Today we finally realized a dream. We worshiped with the good folks of Beecher Memorial UCC this morning. From the moment we stepped into the front entry to our worship in the sanctuary to our conversations with members of Beecher at coffee hour I felt that I was “home.” For many of us there was hardly a square inch of that building and the back yard that we weren’t familiar with …we know what lies under the pristine newly painted drywall, what lies above the dropped ceilings, what is in every nook and cranny of that church. We had poured our hearts into Beecher–into making it a space fit for a worshiping congregation.
We were welcomed in extravagant ways. Every person we met hugged and kissed us! The wonderful cards made by our 5 and 6 year olds were received and lovingly admired. Some were read aloud during the announcement time and all were displayed at coffee hour!
Just one year ago we celebrated communion in that very unfinished sanctuary. There were about 35 of us: our volunteer work crews and the UCC Disaster Recovery leaders. It was a very powerful moment for us. As I sat with the two ministers at Beecher on their chancel I was moved by the fact that we were again a worshiping part of the body of Christ numbering about 35. As I stood at their communion table with their ministers and a visiting minister who had once led their congregation, I was deeply aware that this is World Wide Communion Sunday.
Here we were sharing communion together–a part of the body of Christ–and I kept thinking of the hymn. You know the one. “In Christ there is no east or west, in Him no north or south…” Perhaps you all sang it at Central this morning! We came from the north, to worship with our sisters and brothers in the south to share in that holy moment of remembrance… And it was good. It was very good. May God bless our family at Central Congregational even as God has abundantly blessed our family at Beecher Memorial UCC!