Church Interrupted
I always love talking to youth! I got to talk with Alena about her prom and compare when I was at Hoggard High and went to the prom. Sadly, there was not going to be a prom, again, this year for the school. Alena was talking to her dad (Pastor Tim) about how sad it was that they were not having prom, and it was their senior year! Her dad suggested that if some parents would get together and head it up, they could use the Pine Valley United Methodist Church Christian Life Center Gym (CLC). Alena said she was afraid no one would show up but, over 200 messages came in as soon as she posted about it. Because of not having to pay for a facility they were able to sell over 200 tickets at $25 for the disc jockey, food, decorations, and a professional photographer. Parents brought desserts. The theme was “A Visit To Paris'' complete with an Eiffel tower! There were lights strung up and mini Eiffel towers on the tables. There was a photo station of Paris as soon as you walked in. After the prom, the moms cleaned up! And if you were here Sunday morning, you didn't even know our CLC had been transformed into Paris the night before!
Alena said it meant so much to her that PVUMC cared enough to make sure the seniors got to have a senior prom! It made her feel good for people to see what her church was doing. She heard many parents mention what a wonderful thing that PVUMC was willing to host the prom! “It shows what a good church we are to offer out to the community and offer kids some normalcy for their senior year.” She felt like some of the parents who chaperoned may visit. To PVUMC, Alena would like to say, “Thank you for giving us one part of a somewhat normal senior year. I had not seen most of my friends since school got out last year. It was so nice to see people I had not seen in a year!”
I reached out to Pastor Tim as a dad, and he said, “I admit that I, first of all, was a little biased since my daughter was a senior. It broke my heart that all of our youth and especially seniors had sort of been robbed by COVID and the shutdowns of many of their big high school moments. I had thought a while back that it would be good to throw a prom for folks who were not going to have one at school. When I found out that there were some parents that were interested, I said it would be a great way to show them and our community that PVUMC really cares about them. I told them we would provide the facility free of charge. This helped them out immensely, and all of them were so appreciative. It goes along with our Extra-mile Caring core value. It was wonderful seeing the joy that night on the kids' faces.”
I would say PVUMC was an encourager to many students and parents that night. Who would have thought we would be hosting a prom? Having an event and not paying for the facility is unheard of! I am sure that alone spoke volumes! People got to see things from God’s perspective, which always brings hope and encouragement. When those students ride by PVUMC, they will always remember where their prom was when everything was closed! Now, that is a glory sighting!
To some of you, this may seem like a little thing. I believe God likes small things. Isn’t He the God of impossibilities? He takes insignificant smallness and turns it into amazing things! In the Bible, many events started out small, like the little boy whose small lunch was given to Jesus to be a blessing and feed 5,000! Little things matter. “The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.” And I believe there will be many glory sightings, we may or may not know of, that will come from PVUMC hosting that prom. Those little things are a lot when we do them for the will of God. Little things matter, and only God knows how much.
I bet you came to church that Sunday and had no idea the night before it was transformed into Paris! This small deed was done without ever interrupting church, but I believe we are to interrupt church to do ministry. Jesus’ ministry was full of interruptions. He was interrupted when he was teaching, and four men lowered a friend into the house by way of the roof. He spoke forgiveness and healing into the lame man. He was interrupted as He traveled by blind Bartimaeus and worked a miracle that showed people He cared for all. Interrupted from His sleep by the disciples who were scared of a storm. He taught them about fear and faith. He was interrupted by a crowd when He got out of a boat, and was interrupted, again, by a man asking Him to come heal his daughter. As He was going, Jesus noticed someone with a great need and great faith had touched him. He healed the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. Jesus showed us that interruptions are a part of ministry! Our church was interrupted, and what a glory sighting it was! Thanks be to God! Congratulations seniors!!