Livermush and Sun Drop

We just returned home from an unforgettable weekend of ministry in North Carolina at an Awana Ministry Conference.  While we were there, our friends Tommy and Paula treated us with true southern hospitality, a hallmark of North Carolina.  We were welcomed as part of the family and introduced to a couple of local sodas, Cheerwine (a cherry cola), and Sun Drop. We ate collard greens, blackeyed peas, country fried (not chicken fried) steak, fried squash, fried baby flounder, and so much more.  But none of these compared to our homemade breakfast-for-dinner of livermush, bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and grits.  

Perhaps you’ve never heard of livermush.  Livermush is a cross between

We just returned home from an unforgettable weekend of ministry in North Carolina at an Awana Ministry Conference.  While we were there, our friends Tommy and Paula treated us with true southern hospitality, a hallmark of North Carolina.  We were welcomed as part of the family and introduced to a couple of local sodas, Cheerwine (a cherry cola), and Sun Drop. We ate collard greens, blackeyed peas, country fried (not chicken fried) steak, fried squash, fried baby flounder, and so much more.  But none of these compared to our homemade breakfast-for-dinner of livermush, bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and grits.  

Perhaps you’ve never heard of livermush.  Livermush is a cross between

liverwurst and spam.  Actually, there is no describing it.  It is pork liver processed with corn meal and spices, then cooked into a loaf.  Livermush can be used for sandwiches, or fried like bacon for breakfast.  That’s how we had it.  And it was good!  I even went back for seconds.

The high point of our weekend in North Carolina was attending church with Tommy and Paula.  They attend a small church in Kannapolis.  Here’s what we observed last Sunday at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist.  Families sat together in church.  The Pastor greeted everyone in the building and wished them well.  Prayer was so important that there were more people on the prayer list than there were in church.  Most people had a role to play in church.  Serving others was normal.  

Most of all, what I saw on Sunday reinforced one of my central beliefs. We watched a family of families bear one another’s burdens.  Some were out of work, some had extended family in need, some were sick, and some had spouses with cancer.  All were loved and prayed for.  I think that is the way God wants it to be.  At its core, church should be a family of families.

Too many children’s ministries seem to divide the family, not bring it closer.  Children’s ministry that takes place completely separate from the main church service, deprives children of the opportunity to worship as a family.  I hope that changes someday.

The simple gospel of grace was proclaimed at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church.  One dear godly woman shared some words of wisdom with us.  She warned against adding legalism to grace telling us,  “At my old church they made the gospel so troublesome.  They tried to make me unbelieve!”   She heard the simple message of the gospel as a child and believed it.  Hearing it again at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist brought her freedom and joy that now cannot be silenced.  She blessed our hearts.

I sure am glad that Tommy and Paula invited us to minister with them.  The kind people in North Carolina blessed and encouraged us.

They don’t sell livermush, Sun Drop, or Cheerwine in Oregon, at least not yet.  Maybe someday we can visit and tempt our taste buds again.   Until then, we’ll be careful that we don’t “make the gospel troublesome” or make kids feel like they should “unbelieve” the simple message of the Gospel, Christ dying in our place.

Have a great day serving Jesus!