Groundbreaking

Groundbreaking

"Have you thought about a groundbreaking," Steven Leaman asked.

And yes, I had, but for a house?

"I did it when I built mine," he said. "Just a few friends."

And so, a couple days later, on February 19, 2020 Zion Hill Mennonite Church members; Steven Leaman, director of advancement at Virginia Mennonite Missions; and Joe Longacher, a retired doctor serving as chair of Faith & Life Commission gathered for a ground breaking.




I picked 6:15 p.m., about a half hour before Zion Hill's evening Bible study for the service. My thinking was that it would be easier to move up a regularly scheduled event that try to free up a full evening. It did get dark though before we finished.








I dug the first shovelful using a new shovel Steve donated just for this celebration. And everyone else dug a shovelful, too--from elementary school age through retired adult.
















Daylight left before we did. Fortunately Steve brought a flashlight, and held it so Pastor Robert G. Wenger, could finish the meditation.









We are gathered to celebrate a time of new beginnings. New beginnings are a time of excitement: Planning the house – style, interior furnishings, colors, etc.Where we are standing, a house will soon stand--a beautiful location, seems to be a healthy environment for Anieta. 

New beginnings can also bring anxiety. The “what-if’s” – will things go smoothly? Will there be cost over-runs, unexpected complications? How will the work progress. - Will it happen on schedule?
- Will it be done safely with no injuries to the workers
- Can I trust persons I don’t know to do their work well

Then there is the construction loan that needs to be repaid over the next years. 
Psalm 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”
Solomon wrote this Psalm of Ascent, which the people sang as they walked up to the Temple to worship. Maybe Solomon was thinking about God’s house. The rest of chapter 127 tells us that Solomon was thinking of families. So we could safely substitute the word “home” instead of “house”.

Home
- A place of peace
- A place of comfort
- A place of belonging
- A place of rest
What Solomon seems to be saying is:
“Everything can be done perfectly. But unless the Lord is central, the building lacks the most essential piece.”
We have gathered to celebrate the beginning of Anieta’s house. We know that Anieta’s desire is to have God to be central in this chapter of her life.
She has often shared at church of her journey with God in this endeavor
- The sale of her former house
- The health benefits of her interim situation
- The details of: finding the lot, choosing the house, securing the loan, etc.
- Her desire for God’s favor in gathering us here for this occasion of blessing
As we join together in prayer we pray:
- That this will be a house and location that meets Anieta’s needs
- That this will be a place where God’s presence is felt
- That this will be a place of peace and comfort for Anieta and for all who come and go
- That God’s blessing and protection will be on each part of the construction process


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