By David Gill, reprinted from The 313.
Mr. Rogers and his television “neighborhood” have “classic” and even “iconic” status for many of us. If we personally missed it in its heyday, surely our kids would have watched it, perhaps even every day. When children are exposed so often to violence and uncivil behavior in cartoons and other media—to say nothing about school yards and beyond—Fred Rogers spent decades creating a television “neighborhood” with a kind man in a sweater and tennis shoes, accompanied by kids along with other adults in different vocations and frequent puppet shows. The tone was always gentle and the life lessons intentional. Mr. Rogers’s basic message was captured in the song he sung to begin his show: “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine? . . . I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you, I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. So let’s make the most of this beautiful day, Since we’re together we might as well say, Would you be mine? Could you be mine? . . . Please won’t you be my neighbor?”
Where did Fred Rogers get his inspiration and values? From his personal Christian faith, from reading Scripture daily throughout his life and as a faithful member of Latrobe Presbyterian Church. He knew Jesus’ saying “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these” (Mathew 19:14). Rogers graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary but chose to pursue a ministry to children through his television work. The Presbyterian denomination eventually recognized his calling as worthy of ordination after refusing to do so for years on the assumption that ordained ministry must be in the pastorate and local church.
Author Maxwell King is the former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and president of the Heinz Endowments. His most recent job was president of The Pittsburgh Foundation. In addition to his best-selling book on Fred Rogers he is the author of the poetry collection Crossing Laurel Run (2010). King does a thorough job of walking us through Fred Rogers’s life beginning with his childhood. His relations with his family as much as his work experiences, challenges, and successes are described in detail. We follow him in his decisions to avoid commercialization and stay on public television. Rogers was also a talented pianist, prolific composer, and a daily swimmer.
In short, Fred Rogers still stands as an exemplar of faithful and creative workplace discipleship. While he died in 2003, his legacy and example continue to inspire. As we often say, “every Christian is in full-time Christian ministry” – whether in software engineering, cooking, farming, art, teaching, or sometimes as pastors. Maxwell King’s book is highly recommended, along with both the documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018) and the commercial movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (2019) starring Tom Hanks.
The Green Room 