The air was bustling with energy May 13 as brethren from the Columbia and St. Louis, Missouri, congregations gathered for their annual seminar, service and spring dinner/dance. There were 78 in attendance for the 10 a.m. seminar. Guest speaker Ken Graham gave an inspiring seminar about the canonization of the books of the Bible, after which everyone took a break for lunch.

As the lunch break was coming to an end, the clouds moved in and the sky grew dark. Then the rain came down in buckets!

The lightning was flashing and the thunder seemed to be getting louder. Then FLASH/BOOM! The lightning flash was almost instantaneously followed by the boom of the thunder. The short-lived chaos was only funny if you were not one of the startled flock.

The flash was so bright that those outside shielded their eyes away from it. The boom was deafening. There were people ducking as though a shot had rung out right behind them. Shaking hands quickly covered ears. Coffee jumped from cups. There was a report of flame or sparks coming from the outlets along one wall.

It was amazing how quickly everyone settled down when we realized it was only thunder that shook the building. Few knew the full extent of the event. The afternoon services began with 143 in attendance. Mr. Graham gave an edifying sermon on the authorized order of the Bible.

No one suspected we were part of a continuing miracle at this time. In fact, the lightning bolt had struck a power pole with a transformer on it just 40 feet from the building. The pole splintered at the very top. The swing-bars on the transformer were swinging back and forth but the transformer did not blow. The outlets still worked as services continued without a flicker. The sermon, dinner and dance all continued as if nothing had ever happened.

God performed a miracle on this day. The keyboard that worked after the lightning strike didn't work the following Sabbath. Had God not intervened, we would have been without electricity for the rest of the day, resulting in no Sabbath service and no dance. Experiencing these miracles with a group of brothers and sisters reminds us that God provides protection for His flock in everything we do.

Flavia Everman and her husband, Mark, coordinated this event.