This is Jim Firos and Sycamore Creek Church founder, Barb Flory
#Background
This week, a friend of mine unexpectedly passed away. While a family grieves his loss and a larger mid-Michigan church community called Sycamore Creek Church (SCC-Lansing and SCC-Potterville campuses) provides comfort, I wanted to reflect on just what we’ve lost.
There’s no easy way to write helpful and beneficial thoughts in a time of sorrow – especially when you are one of the grieving people that could be addressed in such a message. In fact, I don’t think Jim would have it this way that any of us grieve except that it draws us closer to God and a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jim was a postal worker in his career and that aspect of his life pre-dates my knowing him as a friend. In my mobile phone, my contact for Jim is called “SCC Jim of Grumpys.” Let me take a moment to explain the significance.
My wife and I were church hunting in 2012-2013 in Lansing, Michigan after we made a move here from having lived in the Middle East. Because we were expatriates (i.e. foreign workers) at heart, we struggled to find a community that we could feel integrated with. And then came Grumpy’s.
Sycamore Creek Church under the steadfast leadership of current Pastor Tom Arthur began an experiment in 2012 at a local diner in south Lansing, Michigan.
#Church-In-A-Diner
It was to open a church on a weeknight that would meet in a diner. They chose a local Lansing Diner called Grumpy’s and began what would last as long as the diner was in business a year later where they transferred to another local diner until 2016. Then the church reopened as church in a pub at a local grill.
According to Pastor Tom, the theory behind the diner was that it was a comfortable place to reach out to a world of people who did not regularly attend a church. Speaking of the people who attended, he said that “80% of them were invited by someone.”
Jeremy Kratky, the powerful and driven-by-kindness worship leader of Sycamore Creek Church added that “The diner makes a comfortable location; we’re all comfortable in a diner.”
#Getting-Connected
It was in the Fall of 2012 that I had to get my car worked on in downtown Lansing. I walked across the street from the dealership and sat down at a table in Grumpy’s Diner and had a steaming, hot cup of coffee. As I pondered the events of the day, I looked around this local diner. Michigan restaurants of old had lots of charm. Grumpy’s diner was of all wood, and the coffee cup was kept full.
On the table as a simple “tent” advertising “Church in a Diner” that met on Monday nights there. Since my wife and I had not connected in other churches we tried, I thought ‘Why not? This might be cool.’
My wife and I then started going to the diner and SCC’s main church service, and that is where I met Jim. He was always there, always friendly, always present in conversation, and just a great guy. We traded phone numbers and a friendship began.
#Getting-To-CRASH
Every few weeks, I’d go to a men’s Bible study that was also held at the diner. It was led by Mark Aupperlee, who now heads SCC-Potterville and is a steadfast visionary Christian leader with roots as a cancer-researcher in the mid-Michigan area.
At these Saturday meetings Mark would keep talking to the men about an annual campout called CRASH, which in case you do not know means a “herd of rhinoceroses.” CRASH is an annual campout of the men in the SCC fellowship and occurs in northern Michigan for a weekend in early to mid August. The reason for the metaphor rhinoceros was that men are sometimes fast moving and hard to turn. I was intrigued by Mark’s ideas of CRASH and Jim Firos had already been there once.
In the summer of 2013, I attended my first CRASH. And then again in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 (next month). It is a 4-day time of focused fellowship, friendship, growth, prayer, and consolation. And that is where I get to one of the major #Connecting-Points in my friendship with Jim Firos.
Jim attended his first CRASH in 2012, a year before I started going. So I learned about CRASH from Jim too. Here is Jim speaking in 2013 about the impact CRASH had on him:
#Getting-To-Know-Jim
Jim was a compassionate heart extraordinaire. He spent the past 24 years directing a Christian Youth Basketball League for aged 7-13 boys and girls in the Lansing area. It grew out of Jim’s heart to provide better opportunities for youth, especially those who did not have consistent comforts from family or a large number of other community supports.
Here is Jim speaking about the impact that being a leader of youth had on him:
Jim and I then met for coffee from time to time and always saw each other at either “Church in a Diner” or “Church in a Church,” which was the normal Sunday service of SCC. Jim was always visible at as many services as SCC could provide. He really attended multiple services as a rule! Thus, Jim was accessible, easy-to-find, and then he’d connect with you when you saw him.
#Men-In-A-Diner
After going to CRASH (that men’s church camp-out in northern Michigan) for a few years, Jim and I got to talking on the last day of CRASH 2015. We both had an idea of getting Men in Lansing together about once per month (or every three weeks) to talk together, grow together, worship together, share friendship, and grow closer to Christ. It was a new idea for us; it was the birth of “Men in a Diner.”
We shared the idea on the last day of the camp-out with the men in the form of a short skit at the end of CRASH. In voices like Hanz and Franz of Saturday night live (I am Hanz and Jim is Franz, and we are going to ...”)
So, as we entertained the men briefly, we then shared the idea of Men in a Diner. Jim and I would co-lead it and meet every few weeks at a Diner. At first, the men trickled in to these meetings, but then it became a steady group of friends – always open, always available, always listening, and always trying to be helpful.
#Lessons-from-Jim
It’s difficult to summarize what you learn from a friend, but from Jim that is actually quite easy. I learned the following things:
- #Patience
- #Trust
- #Serving
- #Family-First
- #Community-Care
- #Authenticity
- #A-Listening-Ear-And-A-Mug-Of-Coffee
- #Kindred-Heart-in-Caring
- #Kindred-Soul-for-Praying
- #Kindred-Body-for-Serving
I want to talk about those last three things, the kindred heart, soul, and body because they exemplify some things that I want to keep giving back in my life after having learned them from Jim.
#Kindred-Heart-in-Caring
As I said earlier, Jim was often at every church service of a church that met in 2-3 or more locations weekly. Wherever I happened to show up, based on my schedule, Jim was often there. Would there be a lesson for friends in my life that whenever they show up in my life, I am there? Yes indeed.
In the Men in a Diner group, Jim and I would share stories or listen to the men or just share friendship over breakfast each time we met. Behind the scenes, Jim and I would pray. We would talk on the phone about how the meet-up went, areas we could improve, and ways the group could be more helpful. Whenever there was a need, I always saw that Jim cared about that need. I never saw him as hurting or only focused on his own needs, but always focused outwardly in care for others. Would there be a lesson for friends and family in my life that I always listen and care for them. Yes indeed.
#Kindred-Soul-for-Praying
As I said, Jim and I would talk behind the scenes about a men’s group that we enjoyed (and enjoy) friendship with. Sometimes Jim and I would visit a different diner or restaurant together and share about our lives with each other. But it often came back to how we could care more for others and how we could come together in prayer.
Here was a lesson: in all the time that I knew Jim and in all the conversations we had, there was never a time where we both didn’t agree to pray. For instance, we’d talk about a need in our friends, in the larger church, or in society, and we’d agree to pray. It wasn’t a once-in-awhile agreement, but a consistently felt need that anything out of our control would go to our list for prayer. Would there be a lesson for friends and family and me that whenever I see a future need anywhere, then I pray? Yes indeed.
#Kindred-Body-for-Serving
As I said earlier, Jim led Christian youth of ages 7-13 in a basketball league. He overflowed with joy over these young people. He shared about it all the time because it was near and dear to his heart! But that wasn’t his only serving point. In addition to a serving heart in his family, Jim would follow-up on all the service opportunities of church, including using a rototiller when needed. A special one he did each year was to tend to the grounds of a local elementary school. Another was a painting project (annually) at a different local school.
As I said before, Jim was always there. Find a picture of service and he was in it. I really think that Jim’s servant’s heart came from his own years of serving the public in the US postal service. What a lesson his life is for me and for many. But his servant’s heart likely came from the fact that he was authentic with everyone around him – and that helped him feel the needs of others and want to help address them. Would that you and I be authentic with those around us every day, every week, every month, and every year – wherever we are – so that we can feel the needs of others and be happy and helpful to help address them. Yes indeed.
#Closing-A-Chapter-And-Beginning-Our-Own-Chapters
Every end is a new beginning when we learn what we need to learn. There’s no words other than a tear-stained brow as you say goodbye to a friend. None other! Having a future hope like Jim had means to know that the wait is but temporary as this life is a short breath of our time here on earth. It is an amazing thing that in a few short years, a compassionate man named Jim connected with my life, was authentic with me, and helped me lead in a way that I never imagined before meeting him.
Thank you Jim! I miss you. I’m grateful for the model you shared with me and pray for your family, friends, and that we might live more of the life you lived each day. To God be the glory. Amen!