Norm Smith - caring for and about others

In what is known as Caring Ministries, there is always someone to whom people are drawn – the person with the soothing voice, comforting presence, the one who just seems to radiate God’s peace. At Holy Cross, one such person is Norm Smith.

On many Sundays, you can spot Norm serving as a coffee host, helping as a communion minister, stepping in as an usher, offering to pray with someone in need during communion. During the week, he’s facilitating Bible studies for the men’s breakfast gathering, preparing worship services for residents at assisted living facilities, leading the prayer ministry in weekly prayers, and making countless calls on people in need of a little compassion. He also gives a lot of time to Blessings Abound thrift store, Metro Lutheran Ministry, and ELCA synod work, is a Parish Ministry Associate, and past president of Lutheran Men in Mission.

Norm’s life could have been different. He could have followed in his father’s footsteps, forgoing Sunday worship to work in the family welding shop. “My dad did his best to encourage me to work on Sundays instead of going to church,” Norm said, adding that his father was raised Baptist, but became one of those people who wouldn’t step foot into a church because the roof would fall in. Norm also could have taken up drinking, and become an alcoholic like his father. He could have become abusive to others like he witnessed his father abusing his mom. But he chose a different path.

When Norm was about 10 or 11, he met a Lutheran pastor. “The Lutheran parsonage was two houses down,” Norm said, “and I watched him outside, fixing it up. Then one day he said, ‘Would you like to come to my church?’” Norm thought that was a good idea, and brought up the subject during a family meal. “My dad erupted,” Norm said, a not unexpected reaction from a man who was comfortable with anger. “But the Holy Spirit works in marvelous ways. Later, my dad said if you go, the whole family is going.”

Even at such a young age, Norm found himself relating to the pastor’s sermons, and his Lutheran heart started growing. That relationship with Pastor Schlossen left Norm with a desire to make a difference in the lives of others and to mentor. Too, Norm’s mom was a devout Christian, attending the Methodist church, and a very positive influence. Norm's twin brother, Norbert, also grew up to be a church-goer, though his job as a truck driver prevented him from regular involvement in ministry. As an adult, Norm attended Cursillo, a three-day weekend sponsored by the Catholic church that teaches lay people how to become effective Christian leaders. Norm attended the event with fellow church members, and they subsequently formed a small group. It was this experience that led Norm into the world of men’s ministry.

Kathie & Norm Smith

Norm’s work in the field of technology and business planning brought about quite a few relocations around the country as he was transferred to different offices. With each move, he found a new church home, and new friends within. He focused on starting men’s ministries, and became more involved in prayer ministry. During this time, Norm met his wife, Kathie, a Methodist at the time. A dissatisfied Methodist, though she was unaware of it, Kathie said, but now a satisfied Lutheran. They recently celebrated their 30^th anniversary.

In later years, Norm’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, and Norm tried to see her as much as he could, though that wasn’t often. “What has always gotten to me,” Norm said, “is that she had been a member of a church a long time, but they didn’t send anyone out.” Because of this, Norm added another ministry to his list, that of caring ministries. “I don’t think anybody should die alone,” he said.

Norm and Kathie came to Holy Cross in 1995. The congregation was still relatively new, having held its first worship service in 1988. Witness/Evangelism was the umbrella under which Norm’s interests lay, he said, so he jumped in pretty quickly to help grow a men’s ministry, then later to help grow a prayer ministry. “I don’t think you can have a vibrant church without a prayer ministry,” he said. To that end, he is keen to light the fire under congregants, helping them understand the importance of prayer and actively participate in praying on a regular basis. The prayer ministry, which meets every Thursday from 7-8 p.m., was strong when Holy Cross offered the Alpha program, Norm said, simply because Alpha grows people in faith and leadership. Now, three people meet regularly each week to pray for the church, the world and all those in need. Norm would love to see that number increase to five, 10, 20 or more. “I would also like to see more lay ministry participation,” he said, “more people excited about faith.”

Norm has had other interests outside of ministry. “I used to hike and backpack all the time,” he said, “but I’m too old for that now.” His only disappointment with the miles he put in was that he never saw a bear. And he looked. Even in the heavy bear-populated areas, that came with “beware of bear” warnings, he never saw a bear.

Through his involvement with caring ministries, Norm has spent countless hours with people who wanted home communion, someone to pray with them or for them, someone to listen to their stories, someone to be God’s presence in their lives. “I see miracles all the time,” Norm said. He told a story of a man who hospital staff had predicted would be dead within a day. After Norm prayed with him, the man’s health improved, he went home a couple of days later, and lived another seven or eight years. “Sometimes the miracle is that people die,” Norm said, “because they’re in such pain. But they die knowing they were feeling God’s peace and presence.”

That peace is something you pick up right away when you meet Norm. One woman whose health keeps her homebound first met Norm when he brought communion to her and her husband. “He was so nice,” she said, “so comforting to be around.” Yep, that’s Norm.