Church In A Deserted Town?

My mind is reeling with images of Greensburg and the many other townships of Kansas and other surrounding states that have been hit by the devestating storms that this weekend cooked up.

My heart pours out to the victims of these storms that lost family members and/or their possessions.

The small town of Greensburg has been declared as having a status of "martial law." Citizens are able to come in for a few hours during the day to try to locate belongings, lost pets, and mourn their loss.

Several major news publications have noted that there are no longer any houses of worship located in Greensburg. Yet, I can't help but sense that on this Sunday, in the midst of more storms on the way, the body of Christ was present, active, and God-focused in the town of Greensburg.

Milling through the destroyed buildings and homes, various Christ followers shared in each others sorrow and pain. Extended families which had gathered together stood on the rubble of their homes and shed tears while thanking God for the fact that they were safe and still alive.

Is this not the body of Christ in Greensburg engaged in the same acts that the universal Church is always engaged in? It obviously didn't take place in a building. It may not have been led by a group of religious leaders. It also did not follow a specific regimen or order. However, Christ following men and women edified each other, reflected upon the providence of God, and lifted up heartfelt prayers of gratitude and requests for wisdom and guidance.

If all congregations could be as relevant to the needs of people in our times of worship!

Greensburg may take years to rebuild, and its' congregants may not have formal buildings to worship in for months to come, but in their loss they have shown those around them that meaningful worship and edification can be found despite Greensburg's temporary population of 0.