There’s a new preacher in town

If there is any one thing a man can do that will quickly win the respect of other men in Jones County, it is the getting down and dirty while wrestling calves during brandings. I actually had to ask my son Marty who the new cowboy was. Bearded, red headed and blue jeaned: now this was someone I’m going to have to hear preach.

 

The next place I saw Shane Campbell was in the hospital in Pierre. He and his family were in the city at the same time Mel and I were when the calls came through that Marty had been seriously injured while sorting cattle and was headed in by ambulance. Pastor Shane was in the emergency room seconds after the patient walked in. All he said was, “Let’s pray.” The head physician said, “That’s a good idea,” and the only sound in the room was Pastor’s quick, fervent prayer for God’s mercy.

 

Lacie Campbell and the children were with us in the waiting room. Little Isaac Campbell offered his sympathy to Marty’s son Jacob as only a child can do. Amazing how children can preach a sermon without opening their mouths.

 

Pastor Shane checked up on Marty the next morning in the hospital in Sioux Falls.

 

And Lacie has the tough job of being the pastor’s wife. For some reason we expect the pastor’s wife to be the epitome of beauty, graciousness, Bible knowledge, excellent parenting, and top notch wife who can also show up every time the church door opens besides balancing a very tight budget, being an excellent cook and hostess and always looking calm, cool, collected, stylish and serious.  In the few times I’ve visited with her, I get the idea she has a good lead in all those areas.

 

The Campbell family moved to Jones County on May 16, 2017, taking up residence in the parsonage north of the Lutheran Church in Murdo. They are serving the Community Bible Church down on the main drag through town.  They came here under the direction of Village Missions after interning in St. Charles, Iowa.

 

Shane was raised in Selah, Washington while Lacie grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. They are the parents of three girls and two boys. The oldest girl, Chelssy, is finishing up boot camp with the National Guard, Cassie is eleven, Owen nine, Isaac six and Hannah is four.

 

Before coming to Murdo, Shane was the associate youth pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church in St. Charles. Having felt God was leading them to missions work right here in the United States, they made themselves available to Village Missions, an organization that helps rural churches find a pastor who can share the Word of God in everyday language. 

 

Even as they completed candidate class, they had no idea where they would be sent. Lacie said, “We all had hopes of what we might find in the place God would send us. I wanted a house big enough to have a play room/classroom. The parsonage has one. Owen loves sports, especially hockey. No hockey closer than Pierre, but softball. Yes! He was delighted to be on a team in Murdo. Isaac prayed there would be a pool; he has one just two blocks from the house. Hannah prayed for a pink house; she’s satisfied with pink carpet in the house.”

 

Lacie went on to add, “We are impressed by the people here in Jones County. There were folks there to help us move in, bringing groceries to stock the pantry as well as prepared meals to last for several days. People here are friendly and helpful. We are glad to be here.”

 

Shane recently preached his first funeral service. According to all reports I hear, he did well. A going-away speech would be one of the hardest to make, I believe, especially for a family you met only briefly before the service began.

 

There must be something negative to say, not? Since I cannot find anything like that to report on, I’d suggest you all swing down by the Community Bible Church on a Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and hear this young man share the Word of God with any and all who will lend an ear. You can form your own opinion.