NAC - Wednesday (Part 2)

This fountain and sculpture celebrate God's creative power. The glass allows sunlight to pass through (reminiscent of Let there be light), and is arranged in the double helix pattern of DNA. The fountain is made in a traditional pattern denoting the Trinity. What's especially poignant about this piece of art is that it is placed right at the main entrance of Hartung Hall, AU's science building.

We had our traditional thunderstorm about 5:00 p.m., but it ended in time for us to get to church... almost dry.

Next is the closing service of this year's convention. Traditionally Wednesday night is when we commission missionaries. Worship started with a parade of nations--89 flags representing the 89 nations of the world where the Church of God ministers.

I don't know what country this father and son are from (below), but no one could have missed their excitement and pride when they eyed their flag making its way to the front of the building.

For as long as I can remember, the Wednesday night commissioning service ended with candlelight. I couldn't help but notice this year there were no candles waiting for us on each seat; instead when the time came they passed out glow sticks. I wasn't sure how that would go over, but they were really beautiful and, more than 90 minutes later, my glow stick is still shining.

After the service ended, Ben headed off to youth worship, and it started to rain. We were waiting at a vendor's for some fried cheesecake--my new favorite indulgence--when the heavens opened up with showers of blessings (I guess that depends on how you look at it). It just poured!

It stormed hard enough I had to pull up the area weather radar on my computer the minute we got home. The red dot right in the middle of this picture is Anderson, about 35 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Somehow we have to do most of our packing tonight, because there is another group coming in tomorrow, and we have to be out of our room by 8:00 a.m. It's been nice staying on campus. Fair Commons Dorm (below) was built just a couple years ago. It's on the edge of the campus, so it was a long walk to almost anywhere, but it was a great place to stay... much better than a hotel. Hotels in Anderson jack up their rates during North American Convention, so for the last few years we've stayed in Muncie or Noblesville, each about a 25-minute drive from campus. Being in a dorm right on campus was great!