Guest Article by Glenetta Rivers Burks
Strange things are happening in the Methodist Church here in Warren, No one has quite decided what’s going on, but there surely is a difference from what it was a few years ago. Methodists have always said they welcome everyone; and from what is happening, the welcome mat is out!
First, it seems that almost every week, someone is being baptized or is joining the church.
Maybe people like Bro Gary, the pastor, maybe they like the music (which is great), or just maybe they sense a new spirit seeping throughout the church. Not long ago, seven young people were recognized on Confirmation Sunday. Several joined the church; some were baptized. Maybe that got the ball rolling! Since then almost every Sunday, the Baptism or church membership ritual is used. Isn’t that great?
Now here comes the strange part! Everyone knows that Methodists welcome everyone.
For instance, during Holy Communion, the communion table is open to everyone, not just
Methodists. Evidently, some creatures of the wild have decided to investigate! Some months
ago, when the basement flooded from the rains, an armadillo was found floating in the basement.
Had he come to investigate the “goings-on”?
Not long after the armadillo incident, several people began to notice that the carpet
in the sanctuary near the door was showing signs of something gnawing on it. After much
thought and inspection, the culprit was found to be a raccoon that had invaded the sanctuary.
Evidently he was quiet and respectful during service because no one ever saw him. Maybe the music reached his heart and soothed his soul. Evidently, when preaching and singing ended and the sanctuary was dark, a faint light would show under the doors, so the raccoon would go to the light and gnaw the carpet trying to get out. After several weeks of trying to catch the varmint (Now he was welcome to come to church, but he couldn’t be allowed to ruin the place!), Scott Richardson decided that he had a solution. He brought Jake, his old hound dog, to the sanctuary (Jake didn’t come on his own, now!). Sure enough, it wasn’t long until Jake found the ‘coon hiding in a closet in the back alcove of the church.
This may not be exactly what happened, but it’s pretty close! Scott opened the closet
door and outside doors and turned Jake loose! It seems that Old Jake and that raccoon had a round. Reportedly, the neighbors nearby heard all the commotion and couldn’t believe all the shouting and so forth that was coming from the Methodist church—not like\Methodists at all! Soon, Jake made it clear to the raccoon that he was not welcome to take up residence in the church; and now, thanks to Jake and Scott, that ‘coon is long gone!
But now, that’s not the end of the events! The Educational Building has had to be
closed for over three weeks because fleas have moved in! No one really knows how they
started! Some blame the old raccoon who probably did investigate the whole church, but
who knows! Fleas have never been given credit for their intellect (or religious curiosity), but they invaded the place by thousands! About a week ago, the exterminators went into the building to “dose” the fleas again; and guess what they found! Two more raccoons were in one of the Sunday School rooms and had investigated all the literature and materials in the room! Supposedly, the servicemen caught them and turned them loose in the parking lot! One can just imagine that they took home to their family (if they left the church) a good case of the fleas with whom they had associated!
These are just a few of the latest happenings in the Methodist Church. Gnawed carpet, fleas, whatever, everyone is always welcome! Some Sunday when you’re not busy, you might want to drop in for Sunday School at 9:30 and music and preaching at 10:30 to find out just what is going on in the First United Methodist Church in Warren!
--Glenetta Rivers Burks, June 2016
Strange things are happening in the Methodist Church here in Warren, No one has quite decided what’s going on, but there surely is a difference from what it was a few years ago. Methodists have always said they welcome everyone; and from what is happening, the welcome mat is out!
First, it seems that almost every week, someone is being baptized or is joining the church.
Maybe people like Bro Gary, the pastor, maybe they like the music (which is great), or just maybe they sense a new spirit seeping throughout the church. Not long ago, seven young people were recognized on Confirmation Sunday. Several joined the church; some were baptized. Maybe that got the ball rolling! Since then almost every Sunday, the Baptism or church membership ritual is used. Isn’t that great?
Now here comes the strange part! Everyone knows that Methodists welcome everyone.
For instance, during Holy Communion, the communion table is open to everyone, not just
Methodists. Evidently, some creatures of the wild have decided to investigate! Some months
ago, when the basement flooded from the rains, an armadillo was found floating in the basement.
Had he come to investigate the “goings-on”?
Not long after the armadillo incident, several people began to notice that the carpet
in the sanctuary near the door was showing signs of something gnawing on it. After much
thought and inspection, the culprit was found to be a raccoon that had invaded the sanctuary.
Evidently he was quiet and respectful during service because no one ever saw him. Maybe the music reached his heart and soothed his soul. Evidently, when preaching and singing ended and the sanctuary was dark, a faint light would show under the doors, so the raccoon would go to the light and gnaw the carpet trying to get out. After several weeks of trying to catch the varmint (Now he was welcome to come to church, but he couldn’t be allowed to ruin the place!), Scott Richardson decided that he had a solution. He brought Jake, his old hound dog, to the sanctuary (Jake didn’t come on his own, now!). Sure enough, it wasn’t long until Jake found the ‘coon hiding in a closet in the back alcove of the church.
This may not be exactly what happened, but it’s pretty close! Scott opened the closet
door and outside doors and turned Jake loose! It seems that Old Jake and that raccoon had a round. Reportedly, the neighbors nearby heard all the commotion and couldn’t believe all the shouting and so forth that was coming from the Methodist church—not like\Methodists at all! Soon, Jake made it clear to the raccoon that he was not welcome to take up residence in the church; and now, thanks to Jake and Scott, that ‘coon is long gone!
But now, that’s not the end of the events! The Educational Building has had to be
closed for over three weeks because fleas have moved in! No one really knows how they
started! Some blame the old raccoon who probably did investigate the whole church, but
who knows! Fleas have never been given credit for their intellect (or religious curiosity), but they invaded the place by thousands! About a week ago, the exterminators went into the building to “dose” the fleas again; and guess what they found! Two more raccoons were in one of the Sunday School rooms and had investigated all the literature and materials in the room! Supposedly, the servicemen caught them and turned them loose in the parking lot! One can just imagine that they took home to their family (if they left the church) a good case of the fleas with whom they had associated!
These are just a few of the latest happenings in the Methodist Church. Gnawed carpet, fleas, whatever, everyone is always welcome! Some Sunday when you’re not busy, you might want to drop in for Sunday School at 9:30 and music and preaching at 10:30 to find out just what is going on in the First United Methodist Church in Warren!
--Glenetta Rivers Burks, June 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment