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| The William & Helen Hudspeth Legacy: Daughter- Georgina Zeuner, Great-Grandson-Jonathan Clemens, Grandson-Nels Dale, Daughter-Judy Dale, Granddaughter-Laura Clemens, Son-in-Law-Larry Dale |
You have to be a little bit
of everything to be a minister. The qualities, character, personality,
ambition, compassion, empathy, sympathy, and presence required for the position
can be daunting and at times, near impossible to fulfill under ordinary human
skills or talents. It is a sad truth
today that many who graduate from seminary studies are often no longer serving
as pastors just five years later.
Bill Hudspeth had everything
needed to be a pastor, a messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a presence of
faithfulness, a deliverer of compassion, empathy, sympathy and presence. Of
course there were times of trials, toils, and troubles, but these were also
opportunities to draw closer to God, to seek guidance, to pray and to receive.
God would have been
disappointed in Bill Hudspeth, Chemist.
For that was what he was
thinking of doing when he was about to finish high school. Away from the
chicken hatchery of his parents, away from Bridgeport, Illinois, and a few
years of college, then professional work experience in some corporation
laboratory.
His high school church pastor
saw something more than a Chemist’s life in Bill Hudspeth. A Minister of the
Gospel, handling congregation members rather than chemist tools and substances.
The ability to remember formulas could just as well be used in the ability to
memorize and preach scripture.
Bill wasn’t too sure about
this alternate route his high school pastor was proposing.Then a near-brush with death and a Grandmother's earnest prayers that if God would save her grandson, she would see to it that he became a minister.
Recovering from this experience, Bill had no choice but consider ministry as his vocation. And the more he was talking it, praying and reading scripture for guidance
and answers, the more appealing it became. And soon Bill Hudspeth was walking
around the campus of Cincinnati Bible College and pursuing his degree of Bachelor
of Arts.
There was also another
pursuit. A pursuit of love. Helen May Bushey, a co-ed attendee of Cincinnati
Bible College. They married soon, and the start of their shared life as husband
and wife also had the expectations and duties of Pastor and Pastor’s wife.
And I’m not sure we can
completely list everywhere that Rev. & Mrs. Hudspeth went in their pastoral
duties. Of course, at the time, Bill was what those who are familiar with the
various divisions of the Stone/Campbell movement would call an “independent”
minister. These were congregations who rarely contributed to what was a unified
effort to support missionaries and work of the church greater than local
congregations, the United Christian Missionary Society. Indiana and Southern
Illinois churches became places of residence, often literally living in
church-provided parsonages as Georgina and a little later Judy was added to the
family.
But there was something about
the “independent” movement that started to bother Bill and his ministry. There
was little, if any, accountability for ministerial misconduct, which he soon
discovered was more common and kept quiet than he felt it should be. Reaching
out to what was then state secretaries among churches who cooperated with the
United Christian Missionary Society, Bill was persuaded to change his status
from “independent” to a member of the clergy for the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ).
About the time the
International Assemblies of the Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) were
discussing formerly becoming a denomination, rather than a brotherhood, the
Hudspeths moved to Bement. Bill has a distinct honor in the history of the
Bement Christian Church: he served two different times as its minister, much
like Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms as President of the United States.
By the time they returned
again to Bement, Bill had been serving as minister to congregations for over
thirty years, and approaching retirement. They also had a new chapter in
parenting; as foster parents.
As he was always fond of
telling stories, it may be best to share one of his favorites; my family coming
to this church. Georgia Mulvaney had befriended a young mother who was married
with two sons under 10, and invited them to come and see where she and her
husband went to church. She thought if they did come to the church it would be
good if he would stop by and visit them after they visited.
I was 8 or 9. Nathan was 6 or
7. But we went one Sunday, and probably Sunday afternoon, Rev. Bill and Helen
Hudspeth came visiting. Helen was my first Sunday School teacher. He was my
first youth group leader and pastor. Saturday afternoons at the parsonage,
about 2 pm, hanging out in the basement and making willow tree flutes, or
bullet casing knives. Overstuffing their
little Chevette automobile for a nature walk in Allerton Park. Meeting in his
office, with the lamp made from an electric meter than spun as it was turned
on.
And on August 26, 1985, with
Ward Dare as Elder, accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and being
baptized, along with the rest of my family.
And in 1987, Rev. Bill
Hudspeth retired as minister of Bement Christian Church.
But that was not the end of
his or Helen’s ministry. He did pulpit supply, driving to Humbolt in that same
Chevette for a few more years. And
didn’t stop serving churches in need until he could no longer drive.
They settled into their
retirement home near the water tower for a few years, and I still have stamps
he gave us for helping with the move, including those interesting typewriters
that he could talk about whenever someone asked about them.
Ever the journalist, he
continued typewriting a newsletter, even when they moved from their home into a
nursing home. I recognize that my articles bear a strong resemblance to the
interesting subjects my first pastor would often write about in the Bement Christian
newsletter.
My life, like his, moved from
Bement to the city of Decatur. And occasionally I would meet them at events and
activities, and often he would ask what I was planning to do after college.
Ministry was the furthest
thing from my mind, but it kept pursuing me.
But when Bill heard I was
finally going to accept the “call,” he was delighted.
And started calling me “his
Timothy.”
Just about three years ago,
Georgina or Judy, or both, or one, tracked me down and talked about me visiting
their parents regularly, and how much Dad would enjoy catching up with me and
talking.
And so began my journey of
“Fridays with Bill.” Mitch Albom had his Tuesdays with Morrie, talking about
life and its meaning.
He would ask what I was
preaching. Then often quote the passage from memory.
He would keep the details of
my young family straight and remember them.
He would ask about my mother,
my brother, and all their happenings.
And he would remember where
we left off from our previous meeting.
At 95 years old…
But he would always ask the
same question, “Jason, do you have your Timothy?”
Now those unfamiliar with
this “Timothy” thing, it’s the Bible reference of the Apostle Paul giving
advice to a young follower by the name of Timothy. Often churches recognize
members who have entered ministry as their “Timothy.”
Bill said I was his Timothy,
and that he was his High School minister’s Timothy, who was the Timothy of the
minister who baptized him, who was a Timothy of a minister…
An unbroken chain of Elders passing
the faith to their students, Ministers to congregation members.
Except Bill remembered each
name better than I can.
But I will always remember
that I am one of several people whose lives are better, whose faith was
developed and strengthened, who saw integrity, honesty, trustworthiness
expressed in the actions, prayers, and spoken or written words of this servant
of God.
I am Bill Hudspeth’s Timothy.
And many will be blessed because of his testimony of faith.
And our lives are richer
because we were able to be part of one or many of his 35, 626 days he lived and
moved, breathed and prayed, spoke and prepared to share the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Let us continue the work,
treasure the days, and hold fast to the faith as Bill Hudspeth has now joined
that great cloud of witnesses. Thanks be to God.
