Letter to the editor: A hymn of joy for Fourth of July Bible Marathon

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To the editor:

I want to thank you for your help in sharing news of Dallas County’s participation in the Iowa Bible Reading Marathon at the courthouse in Adel last week. I am so grateful for all of the help received from so many as our county was one of more than 50 counties statewide.

Your support was greatly appreciated in helping create awareness and volunteer support.

Our hope and prayer was simply to honor God. He blessed us so much in return, more than we could have ever imagined. We prayed for protection and provision of people, and that was certainly a prayer fulfilled.

Here are a few highlights:

  • 128 volunteers participated, representing all ages. Individuals and families were members of about a dozen different churches.
  • God inspired many to return and read at other times, filling open spaces on the schedule just in time.
  • Parents brought their kids of all ages, with those old enough helping to read.
  • We were protected from weather and any other “storms.” Radar at one point showed all dark just south of Adel, but we only had a few sprinkles.
  • Only one person stopped to question the “separation of church and state,” which is widely misunderstood by many, due to false information, and we were able to share the truth.
  • A single mother of three stopped late one night, hurting, feeling alone and needing help and prayer. She willingly gave her contact information, which was passed on to two great women of faith at the Bible Marathon.
  • One comment that stuck with me came from a mother who told her teenage daughters, “You never know. This could be the last time this is allowed on the courthouse lawn.” Let’s hope and pray that her words never come true.
  • Thanks to the wonderful young people who just showed up like angels on Saturday night. Four of us were each able to read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John simultaneously out loud from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. It was like a choir!

We were able to go from being behind to finishing ahead of time at 3:15 p.m. Sunday. So just short of 80 hours from when we started at 8 a.m. Thursday morning, we finished.

Although I would love to list people and churches by name, it’s not possible to name everyone, and I wouldn’t want to miss anyone. The one exception I want to make regarding recognition is this: Although the Bible Marathon was not sponsored by any one church or organization, whether statewide or in Dallas County, I want to thank Spurgeon Manor in Dallas Center for their support with readers, forthe link on their website for online registration and for so much more.

We are indeed blessed to live in a free country. I am so grateful for your support, as this was a great opportunity to honor God and come together and make so many new friends.

May God richly bless you and keep you!

Scott Brunscheen
West Des Moines

2 COMMENTS

  1. Actually, there is nothing to misunderstand about it at all. You chose to stage a religious function on public grounds, the latter not a park but on the courthouse grounds, a symbol of sovereignty. True, your offense was marginal and not enough to make a huge stink about. Still, I did turn you in for it all if for no other reason than to let you know I’m watching you. The Wall of Separation is very real and is nothing to trifle with. Neither am I.

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