MENTORED BY A PRO

After graduating from Roberts Wesleyan College, during the summer of 1973, I was hired by the campus Free Methodist Church as a summer intern - largely to follow up on Vacation Bible School families.  Richard Snyder - Associate Pastor - was my direct overseer.  Pastor V. J. Mannoia was the senior pastor.  

One day – to my great surprise – Dr.Mannoia announced that he would accompany me!  [This was a church of 1,500, so you can imagine my surprise.]  We made several visits together that day, but one stands out in my memory.  We were in the downtown area of Rochester, NY, in a residential area.  When we approached the door, we heard lots of children screaming – including a baby.

 A woman came to the door with her baby in her arms.  At least three other young children showed up as well, curiously peering around her at the strangers at the door.  Surprisingly, she invited us into her living room – which was, of course, a mess with children’s clothes and toys everywhere.  I told her who we were and why we were there.  She talked about how much the children enjoyed the Bible School.  But the children were so disruptive!  I didn’t know how to handle it.  It was chaotic!  Seeing my distress, Dr. Mannoia took the lead.  He simply told her that he would love to see her family some Sunday at Pearce and that we had Sunday School that would take care of her children the same as the VBS had.  He told her that we didn’t want to intrude on her time anymore and asked if he could pray with her.  I thought:  “Is he nuts?  How in the world are we ever going to have a prayer in this chaos?”

 She agreed to the prayer.  Dr. Mannoia then sat on the floor and placed the children strategically between me, him and their mother.  He spoke gently, firmly and kindly to the children telling them that we were going to talk with Jesus.  He had us hold hands.  Then, he led in a one-minute prayer and named each of the children in his prayer as well as the mother!  I was astonished at how smoothly it went.  Then, we got up and left!  And I realized that I had just seen a master at work!