Winter Sun

Waiting for the Sun

It’s less than nothing compared to the nearly incomprehensible suffering of people who are freezing in Texas or the stone grey skies of winter up north, but for we who are conditioned to the brightness of the sun, a few cold (by Florida standards!), gray, rainy days are enough to make us long for the sun to shine again.

Ernest Cadman Colwell — renowned New Testament scholar, founding President of Claremont School of Theology, and former President of the University of Chicago — was retired and teaching at Stetson University when I arrived, fresh out of seminary, for my first appointment at Trinity Church, DeLand, where everyone called him “Pomp.” I was, I confess, more than a little intimidated, but he was never anything but warm and gracious to this insecure, overly-confident new pastor.

He loved Florida, particularly fishing in the Gulf. I remember hearing him…