Harmony
I’m a bit tardy arriving to Harmony. I came only because a few of you listed Home to Harmony
For those who are super-serious about ALL THINGS CHURCH, trust me: this isn’t for you. But for those who can smile at our own foibles, Philip Gulley’s stories about the Harmony Friends meeting will be quite enjoyable.
The church is Quaker, but you’ll swear he’s been sitting in on your own congregation. “The trouble with belong to a religion founded on rebellion is that the spirit of rebellion is never exhausted” — true about Quakers and Restorationists!
Sam Gardner, the novel’s pastor and narrator, wound up back in his hometown of Harmony, Indiana (named for the Bible passage that says to “live in harmony with one another”) after leaving another church for health reasons: “I was sick of them and they were sick of me.” He began praying for a new job when the pastor of harmony Friends died suddenly. With a family history of heart problems, he’d begun jogging. And that’s when he was hit by a truck right before Easter. “For a minister, that was pretty inconsiderate of him to go and get killed during Lent,” according to the president of the Friendly Women’s Circle.
Sam loves Harmony despite its imperfections. His philosophy is a good one: “There’s danger in thinking joy is a matter of location. If we can’t find joy where we are, we probably won’t find it anywhere.”
There are unforgettable characters: Dale Hinshaw, who knows “just enough Scripture to be annoying but not enough to be transformed” and is a constant pain; Bob Miles, Sr., who’s begun praying loudly about the growing liberalism of the church; Billy Bundle, the World’s Shortest Evangelist, who comes for the June revival.
The most endearing person I met in Harmony was Miriam Hodge. Here’s a description of what happened when her influence was felt by the eldership:
“We nearly ruined Miriam Hodge. We appointed her to serve as the head elder after Dale Hinshaw nominated himself to the committee. We put her in charge to offset the ‘Dale Hinshaw Effect.’ The Dale Hinshaw Effect is simply this: if there is a bad idea to be thought, Dale will think it.
“Before Miriam took charge, a typical elders’ meeting would go like this: At ten after seven the elders drive up to the meetinghouse parking lot, ten minutes late. The first one to arrive makes the coffee. They stand in the kitchen until the coffee is brewed, then set up a table in the basement and talk about basketball and the state of our country, which according to them is bad and getting worse. This takes one hour. Then they discuss matters of a confidential nature, then go home flush with accomplishment. If someone thinks of it, they close with prayer.
“Miriam Hodge arrived fifteen minutes early for our first meeting. She made the coffee. She stood at the door and greeted her fellow elders, and handed them an agenda. The others were mystified. An agenda? What was this? What’s going on here? First item: prayer. Miriam worked her way around the table, inviting each elder to identify a spiritual need in his life, then encouraging the rest of us to pray for that person.
“All the other elders are men. Men not accustomed to spiritual introspection. There was lots of ‘Umm, I’ll have to give that some thought. I was thinking we were going to talk about painting the meetinghouse.’
“Paint they can talk about. It’s personal confession that throws them for a loop.”
My favorite chapter in the book — one that strikes home like chapter-after-chapter in Jeff Berryman’s Leaving Ruin — is about Miriam and her husband, Ellis. They walk together through the fears of Miriam’s breast cancer. At the end, Sam says:
“To look at Miriam and Ellis, you wouldn’t think there was anything special about them. But love has a way of making ordinary people seem remarkable, and in that sense, Miriam and Ellis are the most fascinating people I know.”
It’s the only novel in the series I’ve read. Others will have to tell us in the comments section about the rest.
Philip Gulley is a genius at combining theological reflection, human experience, and humor. There are many nuggets of wisdom in this book. I will tell you that in the other books of the series, Gulley doesn’t write it from Sam’s perspective. He uses third person narrative and stands outside the story. Also, unlike in Home to Harmony, not all of the chapters in the other books end with some theological truth about the whole mess. They are still really good; should be read by every minister and eldership out there.
I love the Harmony novels! I’ve read almost all of them. I’ve spaced them out and only read one a year. Didn’t want to finish the series too soon.
My favorite character is Dale Hinshaw (for all the wrong reasons).
My wife read Home to Harmony aloud as we made a couple trips in the car together this summer. I’m not sure there is anything better for a couple in ministry to read together. Gulley’s portrayal of Gardner’s ability to recognize character flaws and yet still minister in a loving and self-sacrificial manner is challenging, convicting, and encouraging all at the same time. In an age in which the recognition of character flaws often leads to the abandonment of people and institutions, perhaps Gulley’s insightful exposition of Gardner’s ministry will give us courage to stick with tough situations and relationships when abandonment would be far easier.
I know Dale.
I also know Miriam. But SHE can’t be an elder. So we continue agenda-less and prayer-poor.
I love the Harmony series. It would seem that every church has the same people in them but they go by different names. I hated to see that Gulley brought the series to an end last year.
For those who’ve enjoyed the Harmony series, I would recommend Andy Andrews’ new book, Return to Sawyerton Springs. Here’s a link to the Amazon page for it: http://tinyurl.com/km6hbf
Andy Andrews has another great book that just came out a few months ago called The Noticer. Again, here’s a link: http://tinyurl.com/nko8xg
For that matter, I’d suggest going to http://www.andyandrews.com. Andy is a great storyteller and has a great story to tell.
Wow, thanks for the recommend. I’m definitely going to read that series!
Rod, I like you.
Yes, they are glorious. I, too, know Dale — don’t we all? And the president of the Women’s Circle? Don’t remember her name, but I know her, too. You will want to read the rest of them.
“In an age in which the recognition of character flaws often leads to the abandonment of people and institutions, perhaps Gulley’s insightful exposition of Gardner’s ministry will give us courage to stick with tough situations and relationships when abandonment would be far easier.”
And yet, Jesus made this so simple. He spoke of those who give a cup of cold water in His name – what He didn’t say was, those that give a cup of cold water only to those we like.
If God made all of us, it seems logical that we love all of us.
My library actually has this series, so I checked out the first two today. Looking forward to some good Labor Day reading!
Mike–Haven’t read the Harmony books, but have one to recommend–If you read only one work of fiction this year, consider “Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese. You will be captivated. Nell Sims
I thoutoughly enjoyed Harmony as well. But I have two other favorite christian fiction series. First are the mysteries by Randy Alcorn starting with Deadline. They heaven perspective have influencem me greatly! The A.D. Chronicles bu Brock and Bodie Thoene. The picture of Jesus and the first century areincredible. Both have broght me closer to the Lord.
” . . . the spirit of rebellion is never exhausted.”
D. Bonhoeffer observed that in the U.S. and called it “protestantism without reformation.”