'Pastor Rick' Delivers More Than Religion to an Island
The Rev. Charles Richard Edmund says there is little crime on Smith Island. “There is no reason for people to steal from each other here,” he says. “Where will they go?” (Photo by Maryland Newsline’s Zettler Clay IV)
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Friday, May 7, 2010
SMITH ISLAND, Md. - Sunday service at United Methodist Church starts at 9 a.m. in the community of Ewell, approximately 10 steps from the Rev. Charles Richard Edmund’s house.
Edmund preaches for about an hour and half, then takes a 10-minute boat ride to Tylerton, where his next service starts at 10:45 a.m.
“This is when I get the chance to relax, get my mind together,” said Edmund, who’s referred to by islanders as Pastor Rick. “Then, I’m ready to go again.”
For his last service of the day, at noon, Edmund takes the boat to Rhodes Point.
For Edmund, who has been a pastor in Smith Island for 10 years, this is Sunday’s routine. And as the only pastor on the island, he’s used to juggling many obligations: advocating for the islanders with politicians, who hold the purse strings to needed improvements. Speaking on behalf of the watermen, who have seen their profits dwindle over the years, along with the Chesapeake Bay’s catches. Not to mention acting as an unofficial ambassador for island visitors.
Life as a minister here is much different than it was in Worcester County, Md., where he lived before moving to this marshy island on Maryland’s side of the Chesapeake Bay.
There are no malls, supermarkets or amusement parks. Golf carts are the transportation of choice. And alcohol consumption is minimal, if at all.
“You’re not gonna see anybody intoxicated on these streets,” Edmund said. “If they drink, it’s within the privacy of their homes. They’re pretty sensible about that here.”
Before arriving on Smith Island, Edmund served five years at the United Methodist Church in Worcester County. One day, he mentioned to the clergy that he wouldn’t mind serving the churches on Smith Island.
“I heard about the people, hard-working watermen and their wives,” said the 62-year-old minister. “So the district superintendent decided I’d be a good fit over here.”
Edmund performs more funerals than marriages and baptisms. In some cases, he travels to the mainland to eulogize, marry or baptize families he has grown close to over the years.
“People come live here and leave, but we still keep in contact,” he said.
Emergencies are handled by the Department of Natural Resources, he said. Whenever a situation arises, Edmund is called to the scene as a mediator. If the situation turns dire, say a tricky childbirth or a heart attack, a helicopter or boat is used to transport the resident to the nearest mainland in Crisfield, Md.
Crime is minimal. “There is no reason for people to steal from each other here,” he said. “Where will they go?”
But life presents its challenges for Edmund.
“There’s a lot of isolation here, which can be a challenge for a single person,” said Edmund, a divorced father of two and a grandfather of seven. “Every chance I get, I try to make it up to York (Pa.) to see my daughters and grandchildren.”
Church “meetings” are low key.
“I could take a walk along Rhodes Point and see people along the roadside and have a meeting right there,” Edmund said. “That’s how informal it can get.”
Rooted in strong Methodist tradition, the island’s residents are consistent about attending church services, said Janet Tyler, 37, a lifelong resident of Ewell. “It’s all we know,” she said.
However, Jennings Evans, 79, said that while church attendance is high, it has dropped off over the years. “It’s more of people leaving the island, not a drop in morals or anything,” said Evans, also a lifelong resident. “The people here really value God in their lives.”
Edmund’s work extends beyond the Gospels. He toils throughout the week to raise awareness about island issues. He also regularly writes columns on the watermen’s perspectives and climate issues in The Washington Post’s Planet Panel section.
But on Sundays, it’s back to delivering sermons at three locations. Edmund describes his congregations’ demeanor as laid back yet passionate.
“Our favorite hymn is ‘Till The Storm Passes By,’ ” Edmund said. “It speaks to what it’s like living on this island. For us, storms come in a lot of forms.”