2009/07/05 Sunday

Don and I have been experiencing worship at different places of late. We have been to a Reformed Jewish Temple twice in the last three weeks and we went to a church that is set up in a Warehouse on Wilkinson Boulevard last week. Today, we went to a predominantly black church which our predominantly white church is in partnership with as a sister church. We certainly felt the Holy Spirit there as the pastor preached a rousing sermon after much rousing music. When the pastor announced it was time to greet our neighbors, he meant it was time to go all over the church and hug every person there. I and Don and everyone else got hugs from just about everybody in attendance. Than everyone was given time to write a check to turn in as a contribution and we all walked those contributions to the altar and put them in the collection basket. After that, we had communion. Wow!!

I think we have felt a little nervous before all 3 of the services we have attended these last few weeks but every time we come away feeling that we would go back with no nervousness whatsoever. We enjoyed every one of them and feel we learned something from each of the services.

The service today at our sister church was also attended by one of our Summer Interns who is teaching the class - God in the Crucible - that I am taking on Tuesday nights. He also did the sermon at one of our Myers Park UMC services this morning and he taught our Sunday School class on the book, God in the Crucible, this morning. What a great guy!!! I want to support him all I can as he is going to make a good pastor for some folks once he is out of seminary.

Just to tell about our day, we went to our own church this morning to hear our intern talk at Church and then at Sunday School. Then we went out to breakfast/lunch around 11 a.m. Our normal place was closed today so we went to a place called Skyland. The church service at our sister church starts at 11 a.m. and I was told lasts until around 1:30 p.m. I was also told the sermon usually starts around noon. We got there just a bit before noon and the music was still going on. It was very loud especially the drums but the people were joyful and welcoming to us as we came in. The ushers made sure we had church bulletins and we found a seat easily. Our intern was there along with his parents so I was glad to get to shake hands with them. The sermon was great and the pastor obviously feels his calling and is happy in it. I could hardly believe we had communion too as that was the one thing I missed at my own church this morning.

Also this morning, a friend at our own church gave Don and me a loaf of homemade bread. Man is it ever good. We sometimes record shows for her off TCM. She loves movies of the 1930s and 1940s and we try to accommodate her requests when they happen.

So we have had a lovely day and now we are finally to a point of rest for the weary. My eyes are very tired today and I am going to try and rest them a lot more than I have been able to the last few days.