And on the Seventh Day, It Snowed
On which day did God create the wintry mix?
That's what I wondered yesterday. There were unmistakable signs that perhaps God has a sense of humor. How else to explain the sleet followed by snow followed by Zeus-knows-what that started falling yesterday right around the time people all over the Washington area were getting ready to go to church?
Children's Hospital Campaign
The Washington Post is raising money for the Children's National Medical Center. You may make a tax-deductible contribution online anytime between Nov. 26 and Jan. 18. Online Resources
Column Archive: Read other columns by John Kelly.
Live Discussion: John Kelly takes questions on his recent columns, life in the Washington area and more.
|
Look, God, You want us worshiping You or not?
I listened to the sizzling of the sleet on the pavement and thought the odds were 50-50 our church would cancel. But there was no cancellation message on the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Web site. The mighty phone tree sprang into action notifying parents there wouldn't be any religious education classes, but otherwise, church was a go.
The sermon was on why churchgoers are healthier and live longer than non-churchgoers, a sentiment that might have been questioned by anyone who skidded off the road trying to get to church.
"It's much easier to cancel Saturday night than Sunday morning," admitted Roger Fritts, senior minister at the Bethesda church.
School systems have it easy when it comes to deciding whether to cancel classes. At Cedar Lane, like a lot of churches, officials have to think about whether the choir can make it in, whether the religious education teachers can make it in and whether the worshipers can make it in.
The sanctuary was almost empty for the first of two services, the crowd just a fraction of its normal size. Sunday school had been canceled. The choir wasn't at full strength, but it sounded just fine all the same.
"This room, the emptier it is, the better it sounds," said Mary Darne, the choir director.
The Sabbath storm raised an interesting theological question: Why would God let it snow -- perhaps even make it snow -- on a day of worship?
There are a few possible answers to that, said Roger.
The first is that a half-foot of snow on a Sunday morning is a test of faith. If you really believe, you'll head out into the teeth of the storm.
