>The following was sent - to another Mailing List. I am sending it on to >this list - with all my Good Wishes - for a Wonderful Holiday Season - The Happiest New Year 2002. Blessings to All. Stella > > > This is an amazing story!!! You have to read this....it's true. > > > THE TABLECLOTH > > > > > > The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first > > > ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early > > > October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, > > > it > > > was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have > > > everything > > > done in > > > time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. > > > > > > They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, > > > painting, etc. and on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and just about > > > finished. On > > > Dec 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm - hit the area and > > > lasted > > > for > > > two days. > > > > > > On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when > > > he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster > > > about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just > > > behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the > > > mess on > > > the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas > > > Eve > > > service, headed home. > > > > > > On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market > > > type > > > sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, > > > handmade, ivory colored, > > > crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross > > > embroidered > > > right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in > > > the > > > front > > > wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. > > > > > > By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the > > > opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The > > > pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 > > > minutes > > > later. > > > > > > She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a > > > ladder, > > > hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor > > > could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the > > > entire > > > problem area. > > > > > > Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was > > > like > > > a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth" The > > > pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to > > > see if > > > the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were > > > the > > > initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, > > > in > > > Austria. > > > > > > The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just > > > gotten > > > the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her > > > husband > > > were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced > > > to > > > leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was > > > captured, > > > sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor > > > wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for > > > the > > > church. > > > The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. > > > She lived on > > > the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for > > > a > > > housecleaning job. > > > > > > What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was > > > almost > > > full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, > > > the > > > pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they > > > would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the > > > neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the > > > pastor > > > wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked him where he got the > > > tablecloth > > > on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made > > > years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there > > > be > > > two tablecloths so much alike He told the pastor how the Nazis > > > came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed > > > to > > > follow > > > her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or > > > his > > > home again all the 35 years in between. > > > > > > The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little > > > ride. > > > They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had > > > taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three > > > flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he > > > saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine. > > > > > > True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid > > > > > > Who says God does not work in mysterious ways. > > > I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today. > > > To guide you and protect you as you go along your way.... > > > His love is always with you, His promises are true, > > > And when we give Him all our cares you know He will see us through. > > > So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult at best, > > > Just remember I'm here praying, and God will do the rest. > > > > > > Pass this on to those you want God to bless, and don't forget to send it > > > back to the one who asked God to bless you first. > ==== CAN-BRITISH-COLUMBIA Mailing List ==== To New Subscribers : The online indexes to British Columbia Vital Records are at http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/textual/governmt/vstats/v_events.htm#indexes These records are freely available and there are several possibilities for accessing them at a low cost.