Eternal Light Candle

     Seminarian Bill Peacock from Mobile was supported in part by Zion Lutheran Church for several seminary years and was ultimately ordained at the church in Silverhill in 1987. His wife Gretchen was Pastor Carl Almer's daughter. Almer had pastored St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Mobile which was closed in the late 1980s. When St. Peter's closed its doors, the sanctuary candle now hanging in the chancel of Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill, was donated in memory of Pastor Almer because of the Peacock connection with the Silverhill church. That sanctuary candle has been in continuous use since the early 1950s. Each week a candle caretaker (Fairhope resident Ernie Burnett or his stand-in) has had to climb a ladder and replace the burning candle.

     Becky and Steve Vasko modified the “eternal light candle” in time for Easter 2011. The eternal light (suspended from the ceiling above the church’s altar) symbolizes God’s presence for His people. The Vaskos are busy in this photo, cleaning up after their lamp project.

     With Ernie’s recent illness, the Zion congregation has come to understand the difficulties of carrying out this weekly task. Charlie Canning and Zion's Pastor Dave Johnson discussed the situation with Ernie. Ernie and wife Henrie are former members of the sanctuary candle’s original home at St. Peter's in Mobile. The question was posed, “Would electrifying the candle sacrifice the sanctity of the candle?” That is, “Would God be honored by an eternal light that was electric, not needing weekly maintenance?” Ernie considered the situation. “Yes, an electric substitution for wax would be acceptable and not offensive to the history of this candle or the people involved in Zion’s obtaining it from St. Peter’s.”

     Pastor Dave brought a proposal to the Zion Lutheran Church Council the same week on April 7. “Would the Council allow the Johnson family the privilege of electrifying the candle in memory of Gary Johnson and Dorothy Persen, Pastor Dave’s siblings who passed away this past year?” The answer was affirmative.

     On Good Friday, April 22, 2011, Becky and Steve Vasko with consultation from Peter Midgarden installed a flickering LED candle bulb with a lifetime expectancy of 100,000 hours into the former wax candle assembly. Now no one will have to replace the light for at least the next ten or eleven years! At this news, Ernie Burnett is smiling. AND, all those who have assisted in the care of the church’s eternal light since 1987, are smiling. God is honored. On one level, this sixty year old sanctuary lamp has been given new life, very fitting as the church first shares its glow during worship on Easter Sunday. The memory of Pastor Almer and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Mobile is honored. The memories of Gary Johnson of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Dorothy Persen of Portland, Oregon, are honored. The eternal candle, also called the sanctuary candle, continues to honor God and add to the worship experience at Zion Lutheran Church.