Mennonite Barn Raising

A good ole Mennonite Barn Raising, or in my case a shed raising. I purchased a DIY  shed kit. Everything you need came with it – Even the nails. The instructions said, ”minimum carpentry skills required.” There you have it. Everything pre-cut, all the hardware is the provided, so all I needed was some hardy men to help. We even threw in cinnamon rolls for breakfast (we started at 7 am), and sloppy joes for lunch.

With hammer in hand the first nail was struck. ”Was that an explicative?” several wacks latter,  and if these men swore the air would be blue. So, as good Mennonites, any swear words were tucked away in their minds; between them and God.  

The problem was the nails. They were soft and kept bending. So soft that you could bend them with your hand. It was going to be a long day. I would not be beaten by nails. Off to the local lumber store, and I returned with a nail gun. (don’t judge me, I was looking after my men). It was nice and much faster. 

Wait, the pre-cut was pre-cut to fit perfectly. Fortunately, we had a carpenter and math whiz who made the calculations, adjusted the corners and pulled out his circular saw. Then came the anchors. The drill bits were too short and the drill not powerful enough to drive the anchor. Off to the store again. They had only one, really long bit, which was not the right size. I bought it, along with a new box of anchors. It was now going great!

It was the hottest day of the year (so far), and it took its toll on all three of us. I felt like my Dewalt drill when the battery is draining. I probably sounded like it too. The walls are up, and the sun is going down. We have to finish it another day.

I like the concept of a barn raising. A community of people gathering to help one of its own. That’s the way it should be. We also are being built up. Not with human hands or earthly materials. The Apostle Paul said, ” In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph. 2:22.

We are “being” — it is a process that God works in each of us so that together we will be a dwelling place for God. Think about it, Christ in you, in us, the Spirit of God working on us, to join us together for a common purpose; to be his dwelling place. That makes us special in Christ. That’s why I like corperate worship. It’s a taste of what’s to come. See you tomorrow, I’m just saying.