Rapha Rock

I know....
If you come to Saturday night service at Vineyard ReCovery you will see this rock on our stage.
Nothing special about it. It's just a rock. But the rock has a history to it.

We first started a service at Rapha (Drug and alcohol treatment center) back in 2006. For two years, we had our meetings on Sunday morning -  8:30 a.m.\
This was a stretch for me, as I was not use to having church early on a Sunday morning.  For eight years prior we had Saturday night church. Well, we went two years at Rapha having church every Sunday morning.

In 2008, I was given the green light to move to Saturday night. I jumped on that quick before anyone even thought about changing their mind. Saturday night it was.
Vicki and I began to think about how we could change the chapel and make it more relevant to those who attended. Vicki had always wanted an altar for the men to come down to pray or receive ministry, but she didn't want a typical altar. She wanted something different that was kind of symbolic to the message of the Gospel.

She came to me and said, "What do you think about getting a rock from the creek there at Rapha?" I thought it was good idea. A Rock............Jesus is THE rock....the fact that He is the Christ, the Son of God and upon this He is building His church (Matthew 16:18). Yeah, we needed a rock. But in Vicki's mind, it could not be any rock. It had to have weight to it, so as not easily moved. It had to have a strength to it that was not affected by any of the elements. So we set about the task of finding our rock.

Eventually Vicki found the one that was just right. I gathered up some men to help me haul it up to the shore and move it to the chapel. We must have looked like a the Hebrews down in Egypt working on the Pyramids. Mission accomplished.

Now 11 years later, that rock has a history of its own.
I can't tell you how many tears have been shed over that rock.
I would go to the chapel, open the door, and before I stepped in, there would be someone down front, draped over that rock crying and weeping as they prayed.
I'm pretty sure that the rock has heard...."I'm so sorry for what I've done...please forgive me" more times than I can count.

So fast forward to 2013.
Rapha has changed hands.
The chapel is being worked on....new flooring....fresh paint, but the rock has been taken out.
It was sitting outside in the grass.
When I saw it, I knew that I had to bring it to Vineyard ReCovery, so I asked the powers that be if I could have it. They agreed to giving me the rock.

Vineyard ReCovery is the home of the rock now.......has been for over 6 years.
It is still a great symbol for the strength, stability, power and authority of the only One who can bring to freedom to a life in bondage to sin/addiction............that would be Jesus.
Just thought I'd share a little bit of our history this morning.
Have a great day....
And Merry Christmas from the "B's" in Attalla.
Michael and Vicki