Remembering
As I sit this morning, writing my article for today, I remember that today is September 11th. Each year, when I note the date I remember back to that fateful day 11 years ago and I know exactly what I was doing when I heard the terrible news, but I also remember the emotional turmoil of the day, sometimes so poignantly I'm taken back to that moment instantly.
Many moments in history have this effect on us: the day Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated; the day President Kennedy was shot; the day our soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy; the day the bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima; the day Pearl Harbor was bombed; the day the stock market fell; the day the war came to an end (any war); the day Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves…
Other happy moments also bring to mind memories: the birth of our children or grandchildren; the day we married; the day we were baptized; the day we graduated high school, college, or some other degree; our first time driving a car; our first love…
The collective memory of the church is what we rely on, not only for our denominational history, but for the Biblical text we study. If not for these stories being told and retold throughout time, we would have no Bible. Many times in the church's history no one realized something significant was happening and that it should be recorded. It was only years later where hindsight shed light on the situation, so the stories were recalled and recorded–and possibly built on by imagination and fuzzy recollections.
Soon, our church will celebrate the 185th anniversary of this congregation. Consider, if you will, the memory this congregation…our ancestors, our community, the walls of this church…has regarding how God worked through us, with us, and among us. Many of the events I mentioned above were witnessed within the walls of our sanctuary and by individuals whose legacy we continue today. The tragedies were grieved within our worship space. The traumas were worked out and processed with other people of faith struggling through many of the same issues. The events of history impacted our building, our community and our congregation. The people who have gathered in this space and called themselves First Christian Church have responded to life's tragedies, joys and plain daily living right here for 185 years!
Consider the changes the world has faced around this congregation since 1827: horse and carts made way to the automobile; candle power made way to gas flame which became the incandescent light and now becomes florescent light; wood burning stoves move over for coal fired boilers which now run on natural gas and electricity; hand-written word becomes type-written and mimeographed to computerized and laser-printed images. Yes, this church has seen many things come and go throughout time. It has celebrated with its people all the joys a community can celebrate. It has mourned and offered solace to all the things a community grieves. Now, it is time we celebrate the lasting legacy we have with this congregation we still call First Christian Church!
Join us in bringing together a spectacular celebration for the worship and ministry this congregation provided throughout its history. There are so many wonderful plans being made to make the day special–from worship, to fellowship. To make this event happen requires the efforts of many individuals. Sign-up today to help open our doors to the many visitors that will come celebrate with us on October 14th!
Blessings,
Tracy