Unexpected but Extraordinary

Blog post by
Rev. Ellen Gurnon
First Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

It was the winter of 2019-2020 when First Presbyterian Church in downtown Cape Girardeau opened a late-afternoon warming center for the area’s unsheltered neighbors. On our “opening day,” we had three women – all in their 60’s or 70’s – who had volunteered to provide hospitality. A friendly welcome, offering coffee and a snack, directing them to the restroom – all this came naturally to these women. But they had little to no experience with homeless people and felt a bit of anxiety about what to expect.

In came David, who looked as you would expect him to look. Bundled up in layers of worn clothing, a scraggly beard, and a few missing teeth. But he was as friendly as he could be and eager for some hot coffee and a comfortable place to sit. When David saw a table across the room with several boxes of puzzles, he was excited and got right to work. Soon one of the volunteers was helping him, and they were talking and laughing like old friends.

David was a regular at our warming center that winter. He had gotten to know a handful of people from the church by name. He could often be seen peddling his bicycle around town and could always be counted on to share a warm greeting, a brief visit, and his signature parting words: “have a nice day.”

Fast forward to December of 2020. There are no warming centers open in town due to COVID-19. Even the library, the Salvation Army, and the coffee shops were closed. But David discovered that when the church office was open, the coffee was hot and fresh. He began to stop by a couple of times a day for a cup. Before long, Jonathan, our Office Manager, was inviting him in to sit down and rest, and church members were taking his bike for repairs.

Eventually, David was making the coffee himself and spending most of the day in the workroom adjacent to the office. He had an old laptop that he spent hours on, creating and uploading YouTube videos about the Mississippi River, historical places, and his favorite band, KISS.

Since Palm Sunday, when we came back to our sanctuary for worship, David has joined us. First, he fills a coffee cup, of course, and then he joins in a conversation, having become a familiar face for many. He recently told me that even though he still attends other churches on occasion, First Presbyterian is his church family. Just last week, he heard me make an announcement that volunteers were needed to help run the computer for our live-streamed worship services. He thought to himself, “I can do that!” and he even wrote a reminder on his bulletin about it. He stayed an extra hour that day to be trained for the job, and he’s so excited!

David, the homeless guy, became our neighbor and then our friend and now a faithful servant of God! I know he is grateful, and we are grateful to have him among us. It’s amazing what a hot cup of coffee can do!

Blog post by
Rev. Ellen Gurnon
First Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian
Cape Girardeau, Missouri