A Congregation in Grief and Hope
By Dan Gunderson
May 5, 1997

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When floodwaters overwhelmed Grand Forks and East Grand Forks many churches were also flooded. United Lutheran Church in Grand Forks still has about nine feet of water in its lower level. It may be months before the congregation can worship there again. yesterday a small remnant of the congregation met in a local funeral home to begin the healing process.

THE TEARS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN to flow as pastor Tim Johnson opens the service of what he refers to as United Lutheran Church in exile.

Johnson tells his congregation it's symbolic to be meeting in a funeral home to begin grieving for all the things that have been lost: belongings missing or destroyed; a sense of security now vanished; and, worst of all, irreplaceable items that are links to the past are lost.

I THINK THE MOST TRAGIC CALLS ARE THOSE WHO ASK HOW WATERLOGGED PICTURES CAN BE SAVED. WE'VE LOST A PIECE OF OUR PAST. MAYBE IT WILL TEACH US WE CAN'T LIVE BY COMPUTERS ALONE. THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE IMBEDDED IN US SO WE DON'T LOSE THAT. MEMORIES, BOOKS, PICTURES, PLACES; WE LOST MEMORIES.

SINGING.

IF YOU PASS THROUGH RAGING WATERS, YOU WILL NOT DROWN. IF YOU WALK AMID THE BURNING FLAMES YOU SHALL NOT BE HARMED. IF YOU STAND BEFORE THE POWER OF HELL AND DEATH IS AT YOUR SIDE, KNOW THAT I AM WITH YOU THROUGH IT ALL.

Pastor Tim Johnson says people have talked to him about returning home cleaning up and going on. It will not be that simple, he says.

WE WILL NOT PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF BECAUSE WHERE WE LEFT OFF ISN'T THERE ANYMORE; WE WILL START OVER - NOT WITHOUT MEMORIES, NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION - BUT WE WILL START OVER.

Two weeks ago pastor Tim Johnson sandbagged around the church until early morning, then took a nap on the couch. He was awakened when water burst through the dike and smashed windows as it flooded the lower level of the church. With only minutes to get out, church records and the checkbook were left behind. But a rainbow-colored banner from the church hangs over pastor Johnson and a cross and baptismal fount stand behind him. In the midst of grief he says those are signs of hope.

SOMEBODY PUT WATER OVER YOUR HEAD FROM A PLACE LIKE THIS AND SAID (SLAMS FOUNT SHUT) HOPE CAN'T DIE. AND AS LONG AS HIS WORD AND HIS CLEAN WATER GIVE US NEW LIFE, HOPE WILL NOT DIE, BECAUSE GOD AND YOU WON'T LET IT. BETTER QUIT 'CAUSE I CAN'T READ THE NOTES ANYMORE.

SONG: JESUS LOVES ME

As the service ends, some leave quickly, fighting back tears. Others linger over coffee, hugging and talking.

Jane Porter says it's wonderful to see friends again, but the emotions are overwhelming. She knows the main floor of her home is flooded and expects it will be months before she and her family can move back in. She says her faith has sustained her the past three weeks.

WELL, I KEEP THINKING OF THAT VERSE THAT SAYS WE ARE TO PRAISE GOD FOR ALL THINGS, SO I KEEP LOOKING FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD ABOUT THIS. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE SILLY, BUT BEFORE THIS I PRAYED FOR MOTIVATION TO CLEAN MY HOUSE. I GUESS I HAVE MOTIVATION TO CLEAN MY HOUSE. GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US IT. I DON'T NEED MY HOUSE. I'M GLAD I'LL HAVE A HOUSE AGAIN. SOME PEOPLE WON'T. (SNIFFLE)

Some people in this congregation are among those whose homes may be demolished to make way for a new dike. Officials have made no final decisions on where the dike will go. Many people don't want to talk about it, but pastor Tim Johnson says some have already told him they will leave Grand Forks.

He says as the magnitude of the disaster sets in, he's seeing area residents close ranks.

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL DOESN'T WORK NOW FOR PEOPLE IN GRAND FORKS, SO THEY NEED TO HUDDLE FOR A WHILE. EVENTUALLY THEY WILL LOOK OUTWARD AND BE A WARM WELCOMING COMMUNITY, BUT WHILE BEING INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THE RESPONSE FROM THE AREA WHICH HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING, THERE WILL BE A NEED TO HUDDLE A LITTLE BIT.

Tim Johnson says the most difficult times are still ahead for Grand Forks. He says churches have an important role in rebuilding a sense of hope that will fuel the rebuilding of the community.

SONG: BIND US TOGETHER WITH LOVE.

Return to Flood of 1997.