Swept-Up

Raising a family in a Jewish home has a lot of traditions to follow – separate dishes for different celebrations, walking to places, and no outside activities on the Sabbath – to name a few. It can seem quite strict and difficult to keep up with. That’s how Roselyn (Roz) Hanlon felt in 1995 when she and her daughter, Shelby, moved to Myrtle Beach from Media, PA, and they started attending the local Chabad Synagogue. Roz was raised in the Jewish faith, but she did not have a role model to call on. She did know that following the Jewish law and practices was not going to work for her at that time in her life.

Roz married Tommy on January 1, 1996. He introduced Roz to the church he was attending, St. Philip Lutheran. “My daughter Shelby and I were immediately swept-up and put to ease by the Pastor,” Roz shared. Soon they were both baptized. The whole family immersed themselves in the church - Tommy as the choir director, Roz taught children the Old Testament, and Shelby joined the Girl Scout troop who met at the church. Roz started working with the youth group and the leaders, and she volunteered with the VBS programs. “The church is the people,” Roz said. Jackie Orcutt meant a lot to Roz. She met Jackie while standing in line at a school function and started talking to her about St. Philip. Jackie and her family soon joined the church and Roz was Jackie’s sponsor. Roz said, “with everything Jackie’s been through, she never lost her faith.” Without saying it, Jackie has been a role model for Roz.

Roz has met a lot of people through the church, and some have been a big influence in her Christian life. She is grateful for the way she and Shelby were put at ease and how it has remained a place of faith she supports with joy and can call home.