June Epistle
THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND & WATER
It had been a sultry, sticky, hot day, that day in June of 1957. My twin sister and I were putting together a ‘close-line’ tent, with random blankets to ‘beat the heat.” Things were about to change very quickly, however. We were called into the house, as the sky turned an ugly black-green shade, alerting us that something was brewing. Indeed it was. The rest is, as they say, history. That was 60 years ago this month.
THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND!
The day of the 1957 tornado in Fargo, June 20, 1957. We lived on the north side of Fargo, when that category F5 tornado left a path of ruin through our neighborhood, after touching down in the Golden Ridge area. When it was over, the horror of this super cell tornado left 10 people killed, including 6 children from one family. More than 1,000 homes were damaged. . As this tornado was one that was followed and analyzed in great detail, one of the facts was this; this storm was a part of a ‘super-cell’ where there were actually three other tornadoes that formed that day. The memory of that event will be with me my whole life!
Another event happened that was also chronicled. You could say it was also THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND! The disciples and many of Jesus’ other followers were together in one place, obediently staying in Jerusalem, when the sound of a ‘mighty wind’ filled the place where they were staying. Tongues as of fire rested upon those who gathered and they were given to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability. People from all over the known world could understand in their own language, the mighty works of God! This was in fulfillment of the Word of God, and the very mission of Jesus, to take his love to the ends of the earth.
You and I are WITNESSES to these things! This wind brought the birth of the church and continues to labor among us so that we can be speaking and acting in accord with the mighty works of God!
What mighty work of God are you being groomed for? Are you in the position to hear and experience THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND? What might it mean for our congregation to be listening and waiting for the outpouring of the Spirit to move us out into mission in the world?
As I’m writing this EPISTLE, the strong North, northwest wind is stirring up the water on the lake, leaving a white foam on the shore. Then, almost without warning, rain drops appear on the window pane, as a fast moving grayish cloud passes over. And just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. But it left its mark. WATER! A gift of God. A gift of life. There would be no life with water!
Our SUMMER SPLASH! will celebrate WATER each week, as God’s good gift to all of creation. We’re called to be good caretakers of this precious commodity so that all can prosper and thrive, passing this gift on to the next generation. Those of us who live in this part of the state of Minnesota may just take this for granted, but we dare not. Water, whether it comes to us through the tap, in the river, from our own well, is a finite supply. We may think that the ‘wind always blows’ in this part of the state, but that too, is a gift that refreshes, renews and changes us.
Let’s give thanks to God for the DAYS OF THE BIG WIND AND WATER!
Pastor Tom
It had been a sultry, sticky, hot day, that day in June of 1957. My twin sister and I were putting together a ‘close-line’ tent, with random blankets to ‘beat the heat.” Things were about to change very quickly, however. We were called into the house, as the sky turned an ugly black-green shade, alerting us that something was brewing. Indeed it was. The rest is, as they say, history. That was 60 years ago this month.
THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND!
The day of the 1957 tornado in Fargo, June 20, 1957. We lived on the north side of Fargo, when that category F5 tornado left a path of ruin through our neighborhood, after touching down in the Golden Ridge area. When it was over, the horror of this super cell tornado left 10 people killed, including 6 children from one family. More than 1,000 homes were damaged. . As this tornado was one that was followed and analyzed in great detail, one of the facts was this; this storm was a part of a ‘super-cell’ where there were actually three other tornadoes that formed that day. The memory of that event will be with me my whole life!
Another event happened that was also chronicled. You could say it was also THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND! The disciples and many of Jesus’ other followers were together in one place, obediently staying in Jerusalem, when the sound of a ‘mighty wind’ filled the place where they were staying. Tongues as of fire rested upon those who gathered and they were given to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability. People from all over the known world could understand in their own language, the mighty works of God! This was in fulfillment of the Word of God, and the very mission of Jesus, to take his love to the ends of the earth.
You and I are WITNESSES to these things! This wind brought the birth of the church and continues to labor among us so that we can be speaking and acting in accord with the mighty works of God!
What mighty work of God are you being groomed for? Are you in the position to hear and experience THE DAY OF THE BIG WIND? What might it mean for our congregation to be listening and waiting for the outpouring of the Spirit to move us out into mission in the world?
As I’m writing this EPISTLE, the strong North, northwest wind is stirring up the water on the lake, leaving a white foam on the shore. Then, almost without warning, rain drops appear on the window pane, as a fast moving grayish cloud passes over. And just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. But it left its mark. WATER! A gift of God. A gift of life. There would be no life with water!
Our SUMMER SPLASH! will celebrate WATER each week, as God’s good gift to all of creation. We’re called to be good caretakers of this precious commodity so that all can prosper and thrive, passing this gift on to the next generation. Those of us who live in this part of the state of Minnesota may just take this for granted, but we dare not. Water, whether it comes to us through the tap, in the river, from our own well, is a finite supply. We may think that the ‘wind always blows’ in this part of the state, but that too, is a gift that refreshes, renews and changes us.
Let’s give thanks to God for the DAYS OF THE BIG WIND AND WATER!
Pastor Tom
