By Pastor Stan Rankin,
Hamer Church Of God
Rev. Stan Rankin
It caught up with me.
Way back in the spring (March) of this year 2020, we began to follow guidelines from our state and church leaders about the pandemic. It started after the second Sunday in March when we closed our services and went in and did church online. After a few weeks, we began doing outdoor drive-in services and allowing more freedom. By the summer’s end, we began having Sunday morning services and soon limited children’s ministry. Also, we were beginning to feed people in our community by doing outreach meals a couple times each month. We also were able to begin a food distribution serving many families. It seemed to me that I was still living pretty normally. I would be wearing a mask at church and then I would take it off. Most of our leaders would not be very diligent in wearing masks. Yet, we had almost none in our church who had been very sick with the virus. We had been exceedingly blessed. We had all kinds of different views about the virus. Is it really that bad? Is it a government hoax? Are our freedoms being taken from us? These are still valid and real questions.
But for me, I found out it is a real thing. I held our last in-house worship service on the first Sunday of September. It was well attended for the pandemic times. The music was great, and the choir sang. We prayed over several people. The Holy Spirit was definitely present. Plans were to have an outreach meal on Thursday and then a large food distribution the following Thursday. Everything was looking great.
Then the following day, one of the members of the praise team informed me that she became ill during church. She had no idea that she was even sick. Later, she informed us that she tested positive. As the days went by, I began to hear of others who had the virus in our church. After all this time, it seemed to be breaking out. We called off our Wednesday night service and canceled our Food Ministry. The next Sunday services would have to be outdoors.
By Tuesday of that week, I had developed a terrible sinus cold. On Thursday, I went to see our family doctor who prescribed antibiotics and gave me a steroid shot. He insisted that I go and be tested, which I did on the 10th of September. I was told to quarantine which I did. The following Monday, I received the call that I tested positive for COVID-19. Patsy had tested the same day that I did. However, her results had come back negative, and she flew to Ohio to watch our grandchildren while Paul and Cara attended a conference. She returned on Wednesday, and by now I had developed fevers, body aches, and a cough that would be so violent that I would become nauseated. I could no longer speak or get out so I asked our new Youth Pastor, Brandon Skipper, to take the Sunday services outdoors. He was excellent and has been such a blessing to me.
By the following Monday, I was so weak that I fell onto the floor after getting my shower. My breathing was getting worse. One of the things I had to deal with during this was a mental battle. My mind seems to be so foggy at times. I had to fight just giving up because I felt so bad. I know this became a spiritual battle for me. So on Monday, I gave in for Patsy to take me to the ER here in Dillon. Once inside, I had a long day and a half waiting in a small exam room as they ran tests and began to give me fluids. They soon discovered that I had pneumonia and was breathing with difficulty. On Tuesday morning, I was moved to the COVID ward. I had met Dr. Wallace in the ER and was impressed with his care. He explained to me the course of treatment, and the nurses began work on me.
I had never spent overnight in the hospital since becoming an adult. I had a broken arm and shoulder on my 13th birthday that put me in the hospital for an extended time. Yet, as an adult, I had only been to the ER room for minor injuries or sickness. Now, I was to spend a full week in the hospital.
I must say that I had the best doctors in Dr. Wallace and Dr. Goldstein. The nurses at the hospital here are the greatest. They were so good to me. I did my best to do everything they said. By the time Thursday came around, I began to feel stronger. I begin to feel that I was coming out. I began to pray in my spirit and praise God. I began to recall scriptures and repeat them in my weak voice. I sat up and turned on my Facebook account and shared the Word. I began to have people from all over pray for me. Over 400 people sent me messages of faith. I knew that I had to come out of this.
By now, Patsy had been retested as her cough persisted, and she felt weak. I urged her to come to the ER, and they found she didn’t have pneumonia and gave her medicines to go home with. Sure enough, she also was now positive. She was quarantined. I could never praise God enough for the people of Hamer Church of God and the community here. They were constantly checking on Patsy while I was in the hospital. Our church family, ministry staff, and wonderful neighbors made sure she was taken care of. They have continued to do so since I have been home.
By Saturday, I was feeling strength again. The doctor was so pleased when he came in and I was breathing well without much help from the oxygen. By Sunday, I was able to join watching our outdoor service online. The Holy Spirit had laid on my heart to ask several to share in the service. Oh, how I was blessed as they worshipped and Bamah Ngang from Cameroon spoke of “Is your Name in the Book of Life?” Then, the doctor came in and asked if I wanted to go home. I was elated and made plans to get home.
I am writing this on Tuesday since coming home. I still can tell my body is weak and have some coughing, but I can testify that God has been gracious and touched my unworthy soul. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for his mercy and help. His presence has been more real to me than ever. My desire to please Him is greater than a few weeks ago. I feel a surrender in my soul that is greater than before. I certainly have a new and greater love and appreciation for those God has placed in my life. I want to love and serve others more than ever. I feel like I owe so many so much. I am so blessed beyond measure. I have the world’s best wife and children. I have hope for my grandchildren. I am living among some of the finest people in the US and the world in this small town of Dillon, SC. I have been so blessed to have people who love us in my hometown and other parts of the country.
I just wanted to share this because I know this is a time that we will remember and look back and say, “His grace was sufficient.” I believe that God is getting His people right, and in position to see His glory in our midst and to be His hand extended in a hurting world. Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith!
I plan to try to be in the pulpit at Hamer Church of God this coming Sunday, Oct. 4. We will only have one service at 11 a.m. We will require all who enter to wear a mask and keep it on during service. We ask that each person entering allow us to check their temperature for fever. We ask that anyone who has symptoms stay at home and worship online with us. I do not want anyone to be at risk from coming to our services during this time. It is not to take away anyone’s freedom, but to stop the spread of this terrible virus. I believe we can be more wise and stop this spread over our area. We held testing at the Church on Wednesday, Sept. 30th in our parking lot free of charge.
I hope we will keep being the Church. We must not stop trusting Jesus, loving one another, and serving when we can. If you see a need that you can fill, follow your heart in love, and God will release His power.
I love each of you, I look forward to going on as God leads. Thank you all so much!
