I love the often told story about what is purported to have happened in a certain Vacation Bible School a few years ago. It seems that a class was interrupted one day about an hour before dismissal when a new student was brought in.
This new student was a little boy who had one arm missing. Since the class was almost over, the teacher had no opportunity to learn any details about the cause or his state of adjustment. She was very nervous, afraid that one of the children might at any time blurt out some hurtful comment or question about the little boy’s handicap and embarrass him.
Since there was no opportunity to caution them, the teacher proceeded as carefully as possible. But as the class time drew to a close, she herself began to relax. Preparing to close, she asked the class to join her in their customary closing ceremony.
“Let’s make our churches, boys and girls,” she said. Folding her hands, she said, “Here’s the church and here’s the steeple, open it up and there’s….” The awful truth of her own actions suddenly struck her! The very thing she had feared that the children would do, she had just done!
She stood there utterly speechless, desperately trying to decide what to do next. All of a sudden, a little girl sitting next to the boy reached over with her left hand and placed it up to his right hand and said, “Here, Davey, let’s make the church together!”
This past Sunday, our church family celebrated ten years in our worship center together. As we did, we reflected on the faith of all those who came before us who were willing to have a vision and to step out in faith, both purchasing property and building facilities.
No single one of them did this alone. But, by bonding together in faithful cooperation, they were able to make a church together!
What is more, before them, even earlier generations had also bonded together to make a church. Literally, prior generations came together and founded a church family within our community.
And each successive generation has continued to come together and, building upon the foundations of those who came before, make a church together!
I trust that we will continue to be found faithful in our own generation; and that also we will one day be remembered as a group of Christians who came together to make a church possible! If so, then perhaps we will also inspire future generations to do much the same.
SOURCE: This piece is available widely online. See, for instance: http://www.wikipreacher.org/home/the-old-chestnut-tree/boy-with-one-arm-her
e-is-the-church.
And also here : https://www.ststephenpresbyterian.com/lets-make-the-church-together/.
This new student was a little boy who had one arm missing. Since the class was almost over, the teacher had no opportunity to learn any details about the cause or his state of adjustment. She was very nervous, afraid that one of the children might at any time blurt out some hurtful comment or question about the little boy’s handicap and embarrass him.
Since there was no opportunity to caution them, the teacher proceeded as carefully as possible. But as the class time drew to a close, she herself began to relax. Preparing to close, she asked the class to join her in their customary closing ceremony.
“Let’s make our churches, boys and girls,” she said. Folding her hands, she said, “Here’s the church and here’s the steeple, open it up and there’s….” The awful truth of her own actions suddenly struck her! The very thing she had feared that the children would do, she had just done!
She stood there utterly speechless, desperately trying to decide what to do next. All of a sudden, a little girl sitting next to the boy reached over with her left hand and placed it up to his right hand and said, “Here, Davey, let’s make the church together!”
This past Sunday, our church family celebrated ten years in our worship center together. As we did, we reflected on the faith of all those who came before us who were willing to have a vision and to step out in faith, both purchasing property and building facilities.
No single one of them did this alone. But, by bonding together in faithful cooperation, they were able to make a church together!
What is more, before them, even earlier generations had also bonded together to make a church. Literally, prior generations came together and founded a church family within our community.
And each successive generation has continued to come together and, building upon the foundations of those who came before, make a church together!
I trust that we will continue to be found faithful in our own generation; and that also we will one day be remembered as a group of Christians who came together to make a church possible! If so, then perhaps we will also inspire future generations to do much the same.
SOURCE: This piece is available widely online. See, for instance: http://www.wikipreacher.org/home/the-old-chestnut-tree/boy-with-one-arm-her
e-is-the-church.
And also here : https://www.ststephenpresbyterian.com/lets-make-the-church-together/.