Just call Pen Peery a dreamer

The Rev. Meg McLaughlin of Kansas, and her brother the Rev. Pen Peery

Photo by Paul L. Schuetze/The Times

"After living together three months, you are today making Pen an honest man," said the Rev. O. Benjamin Sparks of Richmond, Va., in so many words, when he started the sermon Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Shreveport.

The comment brought a laugh from the congregation for Sparks spoke at the installation of the Rev. Pen Peery, our new minister at First Pres.

He — with wife Lindsey, son Wells — arrived in February but officially became our minister Sunday at the "Liturgy of Installation."

His sister, the Rev. Meg McLaughlin of Kansas, gave the charge to her brother.

And, she told us things that we did not know.

He is a dreamer, she told us.

"Pen is always envisioning something ... He’s ever-inclined to see that which could be possible.

And because of that, Pen stands in the company of a rich tradition of dreamers.

Think, dear readers, of Joseph in the Old Testament and Joseph in the new. The wise men, and Peter the Apostle were also dreamers.

"So I charge you, Pen Peery, to look for green grass, to see visions, to dream dreams," Meg said.

She charged him to dream dreams about our congregation, the people in it, his family and to see visions of our denomination and God’s Kingdom.

The visions of the denomination would be: "A vision of inclusiveness of all God’s Children. A vision of the body of Christ knit so tightly together that folks wonder what power is so strong to keep people of all ages, colors, classes and political persuasions together in one family."

Wow! Is that a special vision.

Welcome again, Pen. You are official!