The Mary Ellen Carter
FāVS News | April 14, 2025
An anthem needed for our time, comes from Stan Rogers’ 1979 folk song “The Mary Ellen Carter.” The story concerns a great ship sunk because of a drunk and careless captain. Her wealthy owners got the insurance money and were satisfied.
She was forfeited.
Her crew who had been protected by her, knew her real value. They worked hard, faced the dangers and restored the ship.
The Mary Ellen Carter never existed, yet she exists in the truths of her story.
Reckless leaders and greedy corporations let carelessness and greed sink great ships. Those ships include citizen-ships, friend-ships, bipartisan-ships, statesman-ships and others. We who have traveled on these ships must bring them up from their graves, restore and reestablish their service.
The current greedy have carefully renovated old ships that hurt and destroy communities. These include partisan-ship, dictator-ship, brinksman-ship and similar. However, the greater ships, seen as unprofitable, are still superior vessels. Working together, these great abandoned ships can rise again.
In the word’s of Stan Rogers’ song:
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.
Rise again, rise again!
Though your heart it be broken and life about to end.
No matter what you’ve lost, be it a home, a love, a friend
Then like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again!
Gen Heywood
The Rev. Gen Heywood has been active in parish ministry for more than 30 years. From small towns to big cities, she always lets the needs of the community and the congregation be her guide. Gen credits the supportive leadership of Veradale United Church of Christ for including her work to overcome racism, poverty, the war economy and ecological devastation as part of her ministry.