Uncle Doug’s Sheep Station

Second in a series of articles by recently appointed elders discussing their path to the eldership.
     During my childhood in Australia, my family regularly attended services and Sunday School at the local Methodist church. My dad even served as a trustee for a while, though as a kid, I had no clue what that job actually involved! Or if it related at all to being an elder.
     After I was baptized, I didn't really have examples of church elders to look up to. Over time, as we worked toward establishing an eldership in our congregation, I began teaching a series of classes on the topic and invited visiting speakers to share their own insights whenever possible.
     That learning process was important for my understanding of the eldership. However, my very first look at what it means to be a shepherd came from my Uncle Doug. He ran a sheep station back home, and I used to spend weeks of my school holidays out on his property. Watching him care for those sheep left a lasting impression on me.
     I still remember him rounding them up for treatment so they'd stay healthy and safe from injury. Once, he waded right into a mud hole to pull out a stuck sheep, brought it back home, cleaned it up, and gently rubbed its legs until the circulation returned. Another time, while driving across the property, I spotted a sheep lying on the ground and ran to alert Uncle Doug—he raced back immediately to get the animal safely on its feet.
     When it was time to load the sheep onto trucks, he didn't hesitate to jump right into the middle of the “mob,” grab a struggling sheep, and even give it mouth-to-nose resuscitation! And during droughts, we had to keep diesel engines running non-stop to pump underground water into the troughs, which meant making refueling trips at all hours of the day and night. I actually got assigned the 3:00 A.M. shift when I was visiting!
     Looking back, even before I became an adult Christian, those moments with my uncle showed me a good deal of what shepherding is about: genuine care, deep compassion, quick action, and a readiness to jump right in whenever help is needed.
     When we placed our membership at College Church in 1999, I finally got to see elders in action and observe all the different ways they lovingly cared for the congregation.
     Connecting all these experiences together grew a desire in my heart to serve as a shepherd myself. I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful that God has guided me to this role in His perfect timing.