Wayne Miles
Pastor
Blades, DelawareA Removed Tree Goes on Serving
For years, Pastor Wayne Miles worried about a large street tree next to his Baptist church. The tree was buckling the sidewalk creating a tripping hazard and its roots threatened the building's foundation.
It wasn't until a city official suggested he contact Mandy Tolino that something was done about the problem. Mandy was Wilmington's newly hired urban forestry administrator, a position funded with start-up money from the U.S. Forest Service. Within a week, Mandy arranged to have the tree removed, the roots ground up, the sidewalk repaired and a new tree planted.
Pastor Miles saw another benefit from the experience. "They cut up the wood," he says. "The nice part about that was that a man who had just been let go from his job asked us for the wood. He had a small child and winter was coming on."
"Maybe this tree had a purpose," reflects Pastor Miles. "When there is a conscientious-minded administration and sincere people like Mandy, then they can blend that together where man can coexist in terms of what God has provided us in nature."
Pastor Miles sees the old tree as "there for a blessing." He also reports that his congregation is delighted with the new tree and it will be there providing even more benefits for many generations.