This Sunday will be the Benevolence Sunday collection, named in honor of Horace Bruce, a well-respected member of First Baptist Church of Herndon. Many of our newer members may not know who Horace Bruce was, but I fondly remember this Godly man and his lovely wife, Mabel.

When my wife and I joined First Baptist in 1995, we met both of them in the church choir. Horace was a gentle soul, radiating God’s light and love. He was always cheerful, never down, and ready to share a kind word. Reliable and dependable, he drove the church bus and took various groups, like the Go-Goers Senior adult group, to retreats, luncheons, and outings. He even drove The Closet's truck all the way to the Shenandoah Valley. It wouldn't surprise me if his middle name was Benevolence, but it was actually Dalton.

Horace and Mabel Bruce were always the first to volunteer and the last to leave after an event. Wherever Horace went, he met someone he knew. He never met a stranger, and every waiter and waitress in Herndon knew him and Mabel by name and exactly what they would order from the menu! They were both generous beyond their means.

I remember my wife and I going to Horace and Mabel’s 50th wedding anniversary party, and since I was newly married, I asked him, “What was the secret to a long, happy marriage?” His response was typical of him: “Put God in the middle of it and you will do fine!”

Linda Weiss told me this story about Horace. “Many years ago, my life changed direction, and I found myself and my teenage daughter on our own. A realtor friend owned a rental property and let us move in without credit or a job. It just happened that the townhouse was right next door to the Bruces. It was such a blessing to have church family so close by, especially that church family. I woke up one morning to find my car tire flat as a board. When I returned home that afternoon, I had a brand-new tire. I knew it was Horace, but he wouldn’t admit it or let me repay him. That was Horace! I know I wasn’t the only person he helped, but ‘his giving was in secret’ (Matthew 6:3-4).”

Even after he died on Aug 11, 2008, his benevolence did not stop. When Trisha Miller-Manarin was the interim pastor of FBC, her car broke down, so Mabel gave her Horace’s car to drive.

So this week, as ushers offer bags for the Benevolence Fund in the narthex, please remember to contribute in honor of and in memory of Horace Bruce, one of the most generous people I have ever known.

Take care,

Bill R.