'We're Overjoyed, Overwhelmed': Church Services Celebrate Jayme Closs' Return Home
BARRON, Wis. (WCCO) – The Barron community has been overwhelmed and overjoyed to have Jayme Closs home. Their prayers were answered and Sunday morning, the faith community responded.
At the First Lutheran Church of Barron, it was the talk of the chapel: Jayme Closs is home.
"You can almost hear Barron breathe for the first time in months," Senior Pastor Ron Matthews said.
You can hear Barron celebrate, too. Jayme's schoolmate tolled the bell in honor. Pastor Matthews decided to rewrite his sermon.
"The sermon, they say you gotta preach with the Bible in one hand and the paper in the other," Pastor Matthews said.
And Jayme's return is certainly front-page news. Pastor Matthews says,
"We're excited, we're overjoyed, overwhelmed," Pastor Matthews said. "This is great news. We've been praying that she'd return home alive and safe and that happened."
And they have been praying for three months straight. Pleas for mercy are now words of thanks.
First Baptist of Barron celebrated, too.
"We are so grateful and so thankful that our town's daughter has come home," Pastor Floyd Lunde said.
Jayme's old babysitter, Patience Snyder, joined in praise also.
"Obviously, God directed it to happen, and we all learned something from it," she said.
Richard Robinson, who is also a pastor at First Baptist, admits his hopes were starting to fade. But instead of letting go of faith, they held on to it.
"I believe it's a message to us here in Barron and people all over, you can't overestimate the power of prayer," Robinson said.
Just down the road from Barron is Cameron, and that's where Jayme's home church is, St. Peter Catholic Church.
Next Sunday, Jan. 20, they will be part of a faith celebration at 6:30 pm.