THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604060105
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY BETSY MATHEWS WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 178 lines
IT IS A timeless story.
The evil forces of the world conspire to bring harm to one who is doing good. When it looks as if evil has won, there is darkness and despair. But then - when least expected - comes resurrection.
The Easter Story?
No, but it is an Easter story.
It began late on a cold Monday evening, Jan. 29. A high-tech alarm system notified a fire department in the Indian River area that a church was on fire. Within four minutes, trucks responded and controlled the inferno that consumed the nursery of Woodland Heights Baptist Church and left the rest of the church covered in smoke and soot.
The church at 529 Providence Road was the victim of a vicious attack. Fire reports show that a highly flammable liquid had been thrown through the window of the nursery. There had been no threats before the fire, just some minor vandalism and theft. Since the fire, there have been no leads as to who set it. No reasons. No explanations.
The physical damage was estimated at over $500,000.
The spiritual damage to the church's 300-plus worshipers was inestimable.
That was then and this is now.
This morning the people of Woodland Heights Baptist Church will celebrate not only the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also the resurrection of their house of faith.
It has been just over nine weeks since the fire that closed the church. In that time, the congregation and pastor have gone from despair to joy, but they haven't made the journey alone.
At almost every step, they have been uplifted by the members of a neighboring church, Indian River Baptist Church at 1600 Laurel Avenue. At Indian River Baptist, the people of Woodland Heights found a temporary home and more.
``We knew each other existed, but we really didn't get together much because everybody's busy doing their own thing,'' said the Rev. Robert E. Jordan, 51, pastor of Indian River Baptist. ``Basically, we've done the Indian River Thanksgiving services - which is with a mix of churches - and then the Baptist churches in this area also do their Easter sunrise service together. Other than that, we've really only had limited cooperation in the past.''
The reason, explained Jordan, was pure, simple competition.
``Are we competitors? Goodness yes!'' said Jordan. ``We're only 10 blocks apart. We are extremely competitive. Our outreach is in the same neighborhoods and consequently, some of their members pass our church on the way to their Sunday School, and some of our members pass their church on the way to our Sunday School. It's very competitive around here.''
That spirit of competition ended with the fire. Jordan was doing some early morning hospital visitation on Jan. 30 when he got a message from his church secretary. A close friend - the church secretary at Woodland Heights Baptist - had called to tell her about the fire. She relayed the news to Jordan.
The minister decided to drive by on his way home ``just to offer some sympathy,'' Jordan said, when some of Woodland Height's deacons told him to come in and look around.
``I was absolutely amazed at the amount of damage, not so much from the fire itself, but from the soot and smoke.''
His heart went out to the bereaved church members and, without thinking, he asked, ``What are your plans?'' Then he found himself saying, ``Come on to our place.''
The details of the union were worked out later. For the first month, Woodland Heights met at Indian River Baptist just for Sunday morning worship and Sunday School. While Indian River had Sunday School at 9:30 a.m., Woodland Heights would have worship services. At 11 a.m., when Indian River had worship services, Woodland Heights had Sunday School.
For that first month, Woodland Heights was already involved in a Wednesday night fellowship group with Grace Lutheran Church and was doing a Sunday night Bible study with Elizabeth River Baptist Church, so they did not use the Indian River facilities on those nights.
Then in March, all Woodland Heights events were moved to Indian River. For the most part, the two churches held separate programs: separate offices, separate youth groups, separate children's programs, separate choirs.
``We both felt that meeting separately was necessary,'' Jordan said, ``in order to keep our own identities. . . and it also allowed them their space to grieve for their loss, and it allowed them their dignity.''
They did, however, meet together for Sunday evening worship programs, and there was a lot of interaction in the parking lot and hallways. There were also dozens of friendly gestures. Often, the Sunday School class of one church would leave a ``love note'' to its counterpart of the other church, pinning the note on the bulletin board of their shared classroom. At other times, one class would leave snacks and doughnuts for the class from the other church.
And then there was the nursery.
``If there was one place,'' Jordan said, ``where there was a strain, it was in the nursery. That was the one place we had to combine, and we did it by working together and double-staffing the place.''
It was, he said, somewhat chaotic.
``It worked, though, thanks to some dedicated nursery workers. On Palm Sunday, our last Sunday together, the Woodland Heights nursery workers left flowers for our nursery staff. They really got along well and did a fine job.''
For Jordan, his staff and his congregation, the experience of helping a competing church in need has been a rich spiritual experience.
``People have grown in their spiritual walks because they've seen a dynamic of the Christian faith that they've never seen before. They've seen true agape love, which is love without regard for self.''
That sentiment was seconded by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth A. Barnes, 40, pastor of Woodland Heights Baptist Church. He, too, said the fire has brought about spiritual growth at his church.
``There's a lot of competitiveness between churches,'' Barnes said, ``and yet, in this situation you have two competing churches in ministry together. One good thing to come from this is that we've seen people ministering to each other and really being servants of the Lord, doing what they are called to do. We've recaptured the spirit of the community church. . . serving one Lord in ministry together.''
Barnes said the arson and its resulting blessings remind him of the Bible story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, only to become a great ruler who would have the power of life and death over his offending siblings.
``Genesis 50, verse 20, says, `That which you meant as evil against me, God has used for good,' Barnes said. ``I feel exactly that way about this fire.''
Barnes continued to enumerate the spiritual blessings for his parishioners since the fire:
``It awakened in each of us the ability to see the complacency of our faith. It also made each of us realize the fragileness of the life we have and how quickly it can be taken away from us. We also see this as an affirmation of the work that God is doing in us and through us. The way we see it as an affirmation is that we are doing what God's called us to do because, as it says in John 3:19, `The light has come into the world, and the world loves darkness rather than light.' The light of God's people has shown forth, and the world has tried to put it out, but the light of God's goodness shall forever shine forth.''
This morning, said Barnes, his congregation will join Indian River Baptist at Elizabeth River Baptist for their traditional community sunrise service at 7 a.m., Daylight Saving Time. Then at 9:30 a.m., Woodland Heights will have a church-wide fellowship program. At 10:30 a.m., gathered in their freshly cleaned sanctuary, the church will hold its first in-house worship service since the fire.
They will sing praises to their risen Lord and re-dedicate their rejuvenated building. Barnes said he expects the power of the resurrection - both Christ's and their own - to be powerfully felt.
``We're going to focus on the power of the Resurrection and how that power is made manifest in our lives. . . `He still moves stones' is my sermon title, and what I'll be telling my people is that the power of God that moved the stone and raised Christ from the dead is the same power that is instilled in us today. It's that same power that moves the stones of doubt and adversity and failure and confusion in our lives and it raises us from the depths of despair to the heights of glory.''
Prior to leaving their newfound friends at Indian River Baptist Church, the members of Woodland Heights presented their hosts with a plaque of appreciation. It reads as follows:
To the members of Indian River Baptist Church - Though our faith be tested by fire, we have found in you: a faith that has encouraged, a hope that has inspired and a love that has touched the hearts of all. We love you. - The members of Woodland Heights Baptist Church.
``For nine weeks,'' Barnes said, ``God brought together his people to make a difference not only in the lives of the people of those churches, but also in the lives of the community in which they serve.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
AN EASTER STORY
ON THE COVER
Choir members from Indian River Baptist Church join choir members of
Woodland Heights Baptist Church in a joint cantata at Indian River.
The photo is by Gary C. Knapp.
Photos by GARY C. KNAPP
Sue Jackson, left, and Mary Edwards are swept away by the music and
message in the song sung by ``Crimson River.''
The Rev. Robert Jordan of Indian River Baptist Church prays with the
Rev. Ken Barnes of Woodland Heights Baptist Church and the Rev.
Frank Howlett of Elizabeth River Baptist Church.
Amy Jackson rests on Patricia Kovacs while listening to the choir.
Choir members of both congregations sing in a joint cantata.
by CNB