John Banks
Yesterday, I found out that John Banks had died.My earliest memories of "church" were the worship services at the College Church of Christ in the late '60's. When you're only five or six, you don't really know what's going on at church. There is singing and praying, somebody gets up and talks for a very long time, occasionally you get to lay on Mom's lap and snooze or just stare up at the far-off, vaulted ceiling. Then, it's off to class where you would hear stories that sounded like fairy tales and, in my day, watch little paper people move about on flannel boards.
Weird stuff.
I always liked the singing. Mansel Willet and Lee Smith would lead us and I always hoped they would tell us to turn our song books to #13 because I liked "Anywhere With Jesus." Still do.
(A few Sundays ago, the computer wasn't working and Lee directed us to the songs in our songbooks. It was very old school and very cool. I was disappointed that #13 wasn't on the morning menu. I still love to watch and sing with Lee.)
But, for some reason, even at an age when I didn't understand hardly anything he was saying, I loved the preacher. He was funny...I knew this because he made people laugh. He was smart...I knew this because I heard people say so. And he was kind...I knew this because he was so with me.
My mom reminded me yesterday that John would always...always...stop me at the outer doors of the auditorium after services and encourage me to keep studying the Word. I was an early reader, mostly because my sister was two years older and I sat on the couch with her and Mom as they worked through her readers. I was making words out pretty well when I was 4, and actually comprehending quite a bit at 5 and 6. I'm sure John knew this and it was he who truly started me on the road to reading and thinking about what the Bible said. My parents, especially my Dad, fostered this in me, but John Banks started it.
And his wife, Bernice. Ohhhhhh, Bernice. Okay, I kinda loved her when I was a kid. I know she loved me too, but I mean I loved her as in, as the kids would say, "looooooooved her." She was an early teacher of mine and I will never forget her hugs.
John and Bernice Banks helped get the College Church off the ground. John gave me my first insight into what a preacher is and the mental definition is as true to me today as it was when I was six. He was a student and a speaker of the Word of God. He was a leader and an inspiration to all ages. He was a good, good man. I'm so glad he's home. I can't wait to see him.
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:30 AM
5 Comments:
I'm sure that there are many on this earth who are saddened that Bro. Banks has passed...but heaven must be rejoicing. I'm sure your Dad has been waiting what seems to us a long time to see him again.
It seems that all of us had a favorite preacher from our youth years. But my fondest memory was of my grandpa, when he thumped a tuning fork on his head, and he lead the singing with "Walking Alone At Eve". It's still one of my favorites. I'm sure that when he was alone, he'd take out his fiddle and play a lot of church songs on it! I've got his "fiddle".
I'm glad you had John in your life.
Heaven will be such a wonderful family reunion, won't it?
Mom just informed me on Monday evening. Thanks for honoring him…
Thanks for the words and the example.
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