From the Archives: Winter 2012

By Tee Gatewood, Avery County

I’ve been in Banner Elk now for four and one half years, and came here after I’d completed my doctoral studies in St. Andrews, Scotland. For years I had studied to teach theology. During that training God began to call me into pastoral ministry. It wasn’t what I had expected, but it was a clear and consistent call. In the Presbyterian way of doing things, we put a very high value on everything being ‘decent and in good order’, and moving from becoming a professor to becoming a minister was just a big stretch and a long path. But God knew what He was doing. 

In between St. Andrews and Banner Elk, we moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to serve a pastoral internship. It was just three weeks after our move – we’d not yet unpacked – when Hurricane Katrina sent 600,000 people to the city. For months, our church was immersed in providing direct aid and crisis care into a devastated city. We were a large church of 1,700 members, and we had a lot of resources that smaller churches don’t have. It was a wonderful experience to be able to see God use us on the frontlines of ministering compassion and grace. Those were amazing and intense days. I loved the church in Baton Rouge, but from the very beginning I knew that there was a redundancy of gifts within the leadership team. I knew my gifts and service were needed elsewhere. 

Called To The High Country 

Today in America 80% of our churches are comprised of fewer than 80 adults. My heart was to serve in a church big enough to reach outside its walls in new ventures, but small enough for the people to really care for one another. I’m originally from Georgia, and I was looking to serve in North Carolina. Arbor Dale Church was the fifth church I visited in my quest. It’s funny how the Lord works sometimes. The weekend of my visit coincided with a major February wind storm. Still, I knew this was the place for me. This place felt right to both my wife and me. It was a place for worshipping God, for sharing our lives with one another, and a place to grow in our faith and obedience. Part of what struck us then, and continues to bless us now, is that there is a great mix of people here: students from Lees McRae College, second home seasonal residents, retirees, and mountain people who’ve lived here for generations. I love it, and I love seeing all this mix living in community of faith that is growing together. 

Like Christians everywhere, the folks at Arbor Dale are still learning how to do this life together. God is always showing us new ways in which the Gospel is working itself out in our lives. That’s the joy and the challenge of being the Church today in this place. 

Seeing God At Work in Our Community 

God is always faithful. As I think about the future, I have a sense that there is a new window that God has opened in these days. He is working in our wider community among churches and believers to bring us slowly and lovingly to a place where we can trust Him and trust one another. To see this growing unity in Christ is a powerful thing. That is one of the wonderful things about a small town: it is small enough in size to see change take place. I know God is moving in the High Country. I see a growing unity within His Body here – a unity among local churches and a decreasing sense of competition. Churches are caring for other churches and are joining together to care for their communities. There are deep bonds in Jesus across the lines of differing fellowships, and I think God likes that. 

As I talk about my journey, one thing always becomes clear, namely, that God is always faithful to redeem the past and open up the future. I originally came from a theologically liberal background, one in which we were deeply engaged in social causes. That was a good thing, and has had an impact on the needs in a community. Now, I am excited to be in a place and among a people who are having an impact for good in the community, but who are sharing a deep witness of the love of Jesus in their lives. We are living out a response to the Gospel of grace that Jesus has lived out for us. We are not performing to earn His favor, but living out lives of service in response to His favor. I am so glad to be in a community of faith where Christ shows up in word and in deed. 

Tee Gatewood serves as pastor at Arbor Dale Presbyterian Church in Banner Elk,NC adpc.tee@gmail.com, 828-898-4628 .