"A Rural Church"
It wasn’t ’till the lights went out this week on Sunday morn,
I understood that little church off in its field forlorn;
Though planted in an urban scene, equipped for digital,
I realized it was a country church – quite rural still.How did I know? The summer crowd was older folks who stayed
There in the city (time at lake was in their former days),
So when the power got shut off in thunderstorm we had,
They knew exactly what to do – and underneath were glad.Reminded me of the last few weeks as kitchen got revamped –
We had to do without the kitchen tools – just like at camp;
I found those days of “camping out” in dining room hit chords,
Which resonated deep in me of former room and board –It’s not I’d want to live that way from now until the end,
It’s just that it reminded me of life I had back when
We camped apart out on the lake, quite basic to be sure –
But in those days of wilderness I learned to be secure.So too at church without the power to make our toolbox sing,
We had to rise to make it work, pitch in to make it ring –
Like church bell in the prairie days back when we all were small –
We got to ring it – all took turns – loved country best of all.“Go have a chat with Tara, Stu, you’ll see it right away”;
I did; not knowing what to ask – “just be there on that day”;
And in the alchemy of talk in building lit by day,
I saw and heard, “It’s country church” – I knew it right away.So what would be good task for me? “Fifth business”, that would fit;
The “this and that” of rural life – “sit where you’d like to sit”,
And all will work out in the end, folks pick up what they wish
From urban fare (a smorgasbord) to garnish rural dish.Thanks Lord, for this.
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