Submission to The Savior In His Saints
Name: A CHURCH PREPARED FOR THE WORST
DATE SUBMITTED 8/28/2018
CATEGORIES: GOOD DEED-DOERS
BIBLE PASSAGE: EPHESIANS 2:10 (ESV) FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.
DATE SUBMITTED 8/28/2018
CATEGORIES: GOOD DEED-DOERS
BIBLE PASSAGE: EPHESIANS 2:10 (ESV) FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.
Some 40-odd years ago I was pastor of a parish in the little farming community of Lakefield, MN. Truth be told, I never knew how fast the winds were blowing when the tornado hit our town. I do remember the sky turned a greenish-orange, the clouds bubbled like a frothing cauldron, hail in assorted sizes pelted cars and windows. Soon the warning sirens began to wail. Like most men, and over my wife’s objections, I stepped outside to survey the sky. One look sent me into the basement where the family and I awaited the “All clear.”
When we emerged from our shelter we were shocked and surprised at what we saw; and what we saw was… nothing. On our block the tornado had changed nothing. There were no leveled homes; no cars thrown through the air; no people scrambling through wreckage trying to recover some memorabilia or photographs. That tornado had plowed a path of minor destruction through town, but it had taken a completely unexpected jump over our neighborhood, our home and our church.
Other locations had not fared as well. Hopping in our van we went to survey the damage others had experienced. Here was a century-old tree which had been ripped up by its roots. Giant branches were everywhere. We noted many things which hadn’t been tied down had completely disappeared. Over there a number of houses had lost their roofs. At the north of town there was a transformer sparking away like a giant 4th of July Roman candle.
As we drove, we were surprised to see almost everyone out on the street. They were comparing notes of how they had fared, how many prayers they had said and swapping stories on what they had lost. Looking at the giant mess, everyone agreed, “Somebody ought to do something to clean up the community.” Me, I began to wonder if I ought to try and get my congregation organized so we could help our fellow townsfolk.
I was still considering the pros and cons of such an action when, on the highway which came into town from the north, a flotilla of unfamiliar pickup trucks was spotted. Was it looters trying to capitalize on the misfortune of others? Was it tradesmen trying to sign quick contracts for repairs? It was neither.
These trucks were piloted by men and boys from the Mennonite congregation in Mountain Lake, another small town about 27 miles away. They operated with single minded purpose.
Was a large branch or a tree down in someone’s yard, they knocked on the door of the house and asked, “Excuse me, sir, we see you have a small tree down in your yard, where would you like the firewood stacked?” Then their chainsaws and strong arms made short order of the tree. At another home they said, “Excuse me, Ma’am. We see the storm has knocked out a window. We don’t have any glass to make repairs, but we sure can seal that window up and make it weatherproof in case it begins to rain again.”
Up and down the streets they went. They didn’t ask for payment, in fact they turned down money offers more than once. They didn’t wait around to be thanked. No, there was too much work that needed to be done for them to be bothered with such pleasantries. They worked all afternoon and into the night; and when it became too dark to work, they were gone.
During the days which followed, I, a young pastor ended up asking, “How had they come to our community within two hours after the tornadoes touchdown? How did they get organized? How did they get their tools together? How had they contacted each other? The answer to those questions was simple: they acted with such speed and such organization because they were prepared for a tragedy.
While most of us spend our lives hoping and praying misfortune will steer clear of our home and hearth; that congregation said, ‘This is a sinful world and bad things will happen. If we are ready for those bad things, we can make a difference for the better.” That was why, when the radio carried news of the tornado’s touchdown, they all knew what to do and what was expected of them. Having heard the words of the Savior, they believed that even as they did something good for those in need, they were doing those good things for Jesus. In short, they became Christian GOOD-DEED DOERS.
That day they touched me and I spent the rest of my ministry trying to copy what they did for my people that day, 40 years ago.
When we emerged from our shelter we were shocked and surprised at what we saw; and what we saw was… nothing. On our block the tornado had changed nothing. There were no leveled homes; no cars thrown through the air; no people scrambling through wreckage trying to recover some memorabilia or photographs. That tornado had plowed a path of minor destruction through town, but it had taken a completely unexpected jump over our neighborhood, our home and our church.
Other locations had not fared as well. Hopping in our van we went to survey the damage others had experienced. Here was a century-old tree which had been ripped up by its roots. Giant branches were everywhere. We noted many things which hadn’t been tied down had completely disappeared. Over there a number of houses had lost their roofs. At the north of town there was a transformer sparking away like a giant 4th of July Roman candle.
As we drove, we were surprised to see almost everyone out on the street. They were comparing notes of how they had fared, how many prayers they had said and swapping stories on what they had lost. Looking at the giant mess, everyone agreed, “Somebody ought to do something to clean up the community.” Me, I began to wonder if I ought to try and get my congregation organized so we could help our fellow townsfolk.
I was still considering the pros and cons of such an action when, on the highway which came into town from the north, a flotilla of unfamiliar pickup trucks was spotted. Was it looters trying to capitalize on the misfortune of others? Was it tradesmen trying to sign quick contracts for repairs? It was neither.
These trucks were piloted by men and boys from the Mennonite congregation in Mountain Lake, another small town about 27 miles away. They operated with single minded purpose.
Was a large branch or a tree down in someone’s yard, they knocked on the door of the house and asked, “Excuse me, sir, we see you have a small tree down in your yard, where would you like the firewood stacked?” Then their chainsaws and strong arms made short order of the tree. At another home they said, “Excuse me, Ma’am. We see the storm has knocked out a window. We don’t have any glass to make repairs, but we sure can seal that window up and make it weatherproof in case it begins to rain again.”
Up and down the streets they went. They didn’t ask for payment, in fact they turned down money offers more than once. They didn’t wait around to be thanked. No, there was too much work that needed to be done for them to be bothered with such pleasantries. They worked all afternoon and into the night; and when it became too dark to work, they were gone.
During the days which followed, I, a young pastor ended up asking, “How had they come to our community within two hours after the tornadoes touchdown? How did they get organized? How did they get their tools together? How had they contacted each other? The answer to those questions was simple: they acted with such speed and such organization because they were prepared for a tragedy.
While most of us spend our lives hoping and praying misfortune will steer clear of our home and hearth; that congregation said, ‘This is a sinful world and bad things will happen. If we are ready for those bad things, we can make a difference for the better.” That was why, when the radio carried news of the tornado’s touchdown, they all knew what to do and what was expected of them. Having heard the words of the Savior, they believed that even as they did something good for those in need, they were doing those good things for Jesus. In short, they became Christian GOOD-DEED DOERS.
That day they touched me and I spent the rest of my ministry trying to copy what they did for my people that day, 40 years ago.