For The Fayette Citizen, Sunday, September 25, 2004

Delta families, you are in our love and prayers!

We know there's trouble in paradise. I am not being flippant or sarcastic.

I say this with all due respect and sincerity in light of the new reality

that has come upon us here in the greater Fayette community. This thing with

Delta is of major concern for so many. For all of us, really.

We do live in paradise. Our current cultural lingo would ask, "Is

this a great place to live, or what?!" We have built our community and

our neighborhoods into places of beauty and serenity. We have great schools,

great recreation for our kids, great churches, and great pride in our little

corner of God's green earth. For years we have ridden the wave of economic

success and have lived the American Dream. It's been wonderful!

We've had a few set-backs, of course. There was Eastern "going out" and

Northwest withdrawing as a hub here in Atlanta. Some of you on the "I.T." side

of business have recently seen your jobs in jeopardy. To those of you involved

in any of those problems - or whatever difficulties your job and livelihood

have encountered - we want you to know that you have been in our "love

and prayers."

And now, you Delta families: It's scary, isn't it? Will filing for Chapter

11 come at the end of this month? The end of this year? And if so, what will

that really mean for you? You pilots are rightfully concerned about your

career and your pension. You mechanics, flight attendants, ground crew, and

business personnel, you are rightfully nervous about your job security. What

will all this mean for you and your family? Your immediate and distant future?

It's disconcerting, to say the least. So, please know we have you in our

love and prayers!

And, as we watch for the potential economic domino theory, we are all concerned

about a Delta Chapter 11 or an eventual outcome even worse - God forbid!

(I'm serious about that, too, again not flippant or sarcastic!) What would

that mean for all of us? It wouldn't be good, that's for sure. Of course,

we're holding each other in our love and prayers, aren't we?

But my message for all of us in general, and for you Delta families in

particular, is not a word of gloom and doom. It's not a word of despair and

hopelessness. It is instead a word of hope and encouragement.

Here are some words to lift you: "We know that in everything God works

for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans

8:28) And, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that

suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character

produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been

poured into our hearts." (Romans 5:3-5)

Does that mean that companies will not fail, that businesses will not go

under, that nothing bad will ever happen to us? No, of course not. Those

are human and economic realities. But it does mean that even though God does

not promise to take away all human hassles and predicaments, He promises

to go through them with us and to bring us through them under His care. Now

that's a GOOD WORD!

Will you have to make some tough decisions? Probably yes. Has God given

you your brain, and will He give you the guidance you need to make those

decisions? Absolutely yes. Will it be necessary to re-do your family budget?

Probably yes. Will that be all bad? Probably not. Will you have what you

need, even if you do not have all you want? Probably yes. Do we need to pray

for those in leadership positions to make good decisions that give the company

it's best chance to succeed? Absolutely yes. Can you count on God to be with

you all the way? Absolutely yes.

Delta families, don't lose hope! We want Delta strong. We want your jobs

and home and family secure. We support you and care about you. We encourage

you. We keep you in our love and prayers!

Kollmeyer is Pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Hwy. 314 in Fayetteville,

between Lowe's and The Pavilion. He invites anyone without a church right

now, or anyone "seeking God" to come to Sunday worship at 8:15,

9:30 (Contemporary), or 11:00 (Pipe Organ). For more information log on at

www.popdove.com or call 770-461-3403.