What Manner of Message is This?
So there I was, on the couch, talking to my mom, just getting over the excitement of such a providential day (as explained below) when a storm arose; bolts of lightning followed by the usual thunderous blast. I mentioned that it looked to be over when yet another blast occurred, I jumped and said, "gheze that was close." went on chatting when the call waiting went off. I ordinarily ignore it finding it rude for the current party, but this time I indulged the caller.
It was Kevin, my other warden, with some news, "Douglas you might want to come to your church: the steeple's gone."
I was intrigued, and slightly horrified, so went out in a rush. The above picture (courtesy of Mida Dunn-Flanagan) shows me staring up in amazement and great pain. Pain? Oh yes, in my daze, I wandered into the graveyard and stepped, full force, on a nail embedded shard from the lightning stuck steeple. The rusty nail almost went through, I toughed it out until later when I got the dreaded tetanus shot.
So how odd was that Eve of St. Swithin's day? Well in the context of ordinary events it's not every day that lightning strikes one's church, especially one where I've only been rector for two weeks to the day! It's also not ordinary to have the man who physically dug the church basement out with his own bear hands, 65 years ago, show up on your doorstep and take the last picture of the original steeple.
If you read this blog regularly you'll know I am a firm believer in signs from our Lord as answers to prayer. Call it what you will, providence or Godincidence, either way God's hand was in this (insurance companies love to defer this incident to a legal term: "Act of God"). Add up the events of the last day combined with prayers for a "sign" for a direction to take with the use of the buildings (either maintain the current four or build a new "central" church) and service times, and one gets a picture that God said something. What seems to have put the icing on the cake, and solidified my assumption that this is the Lord, was the blessing of his covenant sign over the church later that evening: a rainbow.
Now how amazing is that? God has spoken and this is what I firmly believe. We can no longer stall on a direction we need to take one of the forks in the road. We now have a choice, it's up to us to be good stewards of his Church and his churches. Stay tuned as our churches continue to forge their way ahead... with God's help of course. Funny how this week is now a joint service at Centreville at 11 pm. God has a way of bringing us together... is this our path?
Those who know me from the coast know that it's never boring while I'm around. I just hope lightning doesn't strike twice ;-)
It was Kevin, my other warden, with some news, "Douglas you might want to come to your church: the steeple's gone."
I was intrigued, and slightly horrified, so went out in a rush. The above picture (courtesy of Mida Dunn-Flanagan) shows me staring up in amazement and great pain. Pain? Oh yes, in my daze, I wandered into the graveyard and stepped, full force, on a nail embedded shard from the lightning stuck steeple. The rusty nail almost went through, I toughed it out until later when I got the dreaded tetanus shot.
So how odd was that Eve of St. Swithin's day? Well in the context of ordinary events it's not every day that lightning strikes one's church, especially one where I've only been rector for two weeks to the day! It's also not ordinary to have the man who physically dug the church basement out with his own bear hands, 65 years ago, show up on your doorstep and take the last picture of the original steeple.
If you read this blog regularly you'll know I am a firm believer in signs from our Lord as answers to prayer. Call it what you will, providence or Godincidence, either way God's hand was in this (insurance companies love to defer this incident to a legal term: "Act of God"). Add up the events of the last day combined with prayers for a "sign" for a direction to take with the use of the buildings (either maintain the current four or build a new "central" church) and service times, and one gets a picture that God said something. What seems to have put the icing on the cake, and solidified my assumption that this is the Lord, was the blessing of his covenant sign over the church later that evening: a rainbow.
Now how amazing is that? God has spoken and this is what I firmly believe. We can no longer stall on a direction we need to take one of the forks in the road. We now have a choice, it's up to us to be good stewards of his Church and his churches. Stay tuned as our churches continue to forge their way ahead... with God's help of course. Funny how this week is now a joint service at Centreville at 11 pm. God has a way of bringing us together... is this our path?
Those who know me from the coast know that it's never boring while I'm around. I just hope lightning doesn't strike twice ;-)
2 Comments:
Unbelievable!!! If one does not believe in Godincidence before,they should now! That's amazing how you got to have the last picture before the lightening struck. Who knows why it happens....Great pictures, and great blogs, as always. Thank you!
Douglas, Sorry about the church steeple,
God bless,
Chris VanBuskirk+
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