History

We opened our new church, Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, in December of 2003, and for many years since that time I have struggled with the dubious appointment of writing a book to document the history of the journey of what then was a little congregation. I had the honor of being a member of a five person Property Development Committee for five years plus and when a book was suggested, I volunteered to be gatherer of the stories and begin to tackle the project. I am a writer, I could do this.

So I began gathering my information. For, there are oh so many players, and there were many stories of those who were involved and knew details, facts, truths and financials much better than I could tell. Our committee Chairman Perry wrote an outstanding summary, Monroe wrote a most awesome account of a public auction which teed this project off financially, and there were several newspaper articles that had followed the "only God' footprints of where Christ had clearly gone before us and had paved his way for this project.

My thought was that the writing project was going to be a little tough, and take a bunch of time for sure but what I came to realize is that God had blessed our congregation in so many ways, and shown us his hand in so many miraculous feats, and the players were so many, that it was totally overwhelming. This was not the kind of thing that I could write, it was just way over my head. Oh, but God can write the story, after all it is His story and he is pretty good at telling good ones. I would pray and work and work and pray and finally with the help of my friend Mary, I was able to accomplish some sort of organization but still could not seem to get my arms around the project. So again my tote bag of notes would be packed up and put back in the closet. Again, the book was on hold.

Last Sunday, Ellen, a friend of mine, and church member, came up to me at church and said that she had heard that I was working on a book about our church history. I told her yes that I had been working on it for years but that I was more of an 'article' writer than a 'book' writer and that I couldn't seem to get my arms around the project in order to complete it. She said well, we are having a church retreat, as you know Dec. 2nd, and I was hoping to have something in the way of the history to have available for our congregation to see and read. She said the story is a great one and so many of the folks in the congregation don't know it. She was right, it is an unbelievable story, for sure. I told her no way that I could be done, after all I had been working on it for years, and to complete a task like that in just a few days would be impossible. (God loves that word) But she said it doesn't have to be some big novel, just a coffee table type book to tell the basics. She said she had so many pictures and it would be a true gift to the church to have the story in writing not just in the heads of many. Ellen is a scrapbook professional, and just by talking to her a short time, I knew God had given her a vision and a passion to complete this task. But she would need the facts and truth and stories that I had accumulated. God has given her the gift of making beautiful professional books of memories. The conversation ended pleasantly and I told her I would pray about it.

As God would have it, he did put it on my mind, but this time thinking about it as a coffee table book seemed to simplify the historical concept. God was ready to get this story on paper, and he had nudged me just enough to listen and obey his whisper. Again, I got out my tote bag filled with notes and writings and stories and spread it all over the kitchen table. This time my feeling was different, as I started reading about this glorious building adventure again. It truly was a miracle and the story did have to be told even if it was in short form.

I wrote Perry and asked him again for summarized notes, wrote Mary and solicited her help and then wrote Ellen and told her she would have something good by Tuesday. And something "good" is truly in the works. God does want this story told and his glory shown. For the stories of overwhelming financial gains, delays that instigated victories, overrides of the impossible due to God's authority etc. I read everything, our schedules, our thoughts our scattered meeting minutes, my notes, and the stories that had been submitted, and then I started writing. This time God would prevail, at least with the basics of the story. It was amazing, my fingers flew threw the keyboard, and I smiled knowing that God had decided that this time he would forge my efforts forward for his glory. It was the "tabletop" impression that enabled me to think through the specifics in an organized and efficient manner. I would leave out many of the names, and the details that make a story a little more fun, but I had been able, through God'd help to get the basics on paper. It was an amazing place to be, in the very middle of God's arena and watch the actual work of God's hands, and walk in prayer in his footsteps that he had left us to follow.

Ahhh, but isn't that what we are able to do each day that we submit to his authority and follow his ways and call on his name. This is a story of a church that God had purposed. Our everyday lives are the stories that God is authoring. One page, one chapter at a time. The history that we have is rich in experience, ripe for this day's work, and one where God clearly has purposed. He is writing our stories, and we are to recognize his ways of grace and love and provision and blessings and share them, but first we have to notice them and then not be overwhelmed in the scores of abundant tales that get in the way of his glory.

Now that I have written about this, I surely am committed to completely the task of a tabletop book. Sometimes we just need someone to come along and remind us to simply. For oh too many times we allow the incumbency of insignificant stuff to generate our thoughs and we lose the initial body of the blessings. The stories chosen are told to bring clarity and are mandated as proof and truth that it could only have been GOD who could have worked behind the scenes to accomplish his very purpose. Our lives are very much the same. If we look at the ways that God has worked, we could not have imagined the way that he has used our adversities to bring us closer to himself and trust him in the future because of what he has done for us in the past. If we search for the riches, and see how the history of our experiences and events have brought us closer to knowing God; who he is, what is does, and how able he is to control all things to achieve his purposes, it is then that we will learn to appreciate and trust that which comes before us as being something that God truly will use for his glory. He works through our pains, our delays, our insecurities, and our experiences, and he always accomplishes his purposes.

Psalm 78:4
We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Yes, Thanksgiving would be the perfect time to pen the remarkable journey that God has allowed this congregation to travel on. Blessed are we. And blessed are you who know and depend on God and his love and grace in our lives.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessing of being present and working behind the scenes to accomplish your works. May we stand upon the truth that you are worthy of our dependence, our faith and our trust in all things and in all situations. Amen


Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!