Pastor and Author Rebecca Dwight Bruff

Offering Hope, Healing, and Triumph in Troubling Times

story by KAREN SNYDER          photos by PAUL NURNBERG

 

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Dwight Bruff, or “Becky,” as her family and friends know her, believes that stories have the power to change lives. Having arrived in Beaufort only five years ago, Bruff has made an indelible mark on our town, helping locals and visitors alike to dig deeper into Beaufort’s dark history of slavery and its Civil War past.

Many might consider it unexpected that an ordained United Methodist minister and elder from Texas would come to tell the important story of Robert Smalls — a local hero and self-liberated slave whose acts of bravery and service to our country had largely remained untold. Yet, through her debut novel Trouble the Water (Koehler Books, 2019), Bruff quickly has become one of Beaufort’s beloved authors, taking her place within the Lowcountry’s distinguished literary legacy.

Her own story is a remarkable one. Visiting Beaufort in spring 2013, Bruff took the popular tourist carriage ride through town hearing about the local lore, legends, and history of Beaufort. It’s then that she first heard the story of Robert Smalls.

“I left Beaufort that spring, but the story didn’t leave me,” explains Bruff. “There are just some stories that need telling, and I knew this was one of them.”

Though she identifies herself as a writer now, that hasn’t always been the case. “I have no formal training as a writer.” In fact, while attending Texas A&M University, she tested or placed out of all the traditional English coursework. “I always loved reading and writing since my youth, but ironically never really got to study the one thing I really enjoyed doing,” she adds.

Receiving a bachelor’s degree in education from Texas A&M University, Bruff continued her studies, saying, “I was uncertain of what I wanted to do.” So, she went on to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate in theology, both from Southern Methodist University. In 1995, Bruff began her pastoral career in the United Methodist Church, serving several large Dallas-based congregations in youth and young adult ministry. With a true heart for cross-cultural partnerships, over the next 20+ years, Bruff would lead some 50 cross-cultural missions, immersing herself with youth in many countries, including Mexico, Nigeria, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Russia.

No doubt she heard many cultural stories in her travels, but it’s the Smalls’ family story that inspired her to write about who she calls “an unsung American hero and paragon of civic leadership.” She explains, “After the carriage ride that day, the story simply wouldn’t leave me. So, in 2017, we moved across the county to Beaufort and never looked back!” The “we” she refers to is Bruff’s husband, Tom, and golden retriever Bentley. Together, they made themselves at home in Beaufort, with Bruff continuing her pastoral calling as a part-time assistant pastor at Carteret United Methodist Church.

“We took a huge risk moving here, just so that I could write and publish the book,” she admits. “Thankfully, it was a risk that paid off,” she says. But is quick to add that it was “really low-risk compared to the life-or-death risk that Smalls took to liberate himself and his family!”

Describing her fondness for Beaufort, she says, “It really is a place like no other — the beauty of the natural world around us, the birds, the pace. You’ve got to love a town where the only traffic concern you have is if the bridge is swinging open or not,” she laughs. Bruff says she’s thankful for being welcomed as the “new kid” in a small town. “I’m just so grateful for how embracing our community is. I’ve met new colleagues and wonderful people here who truly will be lifelong friends.”

Following the novel’s release, Bruff kept busy with book tours, signings, and meetings with area book clubs and organizations; however, much of that has been put on hold due to the pandemic. She enjoys volunteering at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, although she’s had to take a break from that for awhile, saying that those she’s come to know there have played a huge role in her journey as an author. “They provide wonderful workshops for writers and endless encouragement!”

She hopes to one day get back to sharing Robert Smalls’ story at in-person events again. “I realize that I’ve been given an incredible platform on which to share the dynamics of Smalls’ story and his legacy which is something I approach with great responsibility,” she emphasizes. For those unfamiliar with Smalls’ story, he was the first African-American hero of the Civil War, who, on May 13, 1862, while enslaved, commandeered the Planter, a Confederate vessel in Charleston Harbor, sailing to a Union blockade and securing his family’s freedom.

According to Bruff, to make sense of today’s societal issues and our present lives, including issues of racism, she says, “We must first understand the dynamics of our past. We need to be honest about our history and grapple with it. It can make us feel uncomfortable, and it can be difficult to discuss. But I’m honored to be part of the conversation, with the goal of learning how to acknowledge our past, so ultimately we can learn to live with and even love one another.”

Bruff has written other books including Loving the World with God: Fourth Day Living (Upper Room Books, 2014) and Stars of Wonder: A Children’s Christmas Adventure (Koehler Books, 2020), about a fast-paced journey by four siblings (inspired by and named after Bruff’s grandchildren) who follow the brightest star in the night’s sky. It’s a story of courage and overcoming unexpected struggles.

Bruff says it’s her goal to get back to writing in 2022 and give her creative energies an outlet. “I’ve been having a number of ‘book dreams,’ as I call them, so that’s usually when I know it’s time to write again.” Having recently completed a demanding kitchen renovation project, Bruff says she now has time to enjoy her hobbies, including tennis, riding bikes, exploring, and becoming more familiar with life on the water, hopefully in a kayak. Beyond those activities, her extra time will be spent supporting her friend Marilyn Harris who is running for County Council and looking for opportunities to do “good things” in the community.

There’s no doubt that Bruff will continue to make her mark in Beaufort, both as a pastor and author, inspiring others, and offering hope and healing in our community. To learn more about Bruff and her books, visit rebeccabruff.com.