Church re-dedication ceremony notes many blessings

Less than a year after flames and smoke damaged Meadville’s Praise Cathedral Church of God, the congregation came together on Sunday, March 6 to publicly mark and celebrate God’s mercy in rededicating their sanctuary.

Pastor Larry Edwards opened his remarks during the morning worship service by noting that no one could have predicted the challenges the church would face over the past few years.

“In March, 2020 — about six weeks after (my wife) Missy and I became pastors, we had our first encounter with the unseen enemy called the coronavirus pandemic,” Edwards noted.

“Our church world was turned upside down with masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer. We did our first livestream then, and I told the church — and I’ll say it again today — I would rather have this place full of people instead of looking into that little bitty camera.”

Edwards said through those initial trials, God never stopped blessing His people, but the Praise Cathedral family would soon face another obstacle.

“On April 10, 2021, we were getting ready for our 25th church anniversary and I had went out to the sign and changed it to a scripture from Isaiah 43:19 — it reads, ‘Behold, I do a new thing sayeth the Lord,’” he went on to say.
“The night of Tuesday, April 13, Adam Smith called me and asked if I knew the north wall of the church was on fire. For the last 11 months, we had been dealing with getting things back (to normal) with everything that had been going on (coronavirus) and then this happened.”

Edwards said the reality of everything that occurred could have gone one of two ways — expressing feelings of “oh me” or “praise God.”

Even with those trials, Edwards said he is thankful for all the Lord has done and how He has blessed the church.
“Genesis 50:20 tell us, ‘But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive,’” he continued.

“One of the firemen told me if the fire had burned 20 minutes longer,the building would have burned to the ground. God blessed us, had mercy on us and allowed the fire to be put out. He allowed the building to be reconstructed, and I believe God is going to do greater things than He has ever done before.”

With Sunday’s rededication of its worship facilities, Edwards said his desire is to see more people being saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost and set free by the power of God.

“We need to give God the greatest praise for what He has done, especially in the last 11 months,” he continued referencing the fire and the congregation overcoming that tragedy.

The blaze caused damage to the sanctuary, which are located at 940 Mississippi Highway 556 near the Meadville corporate limits.

The fire was reportedly traced to wiring behind a display cross under the roof line on front of the building, with the heat from the flames scorching the church’s metal roofing surrounding the familiar steeple visible from nearby U.S. Highway 84.

The building also sustained some smoke and water damage inside as a result of the blaze.

Lee Miley, who previously served as Praise Cathedral’s pastor along with his late wife, Teresa, said it was truly emotional being back in the church and seeing so many of the people that meant a great deal to him.

Miley’s sermon opener came from Haggai 1:9, which states, “Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”

He noted that people in today’s world — as in Biblical times — have much and look for much, but should be about the work of building God’s house.

“We’re here to dedicate this sanctuary to the Lord and we need to thank Him for all He has done and will do in our lives,” Miley continued.

“Jesus told us He was going to have a church and He was going to have a people that nothing would be able to destroy and nothing would be able to stop no matter how dark it gets.

“The Word tells us He watches over his church and that He has called and ordained His church to be a light in the world.”

Miley challenged the congregation to get about the business of building God’s temple in their own lives and to be a witness for the glorification of His kingdom.

Also as part of the Sunday presentation, a plaque was presented in memory of Teresa Miley — who passed away in September, 2021 — marking her 16 years of service with her husband to the congregation and in leading the lost to Christ.

Missy Edward shared recollections from her personal journal about Teresa Miley’s teaching and influence on her life, and said the plaque would ultimately serve as a reminder of her unconditional love, kindness and generosity shown to the Praise Cathedral family.
A fellowship luncheon was held following the service.