Filed under Fireworks
Fireworks Norfolk Display
Fireworks Norfolk Display
Best Fireworks Display Harborfest July 4, 2009 Norfolk, VA Pt 1
Fireworks Cross Offers Hope to All
It was a special night for St. John’s Lutheran Church. The congregation had decided to hold a Block Party to celebrate the church’s centennial year in August 2002. Little did they know they would be blessed with a miracle.
Brett Simonsen was very excited about the upcoming event and wanted to do something special to commemorate it. The young man, who conscientiously served the church and the Lord, was more than willing to do his part. One member of the congregation had built a large oak cross that would be used at an information center that night.
”As I was heading over to pick it up,” said Brett, “I realized that I was going to need some help transporting the cross to the church. I decided to ask Eric, a friend of mine that was also a member of the church to help. Luckily, he was home and we used his truck to haul the cross to the church.”
Brett explained that Eric Sanders owned a local fireworks business and Brett began to wonder if the church might like to conclude it’s centennial celebrations with a bang. Well, the committee liked the idea and plans were made with Eric to shoot off a display.
”I asked Eric if he could get some type of fireworks that resembled a star,” said Brett. “Eric came up with a flare with a parachute that we were going to shoot when Shine Jesus Shine was played. Eric and I also put some Christian music together that we would play during the fireworks.”
A week later, Brett was asked to help compile a Centennial Directory and he agreed to take pictures at the kick-off celebration. When the big day finally arrived, the members of the congregation hurried to get everything ready. Brett’s committee set up a dunk tank in the morning and he planned to help out with that event as well.
Since he had also committed himself to taking pictures, he asked if anyone would take video footage or pictures of the front of the church, particularly during the fireworks. He hoped that a good photo of the fireworks above the Norfolk, Nebraska church could be used as the front cover for the Centennial Directory.
”I had bad luck finding anyone to do it,” he said.
Brett felt perhaps he could help out with some other last minute arrangements and then return to the church. As he backed out of his driveway, he thought again about the picture he wanted so badly. As he started to drive away, he saw one of his neighbors and a new idea popped into his head. He would ask the woman’s husband if he could take the shots! Steve Montgomery took pictures of people on the side for business and would be perfect for the job. After asking the man’s wife, off he drove to the church. Once there, he proceeded to arrange the all-important music for the fireworks display.
When evening fell on the little church, Brett was ecstatic. Everything was ready to roll and he prayed that this celebration would be one to be remembered. As the wind picked up, he was having a blast at the busy dunk tank. However, he was also worried that the fireworks later on would blow right in the direction of the crowd. Then his cell phone rang, but being so busy, he missed the call.
”In the back of my mind, I figured there went my chance to get Steve to take the picture of the front of the church.”
Brett scurried around taking last minute pictures of the day’s events. When he was almost done, he looked up to find Steve walking toward him.
”To my amazement, Steve drove down and found me at the church.”
Brett told him what pictures he had in mind and Steve agreed to take them. The young man felt truly blessed, as this man had just finished work at 7 p.m. and had to get up early the following morning.
As darkness moved in, the fireworks display was about to begin. Brett prepared to start the music and to his surprise, the wind that had gusted all day, settled right down.
”I sat down as five Christian songs were highlighted by a beautiful display of fireworks. As I watched, it sent chills through my body. It was truly a sight to see.”
When the awesome display ended, the night was concluded with a teen dance. Steve handed over two roles of film that he had taken and said, “I sure hope they turn out.”
The next day, Brett took the films in to be processed and prayed again for that one special picture.
”I got them back, excited that one of the pictures could be the front cover for the directory.”
The first photo he saw was of two crosses and didn’t seem to be what he was looking for.
”I started thumbing through the pictures and found the rest of the roll had beautiful pictures of the fireworks.”
Then it dawned on him that something was very strange about that first photo.
”I was drawn back to the first picture, which had been the first one taken. Then I looked and looked at it.”
There should have been only one cross at the church – the large oak cross he and Eric had taken to the church before the celebration. However, in the photo he also saw another cross that looked very much like a crucifix. When he used his scanner to enlarge the photo, he was stunned by what he saw.
”I could see a face and arms, and even a hand and part of a body. At that moment, that picture took me and gripped me with what it represented! All I could think about was that I had to show this to as many people as I could.”
Completely shaken by this, Brett immediately took the picture to friends and family, and got quite a mix of reactions. However, most of them were astounded.
”I had some people wonder what the crucifix was made of and others that got tears in their eyes with joy. The expressions on peoples’ faces when they saw the picture made me want to show it more.”
The young man must have show that photo to more than 100 people in his hometown and then realized he could reach many more through the Internet.
”I have a hobby of making web sites and so decided to start there. I built the site and tried to figure out how to get attention to it.”
First, he sent information about the cross on his web site to all of his e-mail contacts. Then he called a number of radio stations in Iowa and Nebraska.
”Wow! Channel 6 out of Omaha aired the picture on its 10 o’clock news!”
That airing caught the media by storm. The photo was then shown on many NBC affiliates across the nation, including Albany and Troy, New York, Little Rock, Arkansas, Pittsburgh and Boston, Pennsylvania and San Antonio, Texas. Some even noted the URL of Brett’s web site.
”I was able to track them to their source from my counter on the web site.”
And even more amazing is the fact that the picture was aired nationwide just days before the terrible 9-11 tragedy. He prays that the photo helped some people cope with that event.
Despite the widespread coverage and popularity of the photo, Brett has continued to maintain his small town views and his devotion to both St. John’s Lutheran Church and the Lord. How could he not? After all, this was a miracle given to the entire congregation, he said.
”To me, this picture is just an amazing picture that our church was blessed with. I don’t pretend to think of this as a sign or anything. It is just a mystery to me on the timing.”
Through my book, “Glimpses 2” It Could Happen To You! that includes his story, as well as other media sources, Brett hopes to fulfill the destiny that he personally feels he has been blessed with. When he recalled all that has happened with the fireworks cross, he expounded on his personal joy that this photo fell into his hands.
”My personality fits getting a picture like this. I want to share good things with people.”
”I feel that everyone should be able to see this picture.”
He also hopes the fireworks cross will help others in the world that may be searching for answers.
”(It is) a picture that common sense tells me couldn’t in a million years be made to look like that, without some intervention of some type and since I have the negative, I know it’s genuine. It amazes me!”
Brett Simonsen still lives in Norfolk, Nebraska where he continues to do everything he can to promote the fireworks cross photo for the benefit of others. If you would like to help him, you can visit his web site at: http://www.simonsenpublishing.com/fireworkscross/index.htm.
Brett would like to personally thank Eric Sanders for providing the fireworks display and Steve Montgomery for taking the pictures, as both men contributed to the actual creation of the very mysterious – fireworks cross.
About the Author
Martha Jette is a former journalist, now author of five books. To learn more about her, please visit:
http://www.angelfire.com/pwtd
http://www.freewebs.com/paranormalbooks
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