Mystic, CT was our first stop along a seaport in New England. For you older folk, we saw Mystic Pizza, which was the movie that brought Julia Roberts to fame in the mid to late 1980’s. While walking in Mystic, we talked with a couple from the Christian Motorcycle Assoc. After several minutes I told them I was a pastor. The woman said that they were going to a church with about 15 people now, but they used to go to a very large church and their preacher would never be seen in the clothes I had on. I’ll admit, the shorts were burgundy. She didn’t mean the color, though. She meant shorts in general. She said he always wore a suit in public. I am on vacation, but I do wear them at home in public. I have all kinds of “You’re a preacher????” stories.
I usually don’t tell strangers I’m a pastor. We didn’t mention it in church last week in Warwick, RI. I probably won’t tell them at the UMC we’re going to today. Unless it appears to be a well dressed, uptight crowd. Then I’ll probably tell them just to make them gasp at my informal attire. People who dress like me need to be welcome in every church, not just the church I pastor.
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