Holy Ground
Illustration
Stories
Charlie noticed the church a few blocks from his new apartment as he wandered toward the downtown. He admired the well maintained building and stopped to read the sign. It advertised the services and some of the events in the church. He’d gone to church before he moved and was interested in going again. He would love to meet new people and he was wondering if the church was friendly when his phone buzzed and he saw that he was running late for work. He hurried on his way and by the time he got to the corner, he had forgotten about the church.
A couple of weeks later after missing his bus connection, Charlie was on his way back from the grocery store when he found himself in front of the church. He put his bags down in front of the church sign and noticed that they had a website and some social media sites. He pulled out his phone and checked them out. He liked what he saw, the church seemed active and the pictures showed a community that he certainly wanted to visit. He made a note in his calendar to check it out when Sunday came and kept walking back home. Unfortunately, he got called into work unexpectedly and Charlie never got around to returning to the church.
A month afterward Charlie was heading down the street on his way to meet some friends. He’d discovered that a bus stopped just up from his apartment and hadn’t been this way in what seemed like forever. He noticed the church and stopped to look at the sign. He had a couple of moments and looked at the website again. He was going to have to remember to get himself to church on Sunday. He kept walking and started to think about the movie that he and his friends were going to go see later. He didn’t think about the church again.
The summer was almost over and Charlie was finally starting to feel like he was getting into the routine of work on weekdays and hanging out with his friends on weekends. He enjoyed where he was living and loved all that the city offered. He was thinking about calling a friend to see what was going on when he saw a group of people heading into the church and heard music and laugher from inside. He paused to look at the sign but it didn’t mention an event for that time and day. He pulled out his phone to see if the website had any information.
“Hi,” An older woman said to him from the bench in front of the church. “You can go inside if you want. I’m just sitting here catching my breath.”
“What’s going on inside there today? I heard the noise as I was walking past.”
“Aren’t you here for the breakfast?”
“I didn’t know there was a breakfast at the church.” Charlie paused. He could eat. “How much is it?”
“It doesn’t cost anything.” The woman rubber her chin. “Although I think there might be a basket for people who want to make a donation or something.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“No idea. I just know the church does stuff like this all the time. My husband and I come here as often as we can.” She looked at Charlie carefully. “I think I’ve seen you around the neighborhood a few times.”
“Yeah, I moved here a while back.” Charlie said. “ I sometimes walk past the church depending on where I’m going. But I’ve never seen anything happening here.”
“Really? There always seems to be something happening at this church. There are lunches for the homeless, concerts in the evenings, lots of stuff for kids, and there is a coffee house with an open microphone once a month.”
“Wow, that is lots of stuff,” Charlie said. “Not to mention all the religious things that happen here on Sunday.”
The woman tilted her head to one side. “You’ve never been inside before, have you?”
“No, why do you say that?”
“Because if you had you’d know that no matter what’s taking place in this church- the meals, the concerts, the family activities, the conversation groups and yes even the worship- you can feel the Holy Spirit. For there’s no doubt in my mind that this is holy ground.” The woman stood up and pointed at the church. “But if you aren’t sure why don’t you come and see for yourself?”
Charlie didn’t have to think about his answer at all.
“I would love to,” he said and followed as she led the way.
*****************************************
StoryShare, August 30, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
A couple of weeks later after missing his bus connection, Charlie was on his way back from the grocery store when he found himself in front of the church. He put his bags down in front of the church sign and noticed that they had a website and some social media sites. He pulled out his phone and checked them out. He liked what he saw, the church seemed active and the pictures showed a community that he certainly wanted to visit. He made a note in his calendar to check it out when Sunday came and kept walking back home. Unfortunately, he got called into work unexpectedly and Charlie never got around to returning to the church.
A month afterward Charlie was heading down the street on his way to meet some friends. He’d discovered that a bus stopped just up from his apartment and hadn’t been this way in what seemed like forever. He noticed the church and stopped to look at the sign. He had a couple of moments and looked at the website again. He was going to have to remember to get himself to church on Sunday. He kept walking and started to think about the movie that he and his friends were going to go see later. He didn’t think about the church again.
The summer was almost over and Charlie was finally starting to feel like he was getting into the routine of work on weekdays and hanging out with his friends on weekends. He enjoyed where he was living and loved all that the city offered. He was thinking about calling a friend to see what was going on when he saw a group of people heading into the church and heard music and laugher from inside. He paused to look at the sign but it didn’t mention an event for that time and day. He pulled out his phone to see if the website had any information.
“Hi,” An older woman said to him from the bench in front of the church. “You can go inside if you want. I’m just sitting here catching my breath.”
“What’s going on inside there today? I heard the noise as I was walking past.”
“Aren’t you here for the breakfast?”
“I didn’t know there was a breakfast at the church.” Charlie paused. He could eat. “How much is it?”
“It doesn’t cost anything.” The woman rubber her chin. “Although I think there might be a basket for people who want to make a donation or something.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“No idea. I just know the church does stuff like this all the time. My husband and I come here as often as we can.” She looked at Charlie carefully. “I think I’ve seen you around the neighborhood a few times.”
“Yeah, I moved here a while back.” Charlie said. “ I sometimes walk past the church depending on where I’m going. But I’ve never seen anything happening here.”
“Really? There always seems to be something happening at this church. There are lunches for the homeless, concerts in the evenings, lots of stuff for kids, and there is a coffee house with an open microphone once a month.”
“Wow, that is lots of stuff,” Charlie said. “Not to mention all the religious things that happen here on Sunday.”
The woman tilted her head to one side. “You’ve never been inside before, have you?”
“No, why do you say that?”
“Because if you had you’d know that no matter what’s taking place in this church- the meals, the concerts, the family activities, the conversation groups and yes even the worship- you can feel the Holy Spirit. For there’s no doubt in my mind that this is holy ground.” The woman stood up and pointed at the church. “But if you aren’t sure why don’t you come and see for yourself?”
Charlie didn’t have to think about his answer at all.
“I would love to,” he said and followed as she led the way.
*****************************************
StoryShare, August 30, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
