Easter

Easter Is Coming During morning worship on Palm Sunday, 1994, a tornado struck the Goshen United Methodist Church in Piedmont, Alabama. It happened during a dramatic presentation. The electricity failed, and the congregation was trying to get along without its sound system. A window broke, people screamed, and the building exploded, injuring scores of members and killing twenty.

Among the fatalities was Hannah Clem, four-year-old daughter of Pastor Kelly Clem. The night after the tragedy, Kelly was trying to sleep, tossing and turning through the pain of her own injuries.

An unusual dream came to her. She saw herself trying to lift bricks and toss them aside, clearing away rubble, trying to rescue the victims. She kept doing the same thing over and over. Everything was gray and dull.

But as her dream progressed, she stepped back from the scene and saw right in the spot where Hannah had been buried, children, dressed in beautiful, bright colors. They seemed oblivious to the onlookers, and were playing and laughing with each other. They were standing on grass of the greenest green. When Kelly awoke, a peace settled over her and strengthened her for the funerals ahead.

The next day, a reporter asked Kelly if the disaster had shattered her faith. “It hasn’t shattered my faith,” she replied.

“I’m holding on to my faith. It’s holding me. All of the people of Goshen are holding on to each other, along with the hope they will be able to rebuild. Easter is coming.”