Friday, February 7, 1997
A tale of two signs and two churches
By KEN ELLSWORTH / Senior Staff Writer
ALBANY - - Folks in this town deny they are in the midst of
a dangerous theological debate.
Instead, they are chuckling, or say they are. I am wary, however,
for people have been grievously injured and worse over theological
differences.
The question open for debate in Albany, which, in fairness,
they say is not a debate at all, is apparently this: Is God electricity,
or is He the conductor?
This question, whatever its meaning, was brought to my attention
by a <I>Reporter-News<I> photographer who had driven
through Albany earlier this week. As he passed Friendship Baptist
Church he noticed a sign posted prominently at the front of the
church.
"God is electricity; we are conductors," the sign
said.
The photographer drove a few more blocks. When he came to the
Church of Christ he noticed that its posted message stood out
in stark contrast to the Baptist message.
"Man is the symphony; God is the conductor," said
the Church of Christ's prominent sign.
So, Albany Friendship Baptists say God is electricity. Church
of Christ members, though, beg to differ. They say conductor.
Of secondary concern, of course, is whether people are symphonies
or conductors.
Alarmed over this powder keg of religious sentiment in Albany,
Thursday I called Darlene Davis, who I was told was the Friendship
Baptist Church secretary. I found her at home.
Davis laughed. She said she was not the secretary at all, but
just "bossy," and by virtue of being bossy she got to
run things. I asked her, just to be sure, exactly what the Baptist
sign said, but her theological fervor was not what I expected.
"To tell you the truth I can't remember for sure,"
Davis said, laughing again. "I'm always getting it wrong.
I'm keep thinking it says people are the electricity, but that
doesn't seem right. I'm sure it must say God is electricity because
that makes more sense. I'll have to make a phone call and then
I can tell you exactly."
While she placed the call, I placed an urgent call to the Church
of Christ. Brother Brian Cope answered the phone. I mentioned
his church's message and what it said.
"No it doesn't," he said. "I don't think so."
But he agreed to put me on hold and went outside to check.
"You're right," he said when he returned. He acted
surprised. "It says, 'Man is the symphony; God is the conductor.'
"
Fearing the worst, I asked him about his church's competition
with the Baptists and the ongoing controversy.
"There isn't any, not as far as we're concerned,"
Cope said and chuckled. He said the signs were coincidence. I
thought he was going to go ahead and tell me that some of his
friends were Baptists, but then he changed the subject and said
how popular his church's signs were and that the message was changed
every week.
"It's amazing the reaction the signs get. I've had a call
from El Paso from a trucker who passed through. 'I just had to
stop and call you. I always enjoy seeing that sign,' he said."
Later, Davis, of the Friendship Baptists, called back. She
confirmed that her church's message said, "God is electricity."
I asked her about competition with the Church of Christ.
"Oh," she laughed. "I don't think they think
about what the other church's sign is going to say when we put
ours up."
So, nobody will admit there are alarming theologically based
problems in Albany. They are staying tight-lipped. Soon, I expect,
somebody will call and say they whole thing has been blown out
of proportion by the irresponsible press.
Now, with regard to the interesting secondary question. Are
people symphonies or conductors? The Church of Christ in Albany
boldly declares we are symphonies, the Friendship Baptists in
brazen opposition say we are conductors ... .
Editors note: This columnist was just struck by lightning,
but is expected to be OK in time to write Sunday's column.
This column covers the cities and communities of this part
of West Texas. To contact Ken Ellsworth, call (800) 588-6397 or
(915) 673-4271, Ext. 381, or write to P.O. Box 30, Abilene, TX
79604.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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