How lovely to enjoy a holiday rather than fearing it (or at best, snobbily ridiculing it). To work for an employer who understands the lightheartedness of the celebration and is not threatened by it.
I can't say it any better than this blogger did, so I'll stop trying.
The Gospel of Halloween
What a joy to finally be free of the fear of death and hell this Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wandering Part 3
I think we may finally be close to finding a permanent church home.
It's such a relief to be part of the Body of Christ again. To look forward to Sunday's spiritual refreshment instead of dreading picking over a list of yet another church to try. And honestly? In some ways, I wonder if I've ever really functioned as part of the Body until now.
When we walked in to this church, we felt immediately at home - despite it being dramatically different from anything we have ever experienced - and we really haven't had the desire to go elsewhere since.
Truth be told, however, we initially tried this denomination in desperation. We had been through just about every Protestant/non-Baptist/non-Pentecostal church in town, and couldn't find *anywhere* that worshipped and glorified God instead of manipulating and glorifying man. I was reassured enough to walk in the door once my research revealed that this denomination is a main branch of the Protestant Reformation and believes in the cardinal doctrines of the faith. Not exactly what I'd been taught about Episcopalians to this point in my life.
I can hear the gasps now. EPISCOPALIAN?!? As my own mother said - "They're practically Catholic!" Well, no. There's liturgy, sure. But remember, I work for Catholics. It's like saying they're the same person because they're both blond and wearing a blue shirt. Besides, Catholics aren't that bad, so I don't see a huge problem.
Why does this church feel like home when it is So. Very. Different?
We have membership classes coming up in a few weeks, and I'm very interested in learning more about the nuances of Episcopal theology. I am well aware that I might fuss over a few points once I really sink my teeth into them. But you know what? That's ok. From what I've read, you can be an Episcopalian and have some relatively out there or alternatively some pretty orthodox beliefs. The unity of the Body is so important that you spend your time dialoguing rather than separating over triteness - which is so completely opposite of Fundamentalism that it's mind-boggling.
And the opposite of Fundamentalism is a good start.
It's such a relief to be part of the Body of Christ again. To look forward to Sunday's spiritual refreshment instead of dreading picking over a list of yet another church to try. And honestly? In some ways, I wonder if I've ever really functioned as part of the Body until now.
When we walked in to this church, we felt immediately at home - despite it being dramatically different from anything we have ever experienced - and we really haven't had the desire to go elsewhere since.
Truth be told, however, we initially tried this denomination in desperation. We had been through just about every Protestant/non-Baptist/non-Pentecostal church in town, and couldn't find *anywhere* that worshipped and glorified God instead of manipulating and glorifying man. I was reassured enough to walk in the door once my research revealed that this denomination is a main branch of the Protestant Reformation and believes in the cardinal doctrines of the faith. Not exactly what I'd been taught about Episcopalians to this point in my life.
I can hear the gasps now. EPISCOPALIAN?!? As my own mother said - "They're practically Catholic!" Well, no. There's liturgy, sure. But remember, I work for Catholics. It's like saying they're the same person because they're both blond and wearing a blue shirt. Besides, Catholics aren't that bad, so I don't see a huge problem.
Why does this church feel like home when it is So. Very. Different?
- Scripture-drenched worship. More scripture than any Fundamentalist service we have ever been in, hands down - even more than the relatively decent Fundamentalist halfway-house church we left behind. The solid orthodoxy in the prayers and homilies. The beauty that makes me weep every week. (The rector probably thinks I'm a headcase - which I am, but that's another post.) The Gospel is truly proclaimed in multiple manifestations throughout the service.
- No guilt trips. Ever.
- The people were kind to us from the minute we walked in (in both Episcopal churches we visited, actually). And not that syrupy-sweet "nice", I mean really kind. Loving, even. They weren't blustery, judgy, or fake. They were genuinely interested in who we were and what we did and how we got to town. They had no qualms about admitting they forgot our names from last week and asking again. They didn't latch on in cultish desperation like some other churches we visited. They exuded a depth of character we were drawn to. We felt no ulterior motives for their actions, and the interactions were much more emotionally healthy. What a refreshing change from a church where everyone is trying so desperately hard to appear perfect.
We have membership classes coming up in a few weeks, and I'm very interested in learning more about the nuances of Episcopal theology. I am well aware that I might fuss over a few points once I really sink my teeth into them. But you know what? That's ok. From what I've read, you can be an Episcopalian and have some relatively out there or alternatively some pretty orthodox beliefs. The unity of the Body is so important that you spend your time dialoguing rather than separating over triteness - which is so completely opposite of Fundamentalism that it's mind-boggling.
And the opposite of Fundamentalism is a good start.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Suffer the Little Children
I saw something at church today that I have never seen before. It's dreadful, really, that this was so out of the ordinary for my religious experience.
What, you may ask, could have engendered such shock?
It started with newborn twins in the service today. Yummy, squishy, redfaced newborns in stereo. That in and of itself was a joy, but it was nothing compared to what happened at the Great Thanksgiving.
When the Celebrant saw them brought to the Communion bench he smiled a grandfatherly smile. He kindly welcomed them and their mother. He put his hand gently over each little fuzzy head and blessed them, making a small cross with his thumb on each red wrinkly forehead. The babies slept through it all, but I was awakened to another vast spiritual chasm between Fundamentalism and true Christianity.
In Fundamentalism, I was not used to seeing men in leadership be gentle. Preachers usually yell throughout their sermons. They make rude and obnoxious statements about people who vote Democrat, don't have guns, are gay, etc. Women are denegrated with inappropriate jokes or, at best, patronized. Children are maligned by these men as little tyrants with wills to be broken - by force as necessary. The vulnerable are either ignored or verbally beaten down. Everything is made into a fight.
Yet here was this man gently, humbly, and lovingly treasuring these precious babies. No hint of roughness. Not a whisper of antagonism. As the Great Thanksgiving continued and I approached the bench, the same man gently offered me the Bread with words of comfort. The man after him who offered the Cup just as gently reminded me that Christ's blood was shed for me and reassured me of God's love.
How did I not realize before that Fundamentalist leaders in no way exemplify the Biblical example?
What, you may ask, could have engendered such shock?
It started with newborn twins in the service today. Yummy, squishy, redfaced newborns in stereo. That in and of itself was a joy, but it was nothing compared to what happened at the Great Thanksgiving.
When the Celebrant saw them brought to the Communion bench he smiled a grandfatherly smile. He kindly welcomed them and their mother. He put his hand gently over each little fuzzy head and blessed them, making a small cross with his thumb on each red wrinkly forehead. The babies slept through it all, but I was awakened to another vast spiritual chasm between Fundamentalism and true Christianity.
In Fundamentalism, I was not used to seeing men in leadership be gentle. Preachers usually yell throughout their sermons. They make rude and obnoxious statements about people who vote Democrat, don't have guns, are gay, etc. Women are denegrated with inappropriate jokes or, at best, patronized. Children are maligned by these men as little tyrants with wills to be broken - by force as necessary. The vulnerable are either ignored or verbally beaten down. Everything is made into a fight.
Yet here was this man gently, humbly, and lovingly treasuring these precious babies. No hint of roughness. Not a whisper of antagonism. As the Great Thanksgiving continued and I approached the bench, the same man gently offered me the Bread with words of comfort. The man after him who offered the Cup just as gently reminded me that Christ's blood was shed for me and reassured me of God's love.
How did I not realize before that Fundamentalist leaders in no way exemplify the Biblical example?
"A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth." - 2 Timothy 2:24-25Now that I've truly seen it, I can't think of any leader in my old life who could have been characterized as a servant of the Lord. What a tragedy. May God spare his sheep from such wolves.
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