From the Pulpit: the Rev. Janet Hopkins

Pastor Janet can't remember a time in her life when she wasn't involved in church. The Rev. Janet Hopkins with Hobbs Chapel United Methodist grew up in youth groups with ice cream socials, church picnics and swimming parties at the creek. She became a pastor more than 25 years ago and came to Hobbs Chapel seven years ago. She took a moment recently to talk about her experiences and her faith.

Were you always a member of the Methodist faith?

You ask if I was always a member of the Methodist faith, and I would have to say "yes." Oh, over my growing up year, I went to church with friends and when I was 17 I joined a church of a different faith and was a member there for four years. However, there was just something missing. So I found my way back to the church of my childhood, the church with Jesus on all the fans. Yes, those hand-held fans that all the funeral homes gave to churches as a form of advertisement. I think it was those fans that first spoke to my heart how much Jesus loved me. The one with the picture of the lost sheep and Jesus reaching down to save it? That lost sheep was me. And then the one with all the children surrounding Jesus and one little girl sitting on his lap? That little girl was me! Those fans told all the stories of a Jesus that I knew and loved, but even more important they told of a Jesus who loved and cared for me.

What drew you to serve the church in a leadership role?

When I found out that not every one knew about this awesome God of ours, I felt a calling to help others to know that they too are loved, that no matter what happens, no matter what comes their way they have a God who can turn every tragedy into a faith-building experience - learning through experiences, understanding gained through experience that no matter how bad a situation is, God can give us the courage to go on, knowing that God will be with us every step of the way.

My first area of leadership and calling, was working with the elderly. My dad's father had to be put in a nursing home, and my dad always said he wanted to die young so that he never had to be in a nursing home - keep in mind that back when my grandfather was placed in a nursing home, nursing homes were not at all what they are today. My dad passed away at the age of 42 in 1966 after a short battle with cancer. I thought how sad that someone would rather die than go to a nursing home. So one of my life's goals and passions was to change the way that people thought about nursing homes. I took classes needed to become an activity therapist, a validation therapist and later a Social Service designee. I was one of the first activity directors in Cape Girardeau County. At that time I worked at the Lutheran Home, and they saw that people needed much more than just physical care, they needed emotional and spiritual support. I organized the first ADAM association in this area (Activity Directors Association of Missouri). I became part of a speakers bureau. We went into nursing homes from Farmington to the Bootheel and set up seminars and held workshops for nursing home employees teaching the physiological and emotional aspects of aging. I was able to bring the federal and state inspectors together to set down and work with us, at that time the federal and state guidelines seemed to contradict. I sent out invitation to every nursing home in the tristate area to come to a meeting where we could explain the problems that we were experiencing with these contradictions.

Well, I could go on and on about my 29 years working in health care, I guess my main goal was that every one deserved to die with peace and dignity. After serving 19 years at the Lutheran Home in Cape, the veterans home was opening in Cape and I received a call to come work for them. It did not take long to realize that this was where God wanted me to be. I found many of these brave men who had fought for the freedoms that you and I have in this wonderful country that we live in; these men were now living with only the memories of the horror that only those who have experienced the mental devastation that war can have. The horror of shooting at the "enemy" in the dark and then hearing a baby cry all night long, knowing that your gunfire apparently had hit that babies mother and now that baby left orphaned, crying in the night, wanting to come out of your hiding place to go save that baby, yet knowing that you could not. This is just one of the many horrors of war. These are just a few of the quiet, damning thoughts that go through one's head. What does God think about me? What will I find when I get to those pearly gates? How could God forgive me? Will I be sent away because I murdered innocent people?

Yes, I was called to the veterans home and even though when I left there some years ago to go full time in the ministry to serve a church. I find that I now have the memories of all those horror stories. Some that still wake me up at night, many to horrible to ever share; however, I am working on writing a book of my 29 years in health care, so be watching for that book. Well, that is in the plans for when I retire.

What education/background/studies did you go through to become a pastor?

I first became a lay speaker, then a lay missioner, then in 2002 completed classes at Central Methodist College and was licensed. Some of my education requirements I have received by attending classes at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo., and Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. The Methodist Church has always placed importance on education, so I will continue to take classes until I die or retire, whichever comes first.

Where are you from and when did you move to Cape Girardeau?

I actually live in Burfordville, where I was born, and have never moved far from that area.

What do you think makes this church special?

I think like most churches, it is the people who worship there that make it special. Hobbs Chapel is a family-oriented church, started by the Hobbs family. And it continues to be a family-oriented church, even though there are only a few of the Hobbs family still worshipping there.

What's your favorite verse and why?

I guess I would have to say Genesis chapter 22. As a child and even as a young adult, I did not like to read the story of Abraham, because of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. I thought, OK, the writer of this book must be wrong. The God that I love and serve would never ask anyone to sacrifice their child. So I refused to even read that part or allow myself to even think such a thing. However, after I revisited the story of Abraham I realized that all God wanted was to know, and for Abraham to know, that if he would be obedient to his call in all things that he would be blessed. And when Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, Isaac, the angel of the Lord called out, 'No, Abraham, do not put that knife to your son, for now God knows that you revere God.' Wow, what a power full story of faith and trust in God.

I decided many years ago that that is what I wanted for my life: to so trust God that I can be obedient to whatever God calls me to do. With the loving support of my husband, Terry, who has always supported my call into the ministry and has always been by my side no matter where the Methodist Church has sent me to serve - Lowndes, Wesley Chapel, Old Appleton, Third Street, Hobbs - he has always been right by my side.

What program have you done with Hobbs Chapel that you are/were proud of and why?

I had been serving Third Street UMC for a number of years, when I received a call to become the pastor at Hobbs Chapel. So for a short while I served the two church, which are only 5 minutes apart. Third Street was growing and saw a need that if they wanted to continue to grow, they needed to build a fellowship hall and rest room facilities on one level. After looking into building such a building, we found that being in the City limits, there were so many regulations and codes that prevented building on that site and even building on to the church was going to be a challenge. To make a long story short, after Third Street was put on the circuit with Hobbs Chapel, it was suggested to me, by one of the members of Third Street that we close Third Street church and merge with Hobbs. At first I did not take it seriously. I was not about to ask Third Street to close their doors and join with another church; however; after two of the women who had been life long members of Third Street UMC, approached me and ask for my thoughts on merging. I said that I thought it would be wonderful, but that it would be entirely up to the two congregations. I explained the procedure they would have to go through and I called our District Superintendent?the rest is history. The two churches merged and our now one.

What events or occasions does your church have coming up? At the present time, we are taking part in Food Boxes which will be given to The Festival Of Sharing and disturbed to families in Missouri. And our Fall Bazaar which is coming up September 19th.

What's your favorite day of the week and why? I guess Sunday because once again I have a captive audience to share Gods word with. To retell the wonderful stories of Gods Love, and to take them to the cross where they can find for themselves that loving forgiveness.

What's your favorite part of being a pastor?

Gee, there are so many areas that I find gratifying. One is visiting the nursing homes. Being a part of a congregation for seven years has its advantages, yet some difficult ones. As I look out each Sunday morning at the congregation, I see some young people who were in my first confirmation class, and then we celebrated their graduation from high school, and I performed their wedding and baptized their babies. And yes, as I look out over the congregation, I see the faces of those whose loved ones I buried. I guess if there is one, one of the disadvantages of being appointed to a church for a long period is the fact that you become like family, you grow to love your people and when you lose one you feel the hurt and pain, you grieve with them.

What hobbies do you have?

Decorating. Back in 1967, I took a course at St. Louis to become an interior decorator. Decorating is my second passion. And even though I no longer do it for money, I still enjoy helping friends with decorating.

I used to crochet and still crochet prayer shawls. I love to read; at Hobbs we have a book club, which has given me the freedom to read some books that I would not have taken the time to read, and I have been blessed by these books.

What else do you do besides serve as pastor?

I am a wife, a mother of one son, John, who is married to Jackie, and they have blessed us with three wonderful grandchildren. Matthew 20, a third-year student at Rolla University, Jesse 19, works for the state and helps his grandfather here on the family farms. And then along came Abby, who celebrated her 11th birthday Aug. 1. Terry and I enjoy being grandparents. We live on a farm and in past years I worked along side my husband, raking hay, disking the ground, working with the cattle. Twenty-some years ago my husband and I started on an adventure which introduced us to a whole other world - the world of music. We went into business with Kenny Martin and Jennie Hincks. It was from that partnership that we moved from the small building located in Jackson to the present site on Highway 34. The Little Ole Opry. Terry still takes care of the campground and we rent the Opry building out, but I still enjoying singing there most every Saturday night.

And that brings me to the close of a life that has been blessed, mostly because of the story of Abraham, whose story I wanted to be my story and also to a dad who taught me that I could be anything that I wanted to be. I can still hear his words: "Don't ever let anyone tell you that you cannot do something just because you are a girl." Those words rang out to me my freshman year at Jackson High School, when I signed up for Shop and was told that Shop class was just for boys. Well, I need say no more other than I indeed took shop class that year and the following year there were other girls who signed up. No, I don't consider myself a rebel. Just a girl who was blessed to have a mom and dad who encouraged me to always follow my dreams.

When I was growing up I knew that I was called to become a preacher, and I did,

I knew I wanted to work with the elderly, to make nursing homes a place that people would look forward to going, and I did.

Do you have a prayer, psalm or verse you would like to give our readers for the day?

So I guess I would leave the readers today young and old to follow their dreams and to make Abraham's story their story, be obedient to God and your life will be blessed. Now I am not saying that your life will be nothing but a bed of roses, whew! I am not saying that at all. And for those of you who know me personally and know my life story, you know that in my 62 years here on earth, I have been down some rough and rocky roads and I can see a few rough patches ahead, but my prayer is that I can remain faithful to my calling and remain strong in my faith. Yes, looking back, I can see that my life has been blessed ... and I look forward to the future with whatever God has in store for me. Life is an adventure, a great and joyous adventure. Amen