Margaret Spengler is the pastor of a United Methodist church in Pennsylvania who was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma on her leg and in her lung. She put her faith in God and follows her immune therapy treatment regimen and is doing well. Her congregation has been very supportive along with her family. Rebecca Wadel is a friend who knows other people with cancer and is a member of the congregation. Margaret asked her to join the interview and describe what it’s like to have a pastor in cancer treatment.

Audio

Transcript

My name is Peggy Spangler. I am a pastor of a United Methodist Congregation in Newberg Pennsylvania, with me today is Becky Wadel, who is a member of that congregation and very active member, and so I wanted her to share her perspective on what it’s like to have a pastor in a cancer treatment program.

So I began the journey, that was the 27th of December of 2011. And the first oncologist I met with said that this was going to be a lifelong thing and I would die of this. I said, I beg your pardon, but I’m not accepting that diagnosis. I spent the next three months researching different facilities and found my way to John Hopkins then.

Through the PET scans they said I had stage four. they said surgery wasn’t the route I needed to take. I was really concerned because being a pastor, I’ve worked with a lot of parishioners who have had cancer and I didn’t like the word chemo.

It’s too painful. When immune therapy was introduced, I was told I knew I couldn’t Continue as a pastor. So I went to the Lord And said, okay, if I’m not going to be here who, who will? And he gave me a name of a colleague I didn’t know very well.

And I called her. And then I called my boss, which is a district superintendent, and said, I want this person here. that’s not the usual way we do it in the United Methodist Service.

The part of the trial I think was the beginning of March, the church gave me another month off since it was every week and we didn’t know what was going to happen. I’m tired. But tired for me is different than tired for most people because I’m A, high energy person.

I’ve learned when I have to go and lay down. I always was a health nut, but I was sloppy with it. when I found out that sugar feeds cancer, I announced to the congregation, no more sugar. Laugh But what was amazing about the whole thing was we had a spiritual retreat and the gentleman that came had talked about fasting.

I was announcing that I had cancer. And that I was going to be taking a medical leave.

I said, I won’t be here for three months, but I’ll be your pastor for another year.

I think they’ve become more aware of the healing scriptures they had a healing scripture in the bulletin every week. And the whole time I was gone and I talk about healing.

I talk about, to them, about the fact that God already healed us 2, 000 years ago. we need to claim what He has done.

John Hopkins would allow the Lord to be proclaimed by a worker or parishioners people are hungry. They want to know about my prayer shawl and where can they get a prayer shawl? My prayer shawl around my shoulders and I have a cross that I put in my hand and I have my iPhone with healing scriptures.

So I’m listening to healing scriptures the whole time I’m receiving an infusion. And I did that the whole time I was in the hospital every treatment. I’d have healing songs playing. nurses would hear it and say, Oh, I remember when you were here before.

But there’s reasons why God has me down here. I think I’m starting a prayer shawl ministry. I’m going to bring them down and I have people starting to make them because even men need a prayer shawl.

So men want a full shawl that they could be enloped in and know that the presence of God is available through prayer to bring healing and wholeness and peace. I’m more bold now about sharing what Christ can do in our lives than I was before.

I think before I’d watch people who were ill that died. you’re hesitant about, Sharing, what God can do. And the whole faith perspective. People say I have faith. Why haven’t I been healed? Jesus says, you only need faith. As small as a mustard seed. And you can move your mountain. And your mountain is cancer. They’re a strong faith-based community. They’re farmers. They know how to walk by faith. their whole livelihood is based on faith. they’re gracious and giving not just their time, but their, finances and support of the church and missions.

I’m going to miss them when I retire. But I know God has something else. I thought I was buying a retirement home, and I said, I bought a convalescent home.

their heart is to reach out to the community for Jesus Christ. they’re constantly seeking how they can be hospitable and, in this community and how they can serve the Lord.

and struggle through that.

where they’ll be when I’m gone? I don’t know, but I’m excited for them. they are ready to move forward. I’ve been praying for three years for the next pastor that it will come in and come alongside them and move them out further into the community.

I’m Becky Wadle Pastor Peggy’s friend and one of her parishioners.

I believe she had told me before she announced it to the whole congregation. I was fearful at first because when you hear cancer you get fearful.

We believed she would be healed.

I think not having her with us, I think we did pitch in a lot because the other Pastor Peggy wasn’t there through the week. so I think we did learn to help support the church in more ways than before.

when our Pastor Peggy came back We decided, anything we could do to help support her, I think we pray more than we had.

I think it has brought my family closer My kids were cooperating more. the cancer is fearful, so they were fearful at first. Now I think we’re back to normal. They don’t think their mother’s dying. Which is good because uh, they have their lives too.

You never know where your friends are until something like this. And I am blessed with lots of dear friends. I hope I’m a better listener. I hope I can love more.

My desire is in a quiet, serene way to be wisdom for my grandchildren. That’s my heart’s desire that I might be able to instill in them whatever it is they need because I have a listening ear and I can reflect what they’re feeling. And for anybody else that God puts in my path that I can be that for. Cancer is indeed a journey but it is a journey full of unexpected, unanticipated joys as well as sorrows.

And I think it’s,

It’s whether you want to see your cup is half full or half empty. I always like a half full to overflowing. the Spirit of God will give you that. If you take Him along on the journey it will be a blessing to you and everyone you touch.