Pineridge Blog

By now many of you have heard of the unfortunate event that transpired in the sanctuary on Saturday. The short story is that a valve in the fire sprinkler system froze and then failed when it thawed on Saturday morning. The result was a whole lot of water running down the west wall of the sanctuary, down the aisle, and pooling in the area all across the room at the base of the steps up to the chancel. Thanks to Dick Gray, members of the Facilities Board and all who responded to a call to help begin the clean up in a matter of minutes. But as you can tell from the picture it will take a lot of work to put things back to where they were.  Things are drying out with the help of industrial fans and heaters, but the carpet appears to be ruined. Much of the drywall will also need to be replaced. Thank goodness for insurance!

Sometimes it is good to worship in a space that is unfinished. The sanctuary is usually beautiful and complete. Nothing is out of place. But life is messy, and the Good News is that God is found exactly in the messiest of places. 

Also, most of us, if we are honest, are unfinished. When we are just about ready to think we have everything in place, something happens. We start again. Which is not to say it is futile to even try. Hope is not found in our somehow achieving perfection, but that God loves us perfectly in the midst of our imperfect lives as we begin again and again.

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, February 26.  We will have a service in the still unfinished sanctuary. Thanks for your patience.  Be careful.  Come as you are. Come as you really are, not as you hope you might be someday. Come trusting the hope that Paul writes to the Romans, “But God proves God’s love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”