The Space between the Notesby Kevin Hansen

It was on one of those dastardly cold days of winter when a young widow had brought her 3 young boys to church. Their father and her husband has been killed while off fighting in the south against the Confederates during the Civil War. She was often late to service and on this particular Sunday as she opened the back door to enter the chapel, a large gust of wind swept off the Atlantic.

The wind was so cold and so strong that it nearly ripped the door from its hinges. She sat down in the back of the chapel all the while trying to warm up her little boys and get warmed up herself in the unevenly heated room from the winters chill. Then a peculiar thing happened. Everyone in the congregation had turned around once the door was thrown open and again moments later noticing this young mother and children as they walked in and sat shivering in the cold. A family rose to their feet and offered to let this widow and family take their seats in the front of the chapel, much closer to the fire. The mother and her children graciously accepted, while others in the front also noticed that most of the members in the back were also bundled up trying to stay warm. They gave up their seats as well.

The tradition began that halfway through the service, everyone would stand, break, and take a look at those around them. A small reflection of life. They would give up what they had and look to those in need. Those in the back of the chapel would humble themselves, accepting the gift of others and walk forward to warm themselves for the rest of the service. It became such a part of the congregation, the tradition of giving up your seat for someone else, that they continued doing it year-round.

Then as generation after generation passed through these doors, those acts, those small acts of kindness followed with them as they left through the doors and back into their lives in the community. Neighbors took neighbors meals when sick or torn by economic conditions, during times of wars, death, and disabilities. Those who were in need were more willing to accept help from others because in better times that had been the givers. It created a culture in our church. It created a lifestyle in our community.