Randy Suits

Church with the Thatched Roof

Dear Eve, who God brought to me from over the seas,

In Silver End, Witham, England is a small village church with a thatched roof. It is one of only three worship centers in the village and is distinct among all the other homes, businesses and buildings in town. It is the only thatched roof structure in the village. One wonders why a more conventional approach wasn’t taken when this church was erected in 1948. Mainland Europe and Britain still have thached roofs even though craft artisans are rare and very few young workers aspire to that vocation. After the second world war, resources were scarce and expensive. Labor was cheap, but the devastation of war had robbed the work force of many skilled workmen. Thatched roofs were the answer to shortages of raw materials for straw grew plentifully and abundantly in the countryside. Common sense prevailed for worship needs are simple and God does not require a grandiose cathedral, temple or mosque as a prerequisite to approaching Him with praise, needs or guidance. Our age could learn from those believers who sought to approach God in an inexpensive church made more valuable to the Master Builder by the sewat of their brow, callused hands and humble hearts. They understood that our Great God would meet them at the point of their need and bless the works of their hands when they offerred, from their hearts, treasure above and beyond the valuation systems of men. God looks on the heart and he saw that these builders gave all they had. Our Lord never asks more than we can do. When he leads us to build a church, He will also provide the means. The builders received from God a bounty from the land and dedicated it to a more noble purpose than feeding men and livestock. God provides materials and resources for any good project of man. Sometimes a simple solution like reverting to building practices centuries old is most practicle. God is practicle. That is why the wise and educated of the world miss the message and direction of the God with a solution for all problems. Those who pray and worship at this church with the thatched roof are blessed as much as those worshipping at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. True worship takes place in our heart and mind whenever and wherever we offer up ourselves in communion with the Most High God. I like to worship and pray with you, my Kochana. He has called us to a higher ideal. Let us not fail Him in the work which must surely come to pass, for even if we fail to carry through to the end, the unstoppable, ever progressing plan of God will prevail.

Let us offer our bodies a temple for the living God, Kochany