Always Someone's Son!

I grew up in the Ohio River valley known as "Billy" Butterfield, the younger son of Tom and Martha Butterfield. When I began preaching, I was always introduced as "Tom Butterfield's son, Bill." It was like I had no personal identity and it seemed that I would always be known as someone else's son, brother, friend or whatever. I must admit when I became a teen, I resented that a bit...no, a lot! It was never: president of his senior class; student body president at Ohio Valley College (University, now); member of OVC chorus, etc...I was always attached to someone else!


Now, fifty years later, it still happens, but not nearly as much. I have had the unique privilege of preaching in (Colonial) Williamsburg, Virginia for the past fifteen years. It is unique for a lot of reasons, but one is that we have tons of tourists every year. We always have a few folk at every Sunday service from somewhere else. Among those who visit our area are families from Ohio and West Virginia who know the "Butterfield" name.


I still have folk who tell me, "Your Dad baptized me up in Monroe County, Ohio back in the 1950s," or, "Are you related to Tom W. Butterfield?" After such comments and questions, I know that I am in for a ten minute conversation about something that happened decades ago. But, something is different now! I enjoy all of those stories!


It is so refreshing to hear folk speak so kindly of Dad and Mom. To hear them share with me stories about the work that my parents did in various locations within a hundred miles of "the Valley." Baptisms. Marriages. Funerals. Revivals. The list goes on and on! All of those stories are a part of the heritage from my parents and each of them brings joy to my heart.


I can only pray that my sons will have similar experiences in their lifetime. Maybe they will hear about their Grandpa Butterfield's preaching or Grandma Butterfield's sweetness. I hope so! I guess there would be no greater joy than for them to complain about hearing stories about their Dad and Mom's efforts, too!


Yes, I was raised as a "preacher's kid" and have no regrets sharing my identity with those who loved me!



Bill Butterfield
Williamsburg, Virginia
December 30, 2011

"Wondering In Williamsburg" Returns!

After an absence of more than a year, Wondering In Williamsburg is back again! There were a number of reasons why Wondering.... has not been active, but I hope that time restraints, etc. will not interfere again and allow for it to be worthwhile and regular from this point forward. Many of you contacted me regarding Wondering... and I am humbled and gratified by your concern.


I hope that Wondering... can take a bit of a turn from the past by it being used as a means to challenge you to greater spiritual heights. It is so easy to become lax in our exercising of our mind and when this happens we cease to grow! I know it is comforting to read about how "right" one is, but my goal is not to make the comfortable more comfortable, but to challenge each reader to think...really think!


I remind you that anything appearing in Wondering... is the result of my own study, thoughts, and discretion. It is not my aim to be a spokesperson for anyone else, but me! You may not agree with everything you read in Wondering... and for that matter, I would probably be ashamed of you if you did. Sometimes I don't even agree with what I write because I am still a "work in process" and my thoughts can change regularly. I hold no one to what they believed and taught 20 years, weeks, days or minutes ago IF they are still studying and working through the intellectual process. I feel the same way about myself as long as I am studying and growing!

So, with the above re-introduction to Wondering In Williamsburg, I begin again!