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Well, in the dark is where I found myself yesterday while visiting Wanda Brannon and Sara Wagner at Flowers Hospital.  They have been renovating the lobby and parts of the building for several months now and are just about finished.  Yesterday's work involved something with the lighting system, because the lights in the elevators just didn't work.  The doors opened and I was ready to step on board and press #4, but what I saw amazed me.

In the dark was standing a security guard.  In his right hand he held a cheap flashlight, and his left hand was ready to press the floor number buttons.  I laughed and joked with him about my anxiety over getting on an elevator with no power.  He explained that the lights and mechanical systems were on different power sources and then he said, "Trust me, I'll make sure you get to your floor unharmed."  I made my visits and found my way back to the car.  Since then, I have been thinking that I need to take the role of the security guard in our church for the moment.

I recognize that many of you feel "in the dark" about the building progress being made at our church.  As the signs in front of the hospital warned, "Please pardon our progress." I do apologize for the delay in the window repair.  The contractor has been diagnosed with some form of cancer.  Let us pray for him, instead of being frustrated.

With regard to the sanctuary chancel area, I realize that many of you feel "in the dark" about those renovations.  Again, I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you.  Our staff and worship leaders believe that opening up this area will make our worship more accessible for lay involvement. Drama, musical presentations, and special events will be more easily performed with the new stage.  Like the guard, I must ask you to "trust me."

A bathroom will be added to our sanctuary.  It will be located in the north corner of the sanctuary.  If you have ever had to try to tell someone where the restroom is, then you understand the need for one to be closer to the sanctuary.  Anyone who has trouble getting around certainly understands that we need a bathroom closer to our sanctuary.  That work will begin very soon.  The financing for all these projects has come from outside our normal operating expenses and I praise God that we are able to do it.

Let us remember that the sanctuary is there to help us worship, in the same way that a hospital is there to help sick people.  Elevators, bathrooms, furniture, and buildings are there to help the mission, not to become the mission.  I believe that the renovations to our windows, chancel area, and bathroom will help us be more effective in ministry to the people of Hartford.  I appreciate your excitement in these projects and join you in your anxiety about seeing these projects finished in a way that shows respect for our past as we move into the hope of the future.

If you have felt "in the dark" about these days, I am very sorry.  Please forgive me.  I know now what it feels like to be "in the dark."  I am excited about our future together and am ready to see these projects completed, so that we, just like the hospital, can focus on helping sick folks get better and worship our great physician.