Visiting Church

For years I viewed church as a location, a building, an activity.  Something that involved leaving your home and going elsewhere to be involved in a service or ministry or some God related business.  When I say the word church, that is still the main idea that comes to my mind.

I have since come to learn that church is actually a group of people.  Me and you (if you are a follower of Jesus) and others who believe in what God did through the work of Jesus Christ.  We are the temple of God - we carry Him around in these imperfect, unpredictable bodies and show the world by our actions who He is.  Kind of a scary thought when I realize how many mistakes I make in any given day.  So the church is the people - not the location or the special activity.  Wherever two or three come together in His name.

Well anyway - yesterday I visited a church.  A congregation that meets in a specific location to 'worship' (another word that has different meanings for different people.)  It was a Lutheran church.  Very traditional, with organ music, liturgy, standing and sitting when instructed and a service completely printed in the bulletin.  It wasn't a format I was used to - very structured, very subdued, very 'old style.'  I went with my family because we were invited by a good friend for Friendship Sunday - an older woman who has been very involved at this church for most of her adult life.  We went to encourage her.  She was pleasantly surprised and very pleased that we came.  That alone made the visit worthwhile.  It blessed my heart to be a blessing to her.  My children learned a good lesson and we had a very nice time.  We especially liked the treats at the 'coffee hour' afterwards even with 2 over-zealous camp directors trying to convince us to send our children to their summer camp program.  Our friend was a little embarrassed, but I honestly love passionate people who believe in what they are doing.

Since I don't go to this type of church usually, I was really soaking in the atmosphere and format of the service.  I loved the old sanctuary - the pews, the posts holding up the U-shaped upper sanctuary (where the organ was also located) and the beautiful stained-glass windows.  The pastors (one female, one male) stood up front - one on the right, the other on the left.  The female pastor gave the children's message to the children who came to the front.  The male pastor gave the adult message from the high center pulpit.  It was a good, encouraging message.  What I was most impressed with though was the depth of the Biblical truths that everyone read out loud together.  If you really focused on what you were saying - it was pretty powerful.

I kept the bulletin, because everything we did in the service was printed in the bulletin (which is very helpful when you want to remember something important that you learned.)  I wanted to share one particular piece that we read out loud together that really impacted me.  It was the Affirmation of Faith:

Pastor:  "Let us say again what we believe."
People:  "We believe there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and we know that in everything God works for good in those who love God, who are called according to God's purpose.  We are sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen."

Wow!  Awesome.  Powerful.  Truth.  Everyone reading it together - agreeing together that this is what we believe.  It was wonderful.

The whole service was filled with similar truths that everyone read together in unison.  There was a Prayer of Confession:  "Forgive us, renew us and lead us so that we may delight in your will and follow in your ways, to the glory of your name.  Amen."  Another prayer went like this "God of amazing surprises . . . Put us in touch with truth that cleanses and makes us whole so we can relate to others in ways that reconcile and redeem."    The Offertory Prayer:  "We give with joy, gracious God, for you have been with us even when we were unfaithful. . . .We give now that your church may be empowered in the proclamation of the good news and the transformation of human life."  And the Dismissal:  "We will open our eyes to the goodness of God.  We seek to follow faithfully where Christ leads.  What we will become has not yet been revealed.  We are confident in God's will for us.  Amen."

Each one was a wonderful affirmation of truths that I hold dear.  Each one drove home that I really, deeply believe these things and that I can keep going each day because I do.  They took me away from the craziness and unsteadiness of life and put me back on the strong foundation of what I know is true and right.  It was a blessing to me and I really appreciated  their dedication to these Biblical truths and the impact that it has on all those who attend.

 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38&39

Box of Joy

I'm weighed down right now with life.  A father's death.  A son's struggle in school.  A transition in a key area of life.  Each one by itself is hard to deal with - but combined they feel like a punch in the gut.

I'm strong.  At least I've always tried to be.  I don't over-dramatize life.  I take things in stride - mostly.  Right now though I feel like I'm way over capacity emotionally.

Maybe you're there too.  Maybe you've been there.  If so, you'll understand why this loving act of friendship means so much to me.

I came home today from a tough meeting and there was a package on my front porch from a friend who I spent 3 days with a year and a half ago, but feels like I've known her my whole life.  She knows what I am going through.  She put together a Box of Joy for me.  A book called "One Thousand Gifts."  A package of journals decorated with scrapbooking materials.  A photo book (she is an amazing photographer) full of her own pictures of God's beautiful creation each with a Bible verse added.  A banner she made spelling JOY.  A bag of mini M&Ms.  A note saying that it was all packed with love (the most precious thing in the package.)  I have tears rolling down my cheeks as I write this.  What a special gift.

I hope that this struggle that I am going through won't last too much longer but if it does, I am so thankful for friends who love me and walk through the hard times with me.  It is almost worth it all to come home and find a Box of Joy waiting for me on my front porch.

A friend loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17