That's the Night That the Lights Went Out in Tulsa

#182

Friend,

It was a dark and dreary night, but it didn’t stay that way.

Let me tell you a story.

Last night, our church hosted “Carols and Blessings.” Two of our great church leaders, Mike & Jan Honaker, prepare for the night by making rum cake, sending out invitations, and getting all the music ready. Mike, who looks more than a little like Santa Claus, is a gifted singer, former theater teacher, and just jolly.

But when the lights went out in the sanctuary (and across Tulsa), apparently, a car hit a pole, which caused a train reaction, 20 minutes before the event started, as the choir was about to wrap up their rehearsals. We didn’t know what to do.

But as they say, “The show must go on.” 125+ people were gathered in the sanctuary, many of whom would have no power in their house anyway, so at that dark moment, light entered in.

Our emergency lights turned on, cell phones, flashlights were utilized, candles were lit on the altar, and the candleabras utilized for weddings and Christmas Eve were pulled out of the basements and closets. We even handed out the candles that we use for Christmas Eve for people to hold, so people could see the musical booklets that were made for the event.

And then the singing started. We sang carols, “Angels, We Have Heard on High,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” to name a few. We started acapella because we bought this new digital piano that can be acoustic, but it still needs to be plugged in. But this is Oklahoma, and there was some guy with a truck. This guy pulled his truck around, plugged in his extension cord, and we plugged that piano right in just in time for a gorgeous rendition of “O Holy Night.”

One of the traditions of this night is for Mike to lead us in the Hallelujah Chorus. That’s a hard song to sing in the light with practice, in the dark with no practice, it’s practically impossible, but nobody cared. I held a flashlight for our pianist and organist who played the piano together as we sang a song that made heaven and earth smile. Not because it was the best rendition of the song that had ever been sung, but it may have been the most joyful rendition.

In the darkness, 87-year-old Dr. Bob Mansfield shared a word about hope, and we felt the hope that evening.

As we wrapped up, we sang “Silent Night” and ended with “Joy to the World.” When I gave the benediction, I joked that this felt like a Hallmark movie and that the lights would turn on when we were done.

Five minutes after we finished singing, and people were getting their cakes, trying to recognize their friends, then sure enough, the lights came back on, and we could finally see the smiles that had certainly been on all of our faces all evening.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” Isaiah 9:2

We lived the great light last night. Not when the lights finally came on, but in the darkness, with hundreds of little lights of candles and cell phones, and a joyful congregation singing together:

Joy to the world the Lord has come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

Love,

Aaron

P.S. Most of my letters are a little different, but last night was a special occasion, and I wanted to share the story with you.