AS WE EMBARK on a new year together as CBF Georgia, it is customary to introduce myself as the new moderator for 2023. Though born in Mississippi, I call Memphis, Tennessee, my “hometown.” I joined the staff of First Baptist Church, Griffin, in 2018 after spending sixteen years in North Carolina, where I attended graduate school and served churches as music minister and pastor. It is an honor to be here and to serve CBF Georgia in this capacity.
As some may be aware, on January 12 of this year, the town of Griffin was hit by five separate tornadoes causing wide-spread devastation throughout our community. Over 500 homes were deemed “uninhabitable” as a result of falling trees, downed power lines, and structural damage from the high winds. It is hard for me to describe the devastation that we saw as we drove through our town and talked with affected residents. The old cliché is true: it looked like a war zone.
In the days and weeks following the storms, it was a beautiful sight to see our town come together to serve the most affected. Brothers and sisters in Christ disregarded divisions in theology and denomination to band together and meet the needs of “the least of these” among us. Countless volunteers came in to help with cleanup, from large non-profit organizations to churches to individuals who just showed up to help. We even received video messages from as far away as Uganda encouraging and praying for our congregation and community. To all those who stood with us during that time, let me say, “Thank you.”
In mid-February, we decided to let the current circumstances guide our Lenten observance for this year. Instead of erecting the three beautiful, symmetrical, decorated crosses on the front lawn of FBC Griffin, we opted for a single cross made from debris collected during the storm. Connected to the split tree trunk on the base, we attached splintered siding, mangled gutters, bent steel, door frames, power lines, shattered PVC pipes, and twisted sheet metal. Needless to say, it looked a bit different than usual.
The jarring scene is a reminder of the ways we often sanitize the cross of Christ. We forget the cross of Christ was a monument to violent devastation. Yet, our cross is also a reminder of the hope we have in Griffin this season, for the story of Easter is a story of life rising out of the devastation of death. It is a story of hope springing up in unexpected places.
The same day that we constructed our cross, a church member drove by around sunset. The juxtaposition of debris against the beautiful skyline caused her to pull the car over and snap a picture. She posted it online with these song lyrics from Michael Gungor: “You make beautiful things. You make beautiful things out of the dust.”
This is the hope that we have been leaning into this Easter at First Baptist, Griffin. I hope and pray that you may find it in your own journey through death and resurrection as well.