Last Sunday (Nov 15), during the 11 a.m. service, a woman entered the sanctuary and spoke out loud. She seemed to be praising God and the Praise Team gently thanked her for an apparent charismatic manifestation of the Holy Spirit. In actuality, something else was going on and it seems good to let everyone know what happened and that it was handled so well by everyone involved.
The lady was escorted out when it became clear that her thoughts were not coherent and more was going on. Three women, who will remain unnamed, did a beautiful job of listening, praying, reading scripture and helping this woman and her family (a sister and a nephew). An ambulance was called and her nephew accompanied her to the hospital where her mental state and medications could be assessed.
Our two security guards also stepped up. One drove the lady’s sister (and a dog) home in their car; the other followed in his car and then drove both of them back to the church. As all this happened, I was in the hallway outside the prayer room, praying, monitoring, redirecting people and being amazed at how sensitive and care-focused this intervention was. It was my honour to play a very small role in all of this and to watch love being acted out.
On Wednesday, the sister called the church to say that her sister was still in the hospital and "still not herself". The psychiatrists are working with her to stabilize her. The caller also said that she was overwhelmed by the help that they received on Sunday. According to her, her sister had felt God telling her to come to Hope Fellowship last Sunday morning, a place that she had only been once before, on Election Day, when she came here to vote. She said that they would love to come back to our church when her sister is feeling better, and she asked that we continue to pray for her.
I am thankful for all those who responded in love and took the time to hear her story and provide help to this family.
- Sharon
The lady was escorted out when it became clear that her thoughts were not coherent and more was going on. Three women, who will remain unnamed, did a beautiful job of listening, praying, reading scripture and helping this woman and her family (a sister and a nephew). An ambulance was called and her nephew accompanied her to the hospital where her mental state and medications could be assessed.
Our two security guards also stepped up. One drove the lady’s sister (and a dog) home in their car; the other followed in his car and then drove both of them back to the church. As all this happened, I was in the hallway outside the prayer room, praying, monitoring, redirecting people and being amazed at how sensitive and care-focused this intervention was. It was my honour to play a very small role in all of this and to watch love being acted out.
On Wednesday, the sister called the church to say that her sister was still in the hospital and "still not herself". The psychiatrists are working with her to stabilize her. The caller also said that she was overwhelmed by the help that they received on Sunday. According to her, her sister had felt God telling her to come to Hope Fellowship last Sunday morning, a place that she had only been once before, on Election Day, when she came here to vote. She said that they would love to come back to our church when her sister is feeling better, and she asked that we continue to pray for her.
I am thankful for all those who responded in love and took the time to hear her story and provide help to this family.
- Sharon
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