Peace In The Storm
by Peggy Harris W.A.S.H. Board Chair

"The Lord is in his holy Temple; let everyone on earth be silent in his presence."  Habakkuk 2:20 Good News Bible. In all the turmoil that went on in the book of Habakkuk this verse describes to us that there can be peace and quiet in our storms of life.

When my mother was in a nursing home many miles and states from me, on one of my visits I asked her how long it had been since she had been able to participate in communion.   She said it had been years.  A chaplain did come to the nursing home to have communion but she didn't go because she had a cough that she was afraid would disturb others.

I said that we would plan to have a communion service together that Friday evening.   In her room I found a small metal tray, some small medicine glasses, and a plastic pan.  The unleavened bread I had brought somehow got lost while cleaning her room so we substituted some graham cracker.  At supper that evening in the cafeteria instead of the usual grape juice all they had was cranberry juice so we saved some and set up everything we had gathered for our communion service in her room.

Since she was unable to kneel, I asked if she wanted to wash hands, or wash feet.   She preferred to wash feet, so I put the pan of water on a footstool in front of her when it was time for her to wash my feet.  As we progressed through the service with Scripture and prayers at each step, she began to eagerly participate herself.   She told me afterwards she hadn't realized how much she had missed by not being able to participate in communion service for so long.

This experience taught me how meaningful communion service can be even if we have to improvise and make it simple.  Our souls need this bit of peace and quite communion that restore and make us whole again in Jesus.  When the world is falling apart this is one of the examples of the peaceful communion God shares with us so willingly.

May this peace be with you on this special day.

This page last updated on Sunday January 29, 2006 11:22 AM

Disclaimer: We are not a counselling service.  We prepare materials to help church
members and church leaders better understand the problems abuse brings and prevention methods.

Designed and maintained by Megan Field      Space provided by