It’s not often that anyone can say he has attended the same church his entire life, let alone lived in the same house the whole time too.
Bill Selby of Scottsbluff is one of those rare people. At 71 years, he has attended First Christian Church — Disciples of Christ his entire life. His parents and grandparents attended before that.
They all have lived in the house on Avenue H at some time in their lives. For a time, all three generations were under that roof all at once.
It’s just what they’ve always known.
“I don’t have anywhere to go except here,” Selby said. “This is my home.”
Selby currently shares the house with his Pomeranian named April. He lived with his mother until she died only a few weeks ago.
It was his strong relationship with his family that has kept him in the same church all his life — that, and his faith in God.
“My folks always went there, so I went there, too,” he said. “Church life is important in my life, and that’s just part of me now.”
Of course, like many believers, he would have his doubts occasionally, but his faith would never falter. Even on Dec. 15, 1965, when he and some school friends were in a train accident, it was his faith that got him through it.
“I always feel that God is with me all the time and I’m in His hand,” he said. “He was the one that helped me through this accident.”
Selby said he and a few school band members were on their way to the old country club to set up for a performance when the driver of the vehicle they were in ran into a train at the crossing. Two boys died in the accident, and Selby had to get a plastic plate in his head. The accident caused him to miss the second semester of the school year and repeat his senior year, graduating in 1967 instead of ’66 like originally planned.
It was probably the most traumatic experience of his life, but Selby said he didn’t even think about losing faith in God. It just wasn’t an option.
“God somehow pulled me out of that, and I’m just grateful for that,” he said. “I always feel like I’m always in God’s hands, and I guess he decided it wasn’t time for me to go yet.”
Even now, many years later, his faith has not really faltered. Pastor Nona Hodder said Selby was one of her most faithful congregants.
“He has had his King James Bible for many years and always has that at the ready. Few people bring their Bible to church, but Bill always does,” she said. “He doesn’t consider doing anything else on a Sunday morning.”
That’s what Selby said. Every Sunday morning, he puts on his sports coat — occasionally his suit instead — and nice dress pants and makes his way down to First Christian using the ins and outs that only a lifelong Scottsbluff resident would know.
It’s the Sunday morning service that holds some of his fondest memories in the church, he said.
“(I love) just the fellowship with the people that go there,” Selby said. “We have coffee time after church is over out in the back and we get to sit down and visit.”
But Selby doesn’t just attend the Sunday service; he said he looks for ways to serve his church community in any way he can. He had been a deacon for a time and is currently a church elder. He attended the men’s fellowship group, which met once a month for fellowship, Bible study and breakfast, until it was put on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even a couple weeks ago when First Christian did a large food giveaway, he was there helping load boxes into the recipients’ vehicles.
“He is a kind and gentle and generous soul,” Hodder said. “He always has a compassionate word for folks, including me. After I check up on him he asks, ‘And how are you doing Pastor Nona?’ His kindness just overflows from him.”
His strong faith is one that Hodder said she wished she saw more of today.
Selby said it was something that was passed on from his parents and grandparents, who loved going to church. His faith was passed down through three generations and has stuck with him for all 71 years of his life, just like his home on Avenue H.
“Until somebody comes and serves me with papers and says I have to leave, I’m going to stay here,” he said. “This is where I belong.”
*Originally published in the Scottsbluff Star-Herald on Aug. 23, 2020.
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