The day started with a tour round Mooresville by a couple of church members who are local historians. They had been on holiday when we arrived otherwise they would have done this during our first week. So although by now I knew some of the information they passed on, equally I learned a lot.
For example they took me round the whole perimeter of what had been a cotton mill and is now a large furniture outlet store. In fact the furniture store, which is big, was only part of the site. So I realised how big a factory it had been and how big an employer. In fact if the NASCAR teams hadn’t moved into the area and (more recently) the headquarters of Lowes DIY stores then my hosts said Mooresville would have been a ghost town. As it is, it is doing well.
They kindly took me to lunch at a Barbecue Restaurant called Lancaster’s and this was great. Inside it is a shrine to NASCAR with body panels, racing overalls and posters adorning the walls. And in the middle is a school bus which people can sit in to eat. Food was good though my turkey sandwich (which I thought would be a healthy option) came filled with melted cheese! (I should have read the small print.) A fun place all the same.
Back at the church I had one of those phone calls all ministers dread – the call for someone trying to get money. This person claimed her electricity was about to be cut off if she didn’t pay $250. She said she’d tried other places but with no joy. How is one to react? With sympathy? With scepticism? With an open wallet?
Having checked with colleagues, the stance of Fair View is not to give money but to point them in the direction of the Christian Mission which Fair View supports. When I spoke to the woman once more she claimed to have tried this and been refused.
As the guilt was kicking in I got a phone call from my cousin Tom from Ohio. We had a good catch up and have arranged to meet in Washington DC which will be great. It’s been about 10 years since we last saw each other.
Tom’s call meant I was a little late for my appointment with Mooresville’s Chief of Police. He graciously took me round the station and introduced me to a good number of officers and detectives. All very friendly and a good number who could see the value of chaplaincy. One officer chatted to me then disappeared before returning with a Mooresville police patch which I was thrilled with. (The chief also gave me a special coin with the Mooresville Police crest on it.) And I was invited to come in for a ride along, which I will do.
Just as the chief was about to show me out, he was asked to come and meet some officers from neighbouring police forces who were undertaking a joint operation. One of the officers was a US Marshall which I found really impressive. He looked nothing like Rooster Cockburn.
Then finally Kingdom Rocks VBS. More of which later in the week.
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