There’s a sense in which the crux of the Easter Good News is simply this: Jesus has been let loose in the world and He wants to change our hearts and transform our lives. He does His work in and through His followers, crossing the paths of those with “eyes to see and ears to hear” in unexpected but undeniable ways . . . as Jonetta Peck recently experienced.
[To learn more about our docent ministry contact Mitch Brach waterbranch@outlook.com.]
It was our second time serving as docents at the Historic Church. As the day concluded, my husband, Don, was finishing up in the sanctuary while Lee Watkins retrieved the ‘Docent on Duty’ sign and closed the door.
Dutifully at my station behind the desk in the narthex, tallying the numbers (number of guests, sales of cookbooks, Holy Honey, and cash offered in the donation box), I was a bit frazzled feeling pressure to make sure everything added up (mathematical acumen is not a gift the Holy Spirit chose to shower on me) when suddenly the silence was broken from within…
The old grand piano had sprung to life, emitting a lilting, rich, mellow – a touch somber – classical tune, filling the whole sanctuary and bursting into the narthex… embracing me in shimmery warm comfort as if Holy Honey had suddenly poured from the ceiling.
Our church is alive, singing with joy!
Moments later Don emerged accompanied by the elusive pianist – a man from Summerville, a professional who has recorded a dozen CDs – tall, lanky, dark hair and even darker eyes – sad eyes.
“Thank you! That was amazing!” I blurted, “Thank you!”
“No, no,” He modestly responded, “Thank you!”
That’s curious. I didn’t do anything.
Then his female companion decided to buy a cookbook and large jar of Holy Honey – ugh… I had just finished recording the cash numbers…
“Uh, that’s, uh…” (math conflicts with my brain)… when the pianist handed me a hundred dollar bill!
Yikes! Uh… $15 plus $12, and then deduct from $100…
The pianist chuckled, “Keep it.”
“What? You don’t want…?”
“Keep it. You don’t know how much this meant to me.”
As he reaches out his hand and we shake, I sense in him a deep appreciation mixed with loss… tears misting his eyes, “Really, thank you so much…”
When the door closed behind him, I realized what a blessing this church is, why it draws people the world over… how from this Historic Church of the Cross we so often encounter, as I just had, a glimpse of the Divine.
