This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 25, 2011 - The winds passed over the Episcopal Church of St. Stephen at the corner of North Clay Avenue and Darst Road in Ferguson on Friday, leaving it undamaged.
However, like so many residences and businesses and institutions, the church was without electrical power. That's not such a disaster, but when thoughts turned to Sunday, it became clear a pall would be cast on the proceedings. Given the forecast of more gloomy weather outside and the opacity of the stained glass windows within, the nave and sanctuary of the church would be gloomy themselves, not to mention dark.
What to do?
At first, the rector, the Rev. Steve Lawler, sent out an email scrubbing the Easter service for 2011. He wrote that the church was undamaged, and asked the members of the congregation to help their neighbors who were suffering one way or another.
As for Sunday morning, Lawler wrote, "I will let you know as soon as possible about services tomorrow. Suffice it to say, if we have not power, we will have not services."
Then it occurred to him, "Why not?" Why not indeed. A hard-working team came together and joined him, and together they set about creating a place of worship in the roomy parish hall. A second email appeared on Saturday announcing the service would go on.
A makeshift altar was dressed in the designated linen cloths and frontal. The communion vessels and the ceremonial Book of Common Prayer were brought over. Candles were put in place. The lilies were arranged, and the altar, which didn't appear makeshift at all, was surrounded by a semicircle of chairs.
It was a clear case of "If you build it he will come," and he came, and so did she and so did they. The rector, the ushers and volunteers rushed around adding places to sit. All together, they created a standing room only situation in the Parish Hall, so thick a congregation that the personnel of the procession had to be assertive to pass through this bumper flock.
Easter happened brilliantly at St. Stephen's Church, Ferguson.
No one was unmindful of life outside. The gravity of the situation in Ferguson -- the suffering, the losses, the major disruptions and clusters of minor aggravations -- all continued to be pressing.
Nevertheless, when it came time to sing Sir Arthur Sullivan's jubilant Easter anthem, the congregation, singing with the ineffable hope and dogged optimism faith provides, stood to confront the post-storm gloom.
Together, accompanied by piano and a brass ensemble from UMSL up the way, they proclaimed with Anglicans of all descriptions all the world over a timeless message: "Welcome happy morning, age to age shall say."
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