In Christian scripture, water is a meaningful symbol. It’s the life-giving rain that causes creation to bloom; a stream of righteousness; a conduit of the holy spirit in baptism; and the source of sustenance and trade for Jesus’s fishermen followers.
But water is a powerful symbol, too, when too much water shows up: God sends a flood to reset creation; the sea storms until Jonah is cast into the water and taken into a fish; sea monsters like Leviathan live in the chaotic depths of the ocean.
On Thursday night, the helpful water of our church’s sprinkler system became “too much water” when a mechanical failure sent water from the sprinkler system into the downstairs hallway of the church. We’re fortunate that the fire department received an alert and responded quickly and helped keep the water from spreading beyond one hallway of rooms; the process of dehumidifying the downstairs is working well, and necessary repairs are underway.
I’m grateful for our church community and local community and East Providence Fire Department who all jumped into action to contain this unexpected problem.
On this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, we remember and give thanks for Dr. King’s frequent quoting of the prophet Amos, who said “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” May it be so!
Traveling together,
Sam