Not all ministry is on the public platform. In the spirit of honor ing those to whom honor is due, I salute a sizeable group of individuals who serve God's cause unheralded and, typically, away from public notice.
My friend, Maxine Leonhardt, is an example of such workers who are often called "support staff" for lack of better terminology. Even their "credentialed missionary" status fails to adequately express the sustaining structure they provide the denomination as secretaries, administrative assistants, accountants, desktop specialists, and technicians.
Maxine, who recently retired at seventy-something and nearly five decades of church employment, will insist that she should not be singled out for recognition. In fact, she will be quite peeved that I actually obtained a photograph of her. Despite nearly two decades of close friendship we have never persuaded her to pose for even a snapshot.
Maxine has always shunned the spot light, preferring a level of anonymity for her ministry as a career accountant for the church. Fair enough! Consider this a big thank you to every church worker who has labored quietly behind the scenes.
In a clear example of the church's historic gender disenfranchisement, if Maxine had been male, undoubtedly she would have been elected as a conference or union treasurer and subsequently ordained. Nevertheless, we have observed her carefully support her supervisors and even coach some boss es into an effective management role. She has devoted myriad hours of uncompensated overtime to managing, purchasing, and accounting for various major projects.
Sharon and I first became friends with Maxine about the time she was losing her beloved Pug, Danny Boy, as we discovered a mutual love for dogs. Her perpetually gruff exterior belies a warm heart and true, loyal friendship to anyone human or animal fortunate enough to enter her circle.
Maxine is old enough to be my parent, but young enough in spirit to maintain real friendship with twenty-somethings! Sharon and I have observed her counsel and encourage young married couples despite the reality that she remains single. For years she drove a very old car that she had care fully maintained and saw no sense in purchasing a new one. "I've gotten along quite well without a man or a new car and I have more interesting things to do than invest in either one."
Maxine and I also share an interest in offbeat collections. Her raccoons, ranging from the kitschy to collectors items of real quality, are as numerous and legendary as my Noah's Arks.
One of the longest-term survivors of melanoma, Maxine philosophically decided after losing a leg to the after effects of her successful cancer treatment to look on the positive side. "I'm making a list," she declared, "of the people I want to kick with my wooden leg." And beware the unfortunate soul who would describe Maxine as disabled. She allows no condescending pity.
When launching a project, Maxine is seldom daunted before accomplishing her objective. For example, frustrated that Hallmark published a "Maxine" series of greeting cards featuring a crab by old crone who was always portrayed with a cigarette, she telephoned the artist and demanded that his fictional "Maxine" stop smoking. "After all," she told him, "tobacco is dangerous, a poor example, and your own mother would be ashamed of you for using my name to portray smoking." Amazingly, the artist concurred and his popular line of cards has continued years of record sales sans the cigarettes!
Maxine never wanted to retire. She resisted even discussion of the issue. Whenever someone had the temerity to question her plans for sustentation, she would inform them that it is illegal even to inquire. One of her favorite expressions was about Mid-America Union's Secretary, George Timpson, who was a few months older. "I'll retire right after George does!" Then, when Pastor Timpson unexpectedly died, she changed her story to, "I'll leave the same way George left!"
When retirement finally arrived, she threatened anyone who would dare plan a party to celebrate her departure, but ended up delighted when coworkers "surprised" her with acknowledgment of her lifelong contributions.
If you reviewed Maxine's career, you might conclude her "behind the scenes" work was unimportant because it may have been little known. Untrue! In God's cause there are no unimportant workers and Maxine is a great example of ordinary individuals faithfully accomplishing extraordinary things for the kingdom. Thanks Max for your ministry!
