Mary Fry and her husband Dennis have been members of Central Church since 1999. "We were just drawn to the church," said Mary. "We loved the music ministry, the kind and friendly people, and the fact that the Pastor knew us by name. We were impressed and amazed because such a large church could still provide members with a personal touch. I also thought the music was very inspirational, and when I walked into the sanctuary I would feel a sense of peace and comfort come over me."
She and her husband Dennis are both very active members at Central. They are small group leaders, and children’s ministry (252) small group discussion leaders. Mary also serves in the Women’s Ministry as the photographer, she serves in the Samaritan Circle, and she also helps out in the counseling ministry where she facilitates a Growing Seasons group helping children in the healing process who have suffered a loss of some sort.
We thought our interview would be about her work in the various ministries at Central Church, but after praying and talking for a while, Mary and I knew that God had another angle of her story that He wanted to tell. When Mary sat down she said "on my way over here I was meditating on one of my favorite Scriptures, Matthew 5:16, which says, "In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." If you spend any time with Mary Fry you would immediately see that this is exactly the way she lives her life, in a quite and humble way that allows God’s love to shine through her in a special way.
Although Mary is very involved in several ministries at Central she is also using her God given gifts and talents in the workplace. I believe that as she works with grace and integrity, God’s light is shining brightly through her. While I was talking to Mary I learned some very important things about her, and life overall. The first thing I noticed was that Mary truly understands that God created her with a specific purpose in mind, and that she is to walk in that purpose to complete His work on the earth. This is evident in the way she allows God to use her as a vessel to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with on her job.
After ten years in the medical field, Mary began working at Concorde Career College as an instructor and quickly excelled in her field. She received promotions and many awards for her performance, and most recently she was voted Employee of the Year. Mary is the Dean of Students at Concorde Career College. In this position she is often given the opportunity to talk to and minister to many people. "I can show people how to solve conflicts in a Godly way, and offer them direction and encouragement. I love my job, and my job is not a chore for me," said Mary, "I know I am where I am supposed to be, and I also know I am doing what God wants me to do right now," she replied. "I am confident that God has put me there for this very reason, and it is so exciting to see how He uses me there."
Another thing Mary shared with me is how she loves the Lord. This can be seen in the way her face lights up when she describes the impact having a relationship with Jesus has on her life. Psalm 37:4 states "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." This is what God has done for Mary because of the joy she finds in Him.
Another important aspect about her that I learned is that you must make wise choices to keep your life in balance. For example, although Mary has an accomplished career, and she is very active in the church, what is most important to her is her husband Dennis and their son Zachary, which often requires her to say no to "many opportunities that are good," because she wants to spend quality time with her family.
When I asked what final thought she wanted to leave with everyone she fittingly said this, "I just want people to find out what God has for them to do and do it with joy and enthusiasm." I believe this is great advice from a woman who is living her life in this very way.
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