Revitalize Your Church

The flags in town are half mast today .  It seems we've had more than our share of "half-mastings" recently. The flags represent our hearts -- they're at half mast too. As the flags go down, our prayers go up.

 One day, after making a hospital visit in Duluth, Minnesota, I was drawn by the spire of the old First Presbyterian Church. A kind secretary opened up the sanctuary for me to sit and pray for a while.  Gazing around, my eyes fell upon a beautiful stained glass window. It was the picture of a gravestone with dark purple and black hues overshadowing it. But at the top of the window, squarely in the center of a black night, shone a bright golden star -- which seemed to exude hope and light. The star was the focal point of the window.  At the bottom, the following words were inscribed: In memory of Sarah Agnes Graff  1853-1889  Build a little fence of trust around today.  Fill the space with loving work and therein stay.  Look not through the sheltering bars upon tomorrow.  God will help thee bear whatever comes, of joy or sorrow. I wondered what the story was behind Sarah Agnes Graff -- who passed into eternity at the ten...

I appreciated Robert's comment today (below) on this post from a couple of years ago. I am re-posting it in honor of the 167th anniversary of Rev. Maxwell Cornelius' birth: My friend, Mike, bought an old hymnal on e-bay. He carried it up proudly between services a week ago, and said, "Look what I got for 95 cents!" I leafed through the brittle pages, and landed upon these beautiful words. In light of the sufferings and losses I've witnessed in recent months and weeks, it was a blessing to me. Upon researching, I found that the author, Rev. Maxwell Cornelius , had suffered deeply in his life. He penned this poem shortly after the death of his wife, and shared them at her funeral service. Not now, but in the coming years, It may be in the better land, We'll read the meaning of our tears, And there, sometime, we'll understand. -- Maxwell N. Cornelius (Hymn 82 in Tabernacle Hymnal) Some day, we will read the meaning of our tears. There is meaning in every d...