Shining hope in a small town.

I have never been more inspired by a group of people than I have been by the people at this church.  This is not a dying church.

I could not concentrate. This picture is just a picture of a book case, some tables and a few bibles in the churches dining room.  This was my view for the bible study for about 2 hours.  Just before this bible study I was asked to help put together a flyer for this new event at the church called Beacon of Hope.  They are going to be open for anyone who wants to chat or just sit around and drink coffee.  They want to get to know their neighbors.  The church has used a lighthouse as their theme for years and it was suggested “Maybe we could have crosses as the light coming from the beacon of the lighthouse?”  I played around with a few things but nothing stuck.  I then went and sat down for the bible study.

I could not pay attention to what was being said.  That brand new white table is just one of many bought for this new occasion and has never been sat at.  It will eventually have coffee stains on it, many different hands will have touched it and maybe tears will be dropped on it.  Bibles will soon be sitting on it and prayers
will be said for many that don’t even know they are being prayed for around this table. I can see all of the different people surrounding it.   As I was thinking about all of this I looked behind the table on the bottom of the book shelf.  It is a lighthouse.  This table is the light from the beacon on that lighthouse.  This table will be part of the light this church is shining.

In the left of the picture there is a sign that says “sanctuary” with an arrow pointing to the left.  That door is closed.  That's right, closed.   Its not going to be in the sanctuary where people come to talk.  It will be around those tables.  They are going to be open and visible to the community that needs them.   There are many churches that are closing their doors and will never see the light again.  This church is different.  They understand that there is a need for a different kind of worship.  They are not giving up.

This is a small church with a lot of hope. 

I thank all of you at this church for being an inspiration to me and the hope for so many others.