As I write this note, I am preparing to leave for the airport. By the time you receive this, I will have returned. Also, as I write this note, it is during the time our regular worship service has previously been held. Today, worship and Sunday School have been canceled. When I awoke this morning, I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. I am absolutely positive it has everything to do with not being in worship.
For years, I have mentioned that I literally woke up in church. As incredible as it sounds, I still have a mental image of looking up from the cradle in the “Cradle Roll Room” at old First Methodist Church in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and seeing the cut-outs that had been taped there as modest decoration for the infants. It is as vivid an image as I have of anything.
When growing up, attendance at church was a given. There was little to no discussion about whether or not to go. For a while, we went to Sunday School every Sunday, but only attended worship every other week. I clearly remember the Sunday my parents made the decision to attend worship every Sunday: it was the Sunday I expected to go home and watch “Tom Terrific” on our black and white television. I was disappointed—and there was no such thing as recording anything! However, in the weeks and months that followed, I came to value the time in worship. My parents would separate me from my sister so there would be no temptation to talk or otherwise disturb those around us. Most of the time, I ended up between my parents.
Both had a very nice voice, especially my mother who, as a child, used to sing on the radio when she and her family lived in El Paso, Texas. As I grew older, I was allowed to sit in the balcony with the other youth—until I was old enough to sing in the adult choir.
From those early days until now, worship has been a major part of my life. In fact, worship is one of the cornerstones of my existence—not done out of habit, but out of a need to offer myself to the Living God. Missing worship this morning is somewhat upsetting. For more than 25 years I would not cancel worship. Of course, the churches I pastored where in county seat towns or in Nashville; and the roads were quite passable. I was helped in making this decision one Sunday afternoon while living in a county seat town. I was out driving in the snow and ice and happened to see one of my members driving around. It had been too dangerous for her to get out in the snow when it came time to worship; but, it was not too dangerous to get out and go to the post office to check her post office box!
Now, you might ask why I cancelled worship at Kedron and Lock’s. While the major roads are o.k., I am aware that the side roads are not safe at all—that plus the fact that the temperature is dangerously low. By the time you read this, the temperature will be higher; but when I got up this morning, my phone app read 0 degrees! Earlier in the week, I made two visits to homes where there was a death. I know what it’s like out and around the churches. Your safety is of ultimate importance to me.
And so, I look forward to seeing you at worship—and maybe even Sunday School! Both are an excellent time to renew friendships and worship the Living God!
Michael D. O’Bannon, Pastor
