Paying Attention
Saturday, December 4th, 2010 by Carolyn Christman
Mel Williams ’65
Ed Christman: You have been the “Great White Father/Friend” to many of us at dear old Wake Forest. You have always been a splendid communicator, and you’ve known how to relate to a great variety of students. When Ed Reynolds came to be the first black student at WFU (1962), you were there to provide vital support as Reynolds became our suitemate and friend.
You laced humor with theological insight. I even borrowed your favorite slang word “frap!” which you gracefully used to express any form of consternation. When it came time for me to be ordained to the ministry, I knew immediately who I wanted to preach my ordination sermon—in 1969 at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh. I well remember your sermon title: “Christian Pragmatism.”
One of my favorite Ed Christman stories goes back to about 1962 when we had compulsory chapel attendance at Wake Forest. Students protested by sitting in Wait Chapel reading newspapers. When you got up to speak, you looked out at all those newspapers and spoke with ringing clarity: “Albert Camus has said that humans are interested in two things— sex and reading the newspaper. Since you’re already doing one of those, let’s begin with the other.” The newspapers came crashing down in a flurry. Then you began your sermon on sex! You got our attention!
Maybe “attention” is a good word to describe your ministry among us. You were always attentive to us, and we gave focused attention to you and your wisdom. What a gift!
Thanks, Ed—and Jean—for your gifts of love, attention, good counsel, and friendship!
Mel Williams
Pastor, Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham
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