Wittenberg time capsule opened

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 28, 2012

Twenty five years….a quarter of a century. Seems like forever to teens and preteens.
But the time finally passed. And the Wittenberg Young Disciples with their pastor, John Woodard, dug up the time capsule, made from a three-foot piece of PVC pipe, they so carefully planted on the south side of the church in September 1987.The church in Granite Quarry made an event of it back then. And at Homecoming this year they made an event of it again. It is Wittenberg Lutheran Church’s 111th year. Pastor John, as the children called him, came home to celebrate the opening of the capsule and to preach the sermon.
Pastor Tom Cogan, current pastor, was as excited as the kids (now adults, ages 37-42 years old). He helped plan the ceremony which took place during the Sunday school hour. Jon Ketner, youth advisor, and Jeff Beaver, one of the Wittenberg Young Disciples members, located and dug the capsule on Saturday afternoon. They looked at old pictures of the 1987 event to narrow the location. They found it and carefully sawed through the PVC pipe capsule.
Pastor John carefully opened the plastic bag surrounding the treasures. One by one they pulled out items of the 80’s including a pair of jams, a banana comb, pictures of babies born that year, a copy of the Salisbury Post, a can of classic Coke and new Coke, and a video tape of interviews of Pastor John and each member of the youth group. As adults they were able to see themselves giggling and prophesying the future.
Some of the parents and children had not seen each other for years, separated by school and circumstance. The reunion brought stories of jobs, school, marriages, and children. Afterwards the group gathered with the congregation for a home cooked lunch in the fellowship hall.