At my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon last week, the doctor, noticing that I am a minister, asked me to do him a favor.

“Please tell your congregation that if they miss worship one Sunday due to bad weather God will understand,” he said.

The doctor then told the reason for his plea. He was on call at the hospital recently on a Saturday when the ice storm hit. He had to attend six patients who had taken falls. His partner had the call the following day, Sunday. Twenty more people fell that day because they were out getting to worship.

Ask yourself this: If today were a Thursday and the weather was too dangerous to risk a fall on ice or snow then isn’t it too dangerous to risk it for church on Sunday? Save that hip, knee or arm. The hospital doesn’t need your business that badly.

SHERROLYN G. WEED

Interim Pastor

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Johnson City