Paul Matney recalls city's evolution
By Mike Haynes
An early morning visit to one of Amarillo’s historic
churches turned out to include a nostalgic look at growing up in the city as
well as a spiritual blessing.
Dr. Paul Matney |
The Double Dip drive-in, for starters.
You may not know that Matney, who retired as Amarillo
College president just a year ago,
skipped out of Sunday school with a friend one morning to hang out at the Double Dip just down the street from the Polk Street church. He was a teenager then, and as he entered the popular drive-in, he had an “oh, no” moment. His father, longtime educator and coach Carl Matney, was sitting at a booth with other men and raised a “come here” forefinger toward his son.
skipped out of Sunday school with a friend one morning to hang out at the Double Dip just down the street from the Polk Street church. He was a teenager then, and as he entered the popular drive-in, he had an “oh, no” moment. His father, longtime educator and coach Carl Matney, was sitting at a booth with other men and raised a “come here” forefinger toward his son.
The elder Matney’s instruction to the young Paul was,
“Don’t breathe a word about this to your mother.”
Paul Matney, who has attended another church for many
years but grew up at Polk Street UMC, has a storehouse of Amarillo memories,
whether it’s school, family, politics, sports or church. He recalled the
impressive appearance of Dr. Eugene Slater, the Polk Street pastor in the 1950s,
with his navy blue suit and “full, white, shock of hair.”
He remembered playing a wise man in the Methodist Youth
Fellowship’s live nativity scene outside the church. Standing “still as a
statue,” he heard a young child ask, “Are they real?” The kid’s friend
exclaimed, “They’re real! I saw the fat one move.”
Matney’s family often sat in the balcony during church so
they could exit quickly enough to “beat the Baptists to the Silver Grill,” the
iconic Amarillo cafeteria.
Leader Rodney Laubhan said most of the Methodist men’s
group – which does projects such as building ramps for people with disabilities
– attends PSUMC, but a few regulars are from other denominations. Matney
certainly didn’t limit his recollections to one church, focusing on the
downtown congregations, including Central Church of Christ, First Baptist and
First Presbyterian.
Of course he recalled the authoritative voice and
presence of Dr. Winfred Moore, for decades the personification of First
Baptist, who died May 8 at age 95. According to group member Ken Pirtle, Moore
spoke a couple of years ago to the PSUMC men. Other than some funeral
appearances, it was Moore’s last formal public address. “It was outstanding,”
Pirtle said. “Meaningful, organized and powerful. And without notes. What an
honor it was to have been his final speaking engagement.”
Matney, who gave credit to his wife, Sandy, as perhaps
the best Bible scholar in the family, reminded the group of some “guidepost”
verses: the faith of Hebrews 11, the grace of Ephesians 2:8-10, the hope of
Philippians 4 and the Golden Rule of Matthew 7:12. And he commended the recent
ecumenical efforts of those four downtown churches. As a group, “4 Amarillo”
has collaborated the past two years on Thanksgiving and Easter services,
Vacation Bible schools and other ministries.
“I think this is genuine,” Matney said about 4 Amarillo.
“It’s not one part contrived. It sends a tremendous message to the community
that we can concentrate on the things we have in common instead of on the small
things.”
Judging by the Friday Methodist group, which includes at
least one man representing Presbyterians, the Church of Christ, Mormons and
Baptists, these guys are focusing on their shared faith.
For information on the 6:30 a.m. Friday group or the
PSUMC noon Tuesday men’s group, call the church at 374-2891.