately 250 people!  There were so many young people and that was very exciting.   I was mostly concerned with the young people that were my age or older.  Anyone that was 12 or under was considered a child to me!

 One of the first kids I remember running around the church was a 10 year old boy.  His name was Joseph Carpenter. He was fast on his feet, and he had to be, for there was a tall, old deacon who seemed to be everywhere Joe might be!  For some reason, a memory of Joe running down the stairs into the men's room always comes to mind, and I plainly recall the deacon calling at him, "Joe, come out of there! I know you're in there!"  Joe was too fast for the old man to catch, or to keep up with.  I don't know why that man seemed to be constantly monitoring everything Joe was doing, but I suspect that Joe was just everywhere  at all times, so the deacon was probably suspicious that if a kid was always in the middle of everything, he might have been involved in  church pranks.  I proclaim innocence about any  pranks, because I don't remember Joe doing anything bad.  He just ran a lot and seemed full of energy!  ( Every generation of church kids run around the church.  Even my grandson has been good at that.)

 How soon did I find out that Joe was brilliant? I think it occurred to me that he was very smart when he began playing the trumpet. I had no idea a young man could catch on so quickly.  I was 3 years older than him, so  for the most part I had seen him as a pest, always moving and running.  Now, I realize that active, curious children are often very smart.

 It was no secret that he loved my sister the first time he laid eyes on her.  She acted almost disgusted about it, and I loved to tease her over it.  She was quite popular with the young people, and was certainly not ready for any long term friendship at 10 or 11 years of age! 

 Now Joe wasn't brought up in a preachers home, but he latched onto my father's ministry and assimilated my dad's teaching as close as any son would do.  He loved my father and my father loved him as a son.  By the time we were all in the teen years it seemed like Joe was as solid a fixture in the church as the light or front doors were.   He could be counted on to do the bidding of my father without question.  My dad didn't really like asking people to 'do' things, but with Joe it was different.   I think dad knew before any of us, even Joe himself, that Joe really  was 'preacher' material!

 I was already married when Joe finally got Vicky to consent to a date!  What persistence!  Joe had to wait  for years, pursuing  the girl of his dreams before she would even consider him as a date!  My mother told me about their dating and said that Vicky would return from a date saying, 'he's so sweet!'  My mother really liked Joe and especially, she liked the wonderful  way he treated my sister.

 Now, jump forward a few years and Joe was officially preaching.  My husband and I were pastoring the church in Adrian, Michigan.  Joe got a lot of practice, preaching at our church!  He was a true brother in law, helping out where he could.   He helped set up a washing machine for me, and did several other repairs for us.  As young couples,  we had fun too!  We stayed in our unfinished cabin one night, and Joe hung a big curtain between their bed and ours.  I think we laughed more than we slept that night.

 Joe was very close to my husband,  too. Talks, laughs, bible studies and much sharing of the ministry was the main theme. Later, my husband who was a near-pro on the golf course taught Joe to play. Then a round of golf had to be fitted in all the visits.  One of the most touching memories was when Scotty went in the hospital with what was thought to be a heart attack. I was feeling so torn and upset, waiting in the hospital hall in New York, when in walked Joe and Vicky.  The joy I felt at seeing my sister at that time was just incredible!  Joe didn't even question driving all that way out to New York, (from Michigan)  to see us.  He was just there to comfort us.  

Joe preached in every church where we pastored in the states, and the people were always impressed with his ministry.  He made friends easily, and after that,  the church members would always ask after him.   We always felt proud to put him in our pulpit, knowing that he would bless the church with encouragement, and his thoughtful insights.

 I can never think of Joe without seeing him beside my sister.  As difficult as it will be for her to go on without him, it won't be easy for us to see her without Joe somewhere near by.  They did much of their church work together. They always were together in any social scene.  He was the great planner of trips, cruises  and overseas excursions.  They were great travel companions, and anyone that went with them, always felt comfortable, knowing that Joe was never 'lost.'   One time, on a trip through NYC, I was driving a van, and Joe was seated in front beside me,  holding a huge map  in front of his face.  I teased him in saying that he would miss NYC trying to find out where he was in NYC!  He was trying to find out things, without trusting me, I guess,  because I was  pointing out things to him, all the while he continued to study the map.   We joked a lot about that sort of stuff, because I had something of the same thing in common with him.  I finally had to acquiesce to his superiority over my knowledge of the maps.  I still thought I knew my way around NYC better than he did!

  They lived a true biblical example of husband and wife before all of us.  Someone can always help my sister with some of the chores and jobs that Joe did in their relationship, but no one could ever fill that emotional and loving aspect of their relationship like he did.  He loved her superbly.  If she wasn't happy about something, he would try to arrange things to make it easier, more palatable, or if he couldn't change something, he would do what he could to make it acceptable.  The tenderness, the understanding looks at each other, the care for each other's person was something that came from the depths of their hearts and sousl.

 A general overview  of Joe's life works , works forged with love,  is not easy to express here; those thousands upon thousands of little kindnesses that he had performed for a marriage of 46 years had built up a grand memorial of love for all to see.  His devoted love and service to the district of Michigan had been observed by thousands of witnesses, and all agree that he had served faithfully, capably and masterfully.  His children are not just praising their father for his love to them, their very lives embody the spirit and training of their father!  They are knowledgeable, concerned and considerate of others, fun and pleasant to be around, and very effective in all they do.  Joe was that way, and has passed those principles on to his children.  The members from the churches where he was their pastor, cried at his funeral with a depth of sorrow that only people who lose a precious leader can understand.  They loved their pastor, and he loved them.  He cared for them, faithfully,  to the very end, and his teachings will be forever stamped on their souls.  They now hope to live a life of servitude and love for God like their pastor, Bishop Joseph D. Carpenter demonstrated to them by example.