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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep. Jesse White |
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TO: Editor, PA Focus
FROM: State Rep. Jesse White, D-Washington/Allegheny/Beaver
RE: “Faith rises from the ashes”
In the past year, two churches in my district have suffered fire damage. In July, the Frankfort Presbyterian Church in Hanover Township, Beaver County caught fire and last week the Langeloth Community United Presbyterian Church in Smith Township suffered a similar fate.
I am not a member of either church, but I can only imagine what the parishioners of each church felt when they heard the news and saw the damage. There is something about seeing a church burn that just makes you feel different. Personally, when I am in a church I want to feel safe and protected by the spirit of the Lord. I do not want to feel vulnerable in any way, and being reminded that our church can burn down like any other building exposes that vulnerability.
Moreover, churches carry a much higher symbolic meaning. They are places where we can give thanks, request absolution for our sins and literally make a joyful noise to the Lord. Churches are where we celebrate great milestones, from baptisms to weddings to funerals. Churches are where we turn in moments of crisis and turmoil.
But as great as the symbolism a church can hold, perhaps there is greater symbolism in what happened in our own communities when the churches burned. Services continued to be held. No one worshipped God any less and no one lost sight of the power and the purity of their faith. Life went on.
And therein lies the message; what makes a parish great is the people who make it go day after day, week after week, year after year. The building itself is important, but the only truly irreplaceable part of our worship are the families who lend their time and talents to the church without seeking recognition or praise.
As we head into the holiday season, we need to be mindful that our communities are more than buildings; they are the people and families that make each little corner of the world a unique and special place. We need to celebrate our love for one another, our faith in ourselves and our spiritual beliefs, and the determination that whenever the flames may come, the best in ourselves will rise from the ashes.
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