Carol’s Comments

“I Don’t Do Fish”

Matthew 4:18-20  as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed.

Matthew 28: 18-20 Go therefore and make disciple of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

One day back in 2002 Bob, Paul, and I went to Brookville Lake to go fishing.  It was the first time we had been in a State Park since we had moved to Indiana.  We like to fish, so we each purchased a fishing license and headed to the lake.  It was a beautiful day.  Having no boat we fished from the shore.  Not having much success in one fishing hole we moved to other spots to try our luck there.  We started getting nibbles, and though most were not big enough for “keepers,” it still was fun and relaxing.  I can take Blue Gill and smaller fish off the hook.  And, I can even bait my hook with worms and minnows.  But…I don’t take off Catfish or anything of size.  Bob knows that thirty-eight years of marriage hasn’t changed that.  At the end of the day, we gathered up our “catch” and headed home.  Though we threw back a lot, we did have ten “keepers.”  Bob always gets to “clean” the fish, because I DON’T DO FISH.  Cleaning fish is something else I have not done in thirty-eight years.

          I wonder if many of us in our churches have an unspoken rule, “I don’t do fish” meaning we come to church and sit in worship; we come to church events; we come to church dinners and perhaps some church meetings even serving on some committees and teaching Sunday School, but we don’t think about fishing for “men” or rather “people.”  It seems to be asking too much of us to be “fishers of men.”  It’s out of our comfort zone just as taking off bigger wiggly fish or cleaning fish is to me.  And…somehow we tend to think the “fish’ should come to us, or the pastor “should” do it.  What is the Great Commission really about in Matthew 28?  Isn’t it about going and making more disciples everywhere even if it’s only across the street…and about baptizing them and teaching them?  Does discipleship mean we won’t need to get out of our comfort zone and trust the One who says, “Come follow me?” and “I am with you always, to the end of the age?”

          Fishermen know that fish don’t just come to you.  You go where the fish are.  So…if you happen to see me cleaning fish, you will know that though it is out of my comfort zone, I can do fish after all.  How about you?

                                                                                      In Christ, for Christ,

                                                                                      Pastor Carol M. Pfeiffer

Pastor Carol M. Pfeiffer grew up in the rolling hill country of Hocking County, Ohio.  After graduating from Otterbein College with a B.S. degree in Education, she taught elementary school for six years.  Stopping to rear their four sons, she later returned to teaching as a substitute teacher in the public school system, and also taught in a private Christian school for two years.  Sensing God’s call to ministry, she attended Bethany Theological Seminary where she graduated in June 1996, with a Master in Divinity degree. Pastor Pfeiffer was ordained in 1997 at Salem Church of the Brethren, Englewood, Ohio, and her home congregation.  She has served as interim pastor in Southern Ohio District at Beavercreek Church of the Brethren and New Covenant Church of the Brethren.  She also served Peace Church of the Brethren in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as well as doing pulpit supply.  Her first full-time pastorate was at English River Church of the Brethren in South English, Iowa.  She comes to North Liberty after serving six years as pastor at Nettle Creek Church of the Brethren, Hagerstown, Indiana.  Her spouse, Robert A. Pfeiffer, is also an ordained pastor.   They have been married 36 years and have four grown sons, Mark, Andrew, Philip, and Paul. Bob and Carol have one daughter-in-law, Gloria, who is Andrew’s spouse.  Pastor Pfeiffer serves and shares the love of Christ with the people of North Liberty Church of the Brethren, the town community, the larger church body, and everyone she meets.

"The most curative thought in the world is the thought of love." Ruth Stafford Peale

• Happy Moments - Praise God
• Difficult Moments - Seek God
• Quiet Moments - Worship God
• Painful Moments - Trust God
• Every Moment - Thank God