Since last August Sharon Robertson has been the sky pilot for the Methodists in the Big Sandy area.
Robertson is a very good fit for Methodists in this area since she has been attending the church since she was a freshman in high school. Not many ministers go that far back with the church they shepherd.
"I think we are all coming around," said Robertson. "I never know what everyone else thinks but I think things are going well."
Even though Sharon has lived in the Big Sandy area all of her life, she didn't go to church until high school as they lived 35 miles out south east of town at the end of the Hopp road.
"We were very poor but I didn't know it because everyone else was poor also. No one out our way had much money."
Sharon tells that they were all very careful to wear their everyday clothes and not their good clothes unless an occasion really warranted it.
"What happened with that was that by the time we wore our good clothes we had always out grown them," Sharon said, laughing.
Sharon was a middle child. She had 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
When Sharon was a freshman in high school, the family bought a house in town and Sharon was introduced to the Methodist Youth Fellowship. An aunt, Pearl Ophus, invited Sharon to go to church with her at the Methodist church so you can see what a long and happy association Sharon has had with the church in Big Sandy.
Every time Sharon walks into the church she is surrounded by years of memories. That freshman year was the winter of 1959 and 60 and she has been close to the Big Sandy Methodist Church since that time.
That doesn't happen very often. It strengthens the church because Sharon knows the strengths and weakness. She has known them for a long time.
Sharon is a widow with four children, two girls and two boys and nine grandchildren. Three of her children live in Hamilton, the other in Alaska. The daughter who lives in Alaska was home visiting recently and the Hamilton family will all be here for Easter. Whether it is grandchildren or children, they think it is no big deal to see mother and grandmother in the pulpit. All seem to be OK with Sharon's new job.
As to how Sharon feels about her new job to shepherd her Big Sandy flock, she says she is just happy to be at the church. Once in a while someone will say something nice about a sermon or hymn. That makes it all very fine with Sharon.
The worst struggle Sharon has had since she has been at the church is there have been too many funerals.
Sharon's favorite hymn is "I Walk with the King". It is a very old hymn that Sharon found in an old hymn book. The congregation has been practicing it for Easter.
Sharon says that the Big Sandy Methodist Church is blessed in that they have an organist and a piano player. Both play music together that is just beautiful. Many churches are without musicians these days so Big Sandy is truly fortunate.
In addition to regular Easter services in Easter Sunday, the Big Sandy Methodist Church will have a Good See Friday service at 7pm Good Friday evening.
"I Walk With The King" by James Rowe and B. D. Ackley
In Sorrow I wandered, my spirit oppressed.
But now I am happy, securely I rest.
From morning till evening glad carols I sing
And this is the reason------I walk with the King.
I walk with the King, hallelujah. I walk with the King, praise his name!
No longer I roam, my soul faces home. I walk and I talk with the King.
Sharon Robertson is, as is said, a "good fit" for the Big Sandy Methodist Church. And the Big Sandy Methodist Church has always been good for Sharon!
