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Broken Windows – Rock Solid Grace

As my feet crunched on the pieces of broken glass that covered the floor of the offices, Education Wing and Narthex at Gloria Dei a few weeks ago, I thought of that old nursery rhyme: Humpty Dumpty. We were in the same position as “all the king’s men” – there was no putting all the pieces together again. This is now the fifth time since January that someone has broken into the church, and it has been the most destructive by far.

Early Wednesday morning our custodian, Mark Carlson, called me with the bad news. When I arrived at church, I asked him the question I dreaded the most: Was the stained glass in the sanctuary hit? A quick check of that priceless art allowed us to breathe easier as we started to clean up the mess, even as we shook our heads in anger and wonder at what would drive people to be so destructive.

Many of you sampled the bitter taste of those negative feelings when you saw the remnants of the violence. It evokes feelings of violation, powerlessness, anger and frustration. Doves and hawks, pacifists and law-and-order-types alike were eager to take some kind of action to catch the perpetrators.

One peace loving person even said that we should station some men inside the church building with guns. When I remarked that I was surprised to hear them offer such a plan, they replied, “Well, we wouldn’t give them real bullets!”

Actually, we’re doing something better. 1) Installing a monitored security system. So please make sure that you contact the Church Office (243-2301) before entering the church building if you have an old key.

2) Also, we’re going to focus our next round of Outreach Ministry conversations on crime and its affect on people in the neighborhood.

3) And finally, we’re going to pray and worship and teach and live as God’s people, called and equipped to be lights in the darkness of the world’s sin and pain.

We know that our true security is not to be found in alarms, locks or even the police. Instead, we are called to trust in God’s grace for EVERYTHING in life. Says the Psalmist, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)

Blessings in Christ,