You never know

...what will happen at the altar rail.

It had been a somewhat emotional Sunday anyway - it was "Honor a Friend Sunday" and people stood up during the sermon time and gave testimony about friends they had invited to the service today. There were quite a few tearful and tender moments.

One of the dads of a special needs kid came up to receive communion, and just stayed kneeling with his head in his hands, quietly weeping.

My vicar just stood there over him, saying prayers, with her hands on his head. She talked to him afterwards.

He had tried to commit suicide this week. The stress of a high-pressure job, a child with great challenges, financial difficulties all took him to the edge.

But not all the way there, thank God.

That exquisite moment of inbreaking of God's love saved him and his family. And that same inbreaking made it possible for him to open up to us about his pain and need.

His road ahead is going to be difficult, but I hope we can be there for him and help to know that God is with him even in this awful moment.

It is humbling to do this work.