"Puttin' Up Corn" : The New/Old Way of Doing Church

Hello Again. I am writing to you from Shickley, NE. Before I tell you a few stories about our stay in Shickley I want to tell you a story about my past and “puttin’ up corn”.

I grew up just west of Shickley 1.5 hours and “puttin’ up corn” was an annual event. Each year Grandpa Roth was in charge of organizing the family (15 to 18 of us depending on the year) to go out in the early hours of the morning to pick sweet corn until it was piled high in the back of his truck. We then took it back to my Grandparents house to shuck and than boil the corn in a large kettle. After it had boiled a few minuets the corn was carried over to three large tubs full of cold water. The corn was cycled through between the tubs until it was cooled enough to be cut off of the cob. Grandma was in charge of this process. She was an expert at telling when the corn was at the right temperature and could be cut off of the cob. It was usually our job (the grandchildren) to shuck the corn, to fill the tubs with cold water and take the cooled corn from the tubs to the rest of the family to be cut off the cob and then bagged. We thought that this was the best job because we didn’t have to get all of the sticky corn juice on our hands but we could play in the water. After we were done Grandma gave us permission to splash around in the cooling tubs. That was the best! I always looked forward to that day. Grandpa and Grandma were in charge, everyone was singing (or at least trying to sing), we ate corn until our stomachs hurt and although the temperature was usually 90 degrees or hotter, “Puttin’ up corn” was one of the highlights of the summer.

We have been staying at Mary’s (Matt’s mom) house on a farm just a few miles outside of Shickley. We’ve been here for a little over a week so we have had time to help around the farm. This summer and storm came through and ripped pieces of tin from the shed so Matt and Randy helped to reinstall that. Elizabeth helped them here and there and also weeded the flower beds and I was able to help “put up corn”.

The Seeds helped Matt’s Great Aunt Loretta and her sister Dorothy “put up” corn for the both of them and also made a few bags for Matt and Elizabeth. As I reflect on the morning I have to stop and recognize my feeling of wholeness and peace while helping them out.

Now that I am older (25) “putting up corn” causes me to stop and slow down, to think about the earth and the entire process. It creates an intergenerational environment where lessons are taught and stories are told, songs are sung and delicious food is prepared. When I think about it, “putting up corn” is a way of doing church. Well a piece of Church. It is missing the whole outreach and care for the rest of the world, but it is fostering community. As I spend time in rural communities this summer there are memories that draw me back home to rural life. This summer is teaching me how to grow in my faith and connect it to Shalom and also to remember the gifts that rural communities have to give.

I wonder where I will be "puttin' up corn" next summer?

Jess Roth