By Peggy Welker

 

A Reflection:

 

The wise inherit honor.  Proverbs 3:35

 

God always has a redemptive plan. As long as the Holy Spirit is here, there is always a redemptive plan of help and of hope. God, what are you trying to say to us in the midst of pain in our families, in ourselves and sometimes in our church body?

 

In our series of articles this month, we reflect on the many facets of being a family and receiving support from our church family. This conversation helped me realize just how much Mrs. Vesta Greene understands nearly every family situation that comes through GraceKids doors and is ready to love them with intention.

 

The Interview: (Note: My questions are in italics)

 

Momma Vesta, I have known you for over five years. My first introduction to you was during the summer of 2020, when our world seemed to be losing its collective mind whether it was about George Floyd or the Covid pandemic. What I remember most is that you were so wise, so stable and that’s when I first noticed you.

 

Actually, I had been attending Grace for 4 years at that point. And it’s been 11 years total now,  9 years as a member. Yes, I remember those days in 2020 and 2021. I try to stay focused, especially then but also now, on every person that comes through GraceKids and engage with them. I know it takes a lot of hands to make this work seem light – it takes a lot to keep Grace running – and I want to always be in a posture of appreciating that about our church.

 

How did you end up as the Children’s Pastor?

 

I was working here by that time, first as the Children’s Coordinator, then as the Children’s Director. I was approached by Leadership, and honestly, I was not seeking the role, and felt very hesitant in accepting it. I understood the weight that position carried. At that time, I wasn’t sure if I was truly called or worthy of such a position. Things like that I take extremely seriously. You are dealing with GOD’s people, and I do not take that lightly. But the pastoral leadership said they saw my heart, my engagement and my consistency. So, I prayed; and when I heard God say this was His Purposes for this season of my life, I accepted it. But I am clear: my heart is for the people – that they are seen, they are shown love, and they know they are accepted. The skills it took to be a Coordinator and Director were easy, but serving in this lane was extremely fulfilling in ways I could not imagine.

 

 

So, in a way, you become the main connection with such a variety of families as they pass through GraceKids. And the families that bring their kids to GraceKids – you can see it, can’t you? The single parents, the frazzled parents, the kids who maybe haven’t had a meal today. With only six percent of self-professed Christians holding a biblical worldview and the divorce rates of churchgoers and nonchurchgoers being nearly the same, you see it all.

 

I come from a place of understanding. My husband and I have four children, two biological and two are adopted from close relatives. I relinquished my job at Washington University with just four years until retirement because my babies needed me, and it was a joy for me to parent and nurture them. I have briefly homeschooled our children. I have been the PTO parent and Room Mom. We have prayed each night for our children and now for our grandchildren. With my military background, we ran a disciplined household, but one full of love and board games after dinner and movie nights. We have dealt with family conflicts as we established strong boundaries for the emotional health of our family and have seen the fallout that resulted. I have known the pain of loss and the pain of disappointment. These are just pieces of who I am, and I know God has walked with us through it all. And so, when a family that looks frustrated and overwhelmed arrives – I understand. I want them to be seen, loved and accepted.

 

Momma Vesta, I can see the love (and the tears) in your eyes. You are thinking of specific families coming into your area on Sundays. I can see how you nurture GraceKids to be a place to redeem the difficulties of the difficulties they’ve had all week. Do you (GraceKids) try to get families engaged beyond GraceKids weekends?

 

Well, to be honest, families are not engaged much beyond GraceKids. But I understand – we are a metropolitan church so Game Night and other events are difficult to get here for. They have school activities and outside sports and other community events pulling at their attention. We offer some of those nights, but families just can’t make it. That’s okay – it’s good for families that can attend. They always have a good time.

 

Changing direction a little bit, how do you support your GraceKids families, children and volunteers spiritually? And what do your prayers for your kids and your grandkids look like?

 

We come together to pray as a team. When someone shares an area of need or concern with me – whether it’s a GraceKids parent or grandparent, a child or a volunteer – I want to pray for them right then. Before every service, we come together to pray. And then I want to love on them just a little bit more by calling or texting them to follow up. It’s important for them to know that they are not forgotten.

For my kids, I pray according to their specific needs and the skills that God has given them. For my sons, I pray for their spouses or their girlfriends, whatever the situation. I pray for their role as a father and spouse. If they have children by a previous marriage, I pray for that momma and the relationship between my sons and that momma. When I see something that needs attention, I just talk to God about it. I might say, “God, you see what’s going on here and that ain’t right. I put it in Your hands, Father. You have your way with them.” For my daughter, I pray for wisdom for God to lead her and her husband, for their hearts to continue to stay close to the fire of God.

For my grandbabies, I pray for God’s insight and wisdom. I pray that they are a light to someone at their school. As they grow into pre-teen and teenagers, I pray that our relationship stays open and honest because Grandmas don’t stay cool at that age. I pray that they walk in the way that the Lord created them to be, which is the perfect way because it’s His way for them. And I pray for them to have the strength to say NO when that time comes.

It’s important for me and my family and my babies to be strong in the Lord and know Whose they are. But it’s also important for the Church family too. We need strong, confident, young, adult women and men within Grace to be ready to walk alongside these teenage girls and boys to disciple them. Our prayer is to have healthy families and a healthy church from infancy to adulthood.