Wild West

We visited the historic wild west town of Tombstone last week. After learning about gunfights, mining feuds, and brave settlers, some things surprised me. A walk through Boot Hill exposed deadly rage, violence, pandemic disease, drug abuse and suicide - the same terrible evils we fight today. The 1880s in Southern Arizona were dangerous. Yet, ministers came and started churches. One young minister only had a six month assignment in Tombstone. He and the townspeople built a church; he made countless home visits, started Sunday School and choir, created a baseball league for the miners and ladies’ small groups. He built community spirit through the Holy Spirit in a wild and dangerous place. Like our pastors, like us, Endicott Peabody tried to live God’s way as told in Micah 6. “O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Walking humbly with you in the not-so-wild west, Tracy