Rodolph "Rody" Rowe is an energetic man.
The pastor of the Queen Anne United Methodist Church has been at the helm of the small church near the top of Queen Anne Hill for a little less than five years now.
In that half-decade Rowe has overseen the growth of his flock from 25 or 30 souls to 80 "on a good day."
He is also helping put the finishing touches on a beautifully remodeled and redesigned sanctuary/meeting hall at his church.
Rowe said he is proud of his house of worship's new look, but he doesn't seem to be a man totally devoted to the surfaces of his faith.
"We started turning this church around about two years ago... if that's what is happening. People need beauty," Rowe said. "But we are a church that wants to be beyond the walls, too."
Much of the beauty created in the place of worship has been done by local artists. In the center of the sanctuary are 1,200 handblown wings in what Rowe calls "a kind of helix that is a symbol of the Holy Spirit." And Steve Hirt, a Ballard artist, is in the midst of creating a baptismal bowl, which will be lit from beneath to greet churchgoers.
The new sanctuary is also equipped with hi-tech film and video equipment.
Two screens are in place for a new Christian film series the church is sponsoring. The first film is slated for Friday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m.
"Invisible Child" is the work of three young Americans from California who made a film about the plight of children in Africa.
"Seeing Africa through young eyes is funny, heartbreaking, quick and informative, all in the same breath," Rowe noted.
The screening is free, although donations to support the Love and Justice film series will be gladly accepted.
"My hope is that we are growing into a vital, small church that is committed to changing society for the better while helping the less fortunate.
"We want to help [bring about] a just political system. I believe we can save everybody and still have a fair society that takes care of the less fortunate," Rowe said repeatedly during his brief conversation with this reporter.
"America should have a just economic system with health care available to all. According to the United Nations, 34,000 young children - 5 and under - die every day in this world. One in two people earn less than a dollar a day.
More than one billion people in the world have no health care. More than one billion people don't have clean water available [for drinking, bathing and cooking]," Rowe noted.
"And," he continued, "the United Nations said all of these problems can be cleaned up for $30 billion to $40 billion dollars a year. Americans [alone] spend $40 billion a year on golf."
Queen Anne United Methodist has a 10 a.m. worship service every Sunday.
And there are big doings planned for the near future.
"On Sunday, June 4, we are celebrating the church's centennial. There will be an open house for the community and a worship service at 2 p.m."
But Rowe followed up talk of the celebration with his other main focus.
"We are helping our sister church, St. Luke's in New Orleans [hit hard by Hurricane Katrina]. We are taking $10,000 from our savings to help them, and we will match gifts up to that sum. We hope to raise $20,000 for St. Luke's," he said.
Rowe said these are tough times to shepherd to a flock because of the obvious inequities in today's society.
"Churches are supporting politics and economic policies that are not just. Christians need to embrace the concept of blessing. People ask who should get the blessing-atheists? And of course the answer is yes. Buddhists? Yes. The primary response of a Christian to another person should be a blessing, not judgment," Rowe said.
Rowe talked repeatedly about the ever-shrinking world and the conflicts in it, many in the name of religion.
"There are so many cultures and religions. We must give them all a blessing. We must face the hard truths of this world but keep hope. Blind optimism is not the answer. We must promote justice and give our blesssings to all," he said.'
"Our mission," Rowe concluded, "is to invite people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nurture them to live for Christ, and send them to serve with Christ in the world."
Anyone wishing to know more about Rowe's church or get directions for a Sunday service should call 282-4307.[[In-content Ad]]
