tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40539279660562686332024-03-12T16:05:15.371-07:00Church and Stateschurchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-52982181082115814262019-03-02T09:01:00.001-08:002019-03-02T09:01:11.978-08:00What we're doing nowNow that we've wrapped up our church visits, we won't be posting here, but you can keep up with us at <a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/" target="_blank">DeanandMindy.com</a>, where we post about our current adventures (and random other things). Dean's still reviewing the churches (and clergy) in movies at <a href="http://www.moviechurches.com/" target="_blank">moviechurches.com</a> and he's just getting started at <a href="http://www.tvchurches.com/" target="_blank">tvchurches.com</a>.<br />
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You might even want to check out our <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B001JSBFTW?_encoding=UTF8&node=2656022011&offset=0&pageSize=12&sort=author-pages-popularity-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader" target="_blank">books</a> (mostly Dean's) at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1720996857/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tpbk_p1_i9" target="_blank">Amazon</a>!churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-3285061747857521962019-01-12T16:34:00.000-08:002019-01-12T16:34:39.283-08:00Miracle Movie Churches -- Lilies of the Field (1963)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj292C9VIybNzeRVWDCeTNyUHyEEgoVUGVqR887IkryKH4KeUUxXcFEeNoC7uDS157jFJWyEZUdPo3iJg-oX0750DsXp_xAhJSNAhM1a9vPDNtJev2VyaX2BWg-EjME7y1L9wMqBjvKmw/s1600/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_Lilies_of_the_Field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj292C9VIybNzeRVWDCeTNyUHyEEgoVUGVqR887IkryKH4KeUUxXcFEeNoC7uDS157jFJWyEZUdPo3iJg-oX0750DsXp_xAhJSNAhM1a9vPDNtJev2VyaX2BWg-EjME7y1L9wMqBjvKmw/s320/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_Lilies_of_the_Field.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;">The problem with talking about Movie Churches with miracles is it's hard to get people to agree on the definition of a "miracle." Does a miracle need to break the laws of nature? Or can a miracle just be an answer to prayer? How can you tell the difference between a miracle and a coincidence?</span></div>
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"Lilies of the Field" is a movie about a church built through a series of miracles -- or a series of coincidences. The Mother Superior of a small convent in the desert prays for someone to build a chapel. In their community, there is no church building. There is a priest that travels about in a camper performing mass. The priest, Father Murphy, also prayed in seminary for a beautiful sanctuary to serve, and was disappointed in his situation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sidney Poitier (in an Oscar winning performance) plays Homer Smith, an itinerant handyman who believes he is stopping at the house where the nuns live for water for his overheated car. The Mother Superior believes he has stopped to build a chapel; that he is sent by God. He knows that this is not the case because he is not planning on staying and that he's a Baptist.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He's willing to work for pay. But the nuns really don't have money to pay him for all the work that must be done, and they certainly don't have the finances to pay for the supplies to build the chapel. So the Mother Superior prays for the supplies as well. God answers those prayers when a local construction business supplies bricks out of guilt. Certainly, there seems to be nothing strictly supernatural in the arrival of a worker and supplies, but the Mother Superior has no doubt that it is God's work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Evaluating this movie church, I should take a moment to discuss the clergy. Father Murphy does not have the best reputation among some in the community. The owner of the local diner believes the Father loves his wine too much. The Father himself believes he's unworthy of his position. He believes his seminary prayers showed disqualifying pride. But the beauty of the new chapel reminds Father Murphy that God's grace overwhelms our sins, and it seems he will be a good priest in it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Homer doesn't only bring his architectural skills to the new church, he also brings his guitar. He teaches the nuns a gospel song, "Amen," which tells a theologically sound life of Christ. In fact, most of the theology in the film I found fairly sound. I did have a problem with one thing the Mother Superior said in the film. She says about Homer, "He is not of our faith, but he was brought to us by God; the God of all faiths." I have no problem with her saying that about Catholics or Baptists. But when you say all faiths, you're including those that had faiths that asked for infant sacrifices to Baal. I'm just not comfortable with that. (And I'll save my rant on Scientology inspired by the very good HBO film "Going Clear" for another week.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Psalm 127 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they that labor, labor in vain." The movie church in "Lilies of the Field" seems to be built by God. By definition then, that's not for nothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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[Business detail: as of June 1, Movie Churches will have its own blog. More exciting details to come soon!]</div>
churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-88434023855636679462019-01-08T21:22:00.000-08:002019-02-04T14:09:20.401-08:00Or maybe going to church was a glorious success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyS9LHhNcVQezrkpLhH_S0b7pqSoGpWhmw8e36dNiYeXBtT7LOC8NOZwklqnBbVNJ781a2IrDLfeVXzHrmp6PseenQABSUK4oDVEtlJVppRLoacDjIzyWDPwDRZGlLbVIXAxRN5kJl20/s1600/IMG_20181230_123131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyS9LHhNcVQezrkpLhH_S0b7pqSoGpWhmw8e36dNiYeXBtT7LOC8NOZwklqnBbVNJ781a2IrDLfeVXzHrmp6PseenQABSUK4oDVEtlJVppRLoacDjIzyWDPwDRZGlLbVIXAxRN5kJl20/s320/IMG_20181230_123131.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
As we complete our blogging project of visiting a church a week, it seems time to evaluate. We started the blog long after blogs stopped being wildly profitable. During any week of our year-long trip, we spent far more than we've made from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cheers-Amen-year-long-state-adventure/dp/1720996857/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546917086&sr=8-2&keywords=mindy+anderson" target="_blank">Cheers and Amen</a></i>, the book about that trip. In my heart of hearts, I hoped millions would stumble upon our profundity, and we’d change the national conversation. Last week I concluded that -- from a purely mercenary perspective -- the project was a failure.<br />
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This week I'm looking at our project from a different perspective, and I can see it was a grand success.<br />
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For instance, if you just look at the fun factor, the project worked big time. Just looking at our church visits, we were welcomed warmly in an African American <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/03/16th-street-baptist-church-birmingham.html" target="_blank">church in Birmingham</a>. It was fun to sing <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/10/we-go-to-church-in-minnesota.html" target="_blank">new songs</a> in different parts of the country -- and to sing <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html" target="_blank">songs that I haven’t sung in church since I was a teenager</a>. We were able to worship <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/09/we-go-to-church-in-illinois-with-bonus.html" target="_blank">with friends</a> we <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/05/two-churches-in-maryland-our-lady-of.html" target="_blank">haven’t seen for years</a>, sometimes <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/08/seven-things-ive-learned-about-old.html" target="_blank">decades</a>. And then there was all <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-2-church-thanksgiving-dinners.html" target="_blank">the fun</a> we had <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/08/6-fun-facts-about-vermont-now-with-ice.html" target="_blank">traveling the whole country</a> and exploring <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/08/all-about-icons.html" target="_blank">the nooks</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/06/when-blogs-collide.html" target="_blank">crannies </a>of the places we were living.<br />
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If we just look at what we learned, the project was a success. One thing that spurred us to visit churches was people who said, “The church in America is dying, like the church in Europe.” We think God is still working in Europe, but we had the chance to see for ourselves what God is doing in His church in America -- and we found that <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/06/when-blogs-collide.html" target="_blank">He is doing great things</a>.<br />
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Some say, “Young people aren’t going to church anymore.” But we went to a variety of cities; <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/02/forerunner-christian-fellowship-kansas.html" target="_blank">Kansas City</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/03/we-set-record-in-atlanta.html" target="_blank">Atlanta</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/04/midtown-fellowship-12-south-nashville.html" target="_blank">Nashville</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/10/we-go-to-church-in-minnesota.html" target="_blank">Minneapolis</a>, where we saw hundreds (making a total of thousands) of millennials and whatever the group is younger than millennials gathering together to praise God in word and song.<br />
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If people are concerned that churches in America aren’t being innovative, we saw cause for hope. We saw churches <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/12/we-go-to-fitness-center-thats-also.html" target="_blank">meeting in gyms</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/06/harbor-light-chapel-wilco-travel-plaza.html" target="_blank">trucker’s rest stops</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/09/we-walk-into-bar-in-ohioor-is-it-church.html" target="_blank">bars</a>. We saw <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/04/new-city-church-of-los-angeles.html" target="_blank">churches that throw birthday parties for poor children</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/04/first-baptist-church-franklin-north.html" target="_blank">feed hikers on the Appalachian Trail</a>, give <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/03/lynn-sandberg-chaplain-program.html" target="_blank">parenting classes in jails</a>, and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/03/vieux-carre-baptist-church.html" target="_blank">hand out clean underwear and socks to the homeless</a>. We worshiped with people of many <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/10/bonus-post-we-go-to-surprisingly.html" target="_blank">ethnicities,</a> <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/11/saint-josephs-tuolumne-city.html" target="_blank">ages,</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/08/mosaic-ministries-toledo-ohio.html" target="_blank">social status</a>. We worshiped in congregations in the very <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/04/morris-fork-presbyterian-church-and.html" target="_blank">poorest </a>and most <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-living-tree-in-virginia.html" target="_blank">wealthy</a> parts of the country. We worshiped with congregations that would probably identify themselves as <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-cathedral-of-saint-peter-and-saint.html" target="_blank">politically blue</a> and those who would identify as <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-sanctuary-cowboy-church-middleton.html" target="_blank">politically red</a>. And in all this great variety of places, the name of Jesus was praised.<br />
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Yes, we occasionally went to churches that seemed pretty dead and we wondered why the congregants even bothered. There were times we went to churches and we were ignored. There were times when the preaching was dull, times it was heretical. But we looked for warm places where the Word of God was proclaimed, and that’s usually what we found.<br />
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But the main reason we consider the project a success is because we believe we did what God called us to do. We gave the project a lot of thought and prayer. We asked God to show us if it was really what He wanted us to do.<br />
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Especially in 2016, when we were traveling to a church and a bar in every state, at times we wondered whether the whole thing was just an idiotic idea -- particularly when I was worrying about money. But then God reminded us that He was there and He was with us. He would put just the right people in place at just the right times to provide the encouragement we needed. And sometimes He showed Himself by putting us where people needed us.<br />
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On a Sunday afternoon, while we were at a church in Washington D.C., I went for a walk. I saw an elderly woman doing a very ineffectual job weeding the patch in front of her apartment. I asked her if she needed help. She said that various members of her family had promised to come and help her, but had all backed out or just didn’t show up. She said she’d been praying for someone to help her, so I knelt down and pulled some weeds. I sometimes wonder if God planned the whole project to answer one woman’s prayer on that one afternoon. If so, we were doing God’s will and the project was a success.<br />
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<i>This is the final post for Dean and Mindy Go to Church. Eventually, all these posts will migrate to <a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/" target="_blank">DeanandMindy.com</a>. We’d like to thank all of you for reading and -- even more -- thank you to all of you who welcomed us in our travels. You made it a wonderful experience. And if you haven’t read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cheers-Amen-year-long-50-state-adventure-ebook/dp/B07DQRPMH9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546921327&sr=8-1&keywords=mindy+anderson" target="_blank">our book</a> you might want to consider buying it at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cheers-Amen-year-long-state-adventure/dp/1720996857/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546921327&sr=8-2&keywords=mindy+anderson" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</i>)</div>
churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-77950191453176900432019-01-01T21:14:00.000-08:002019-01-01T21:14:43.201-08:00Why going to church was a failure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/09/" target="_blank">little over four years ago</a>, Mindy and I committed ourselves to visit <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/p/where-we.html" target="_blank">a new church every week</a>. This past Sunday we went to Centro Familiar Cristiano in White Center, near Seattle. That was our last “mandatory” church visit.<br />
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When I look back over the past four years, and what we accomplished compared to what we dreamed of accomplishing, I can’t help thinking of the enterprise as a failure.<br />
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A little over four years ago, when we started <a href="http://www.deanandmindygotochurch.com/">www.DeanandMindygotochurch.blogspot.com</a>, the boom of blogs was beginning to fade. We read a variety of blogs on a variety of topics (movies, food, politics, personal experience, and much more), and we thought we had something unique to offer, especially during 2016, when we visited a church in a different state each week. Over the years, we saw fascinating ministries, including congregations that met in a shopping mall, a truck stop, a fitness center, and a bar. We hoped that some of these posts would capture the public's imagination. We pictured our posts going viral. As it turned out, though some posts were seen by <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-church-in-north-dakota.html" target="_blank">hundreds</a> (in a few cases, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/12/we-go-to-church-in-oregon.html" target="_blank">thousands</a>) of people, none took off that way.</div>
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Some people read our blog regularly (shout out to the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/09/covenant-church-west-lafayette-indiana.html" target="_blank">Woodards' small group in West Lafayette</a>, Indiana), but the blog never took off in a way that could bring advertisers begging for space on the <a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/2018/12/blog-end-answers-and-other-statistics.html" target="_blank">back of our minivan</a>. If our dream was a blog that would take the country by storm -- FAIL!<br />
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(Deep down, I think we both hoped that the Travel Channel would let us create a series about visiting churches and bars. Didn’t happen. FAIL!)</div>
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While we were on the road, people asked again and again, “Are you going to write a book about this? I’d love to read it!” We always intended to write about our adventure. We thought visiting not just churches but also bars provided us with a unique and interesting perspective. The 2016 campaign season made it clear that we were traveling a deeply divided nation, and we were interested in bringing people with different interests and perspectives together. I even talked to other writers and agents who thought we had something that would appeal to people.<br />
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But when the book was done, we sent the proposal to an agent who told us that she didn’t think publishers would be interested in a book about bars and churches because readers would be interested in one or the other, but not both. Another agent also declined to represent the book. Having had books published by traditional publishers and having self-published books, I can tell you that having a publisher (with editors, designers, printers, and publicists) is more fun than doing everything yourself. Still, self-published <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1720996857/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank">the book</a> was… and it hasn't sold very well. Our dream of a best selling book -- FAIL!<br />
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We had one other hope. We thought, perhaps, during our travels we’d find a ministry we’d like to be part of. There was a glimmer of hope that we’d find a place we’d love to live and a church we could serve. That didn’t happen either -- FAIL!<br />
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Maybe, though, from a different perspective, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dean and Mindy Go To Church</a> wasn’t a complete failure. Next week I’ll take a look at how we might even call it a success.</div>
churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-63730762222896065102018-12-26T06:43:00.001-08:002018-12-26T06:43:23.405-08:00We go to a Seattle church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://www.aseattlechurch.com/" target="_blank">A Seattle Church</a></b>, Seattle, Washington (Belltown)<br />
“The shepherds got a spectacle. Everyone else got a shepherd.”<br />
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That's what Pastor Tim said as he began his sermon on <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A1-20&version=NIV" target="_blank">Luke 2</a> the Sunday before Christmas at A Seattle Church. (I should make it clear “<a href="http://www.aseattlechurch.com/" target="_blank">A Seattle Church</a>” is the name of the church, not a vague reference.) And I thought that the title said something interesting about the church itself. <br />
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A Seattle Church began as a small group in 2013 which grew quickly. Something else was happening in Seattle at about the same time. <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/seattle-reboot-life-after-mars-hill/" target="_blank">Mars Hill</a>, a megachurch with multiple campuses, was imploding.<br />
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Mars Hill was a spectacle -- as was its disintegration. That small group that began in 2013 found itself, in the words of Tyler, another pastor at A Seattle Church, becoming an infirmary for hurting people who'd been part of Mars Hill. That process changed the anticipated timeline of the small group's development, but in 2015, A Seattle Church had its official start.<br />
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We very much enjoyed worshiping at A Seattle Church this Sunday. We did the things I love in Christmas worship services -- preservice music included “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGBie5pT9nw" target="_blank">It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mItWsC8RtM" target="_blank">The First Noel</a>,” and Relient K’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoTyFvZnxL0" target="_blank">Sleigh Ride</a>.” Even better, we sang together as a congregation, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsaSkfInrqw" target="_blank">Go Tell It On the Mountain</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQE9_fwCOUk" target="_blank">Joy to the World</a>,” “<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/12/we-go-to-church-for-ancient-tradition.html" target="_blank">O Come, O Come, Emmanuel</a>,” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI2c9yptr4U" target="_blank">Come All Ye Faithful</a>.” Best of all, each person received a candle as we entered, and at the end of the service, we lit the candles as we sang “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRZOv31n1sY" target="_blank">Silent Night.</a>”<br />
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There was <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-church-in-wyoming-on-saturday.html" target="_blank">Advent candle lighting</a> by a family -- which is the way Advent candles were lit in my church traditions. Different readers, including two adorable red-haired girls, read verses from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A1-20&version=NIV" target="_blank">Luke 2</a>, which transitioned nicely into viewing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPhqMJpQsYQ" target="_blank">the clip from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i></a> of Linus reciting the story. Pastor Tim preached a good message on the passage, then said, we’ll be moving from Jesus’ birth to His death," and we had communion together. We closed the service singing “<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/10/we-go-to-church-in-minnesota.html" target="_blank">All Glory Be to Christ</a>” to the tune of “<a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/all-glory-be-to-christ/" target="_blank">Auld Lang Syne</a>” which always gets to me.<br />
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So it was a wonderful service. And we also were greeted well by people, especially by Pastor Tyler, who welcomed us before we entered the building. He told us a little about his life and the church, and we told him about our project of visiting churches (which is almost finished). He asked why we started the project, and I told him we'd talked to people who thought the church in America was dying out. We wanted to see if that was so. I told Tyler about l<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/04/midtown-fellowship-12-south-nashville.html" target="_blank">arge churches with lots of young people</a> which seemed to go against the story of a dying church, and Tyler asked if that was what we were looking for. And I realized I was talking about spectacular churches --<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/p/where-we.html" target="_blank">which we saw in our journey,</a> amazing things.<br />
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But what we saw more of were “<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/08/living-hope-wesleyan-church-waterbury.html" target="_blank">shepherd” churches</a>. Small, humble places where people were cared for. At <a href="http://www.aseattlechurch.com/" target="_blank">A Seattle Church</a>, they started out with young families. Now, due to changing demographics and financial realities in the city, they have more single professionals and they desire to serve whoever comes their way. </div>
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Christmas is about Immanuel, “God with us,” and A Seattle Church is a place where -- certainly -- <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/12/god-showing-up-in-2016.html" target="_blank">God was with us.</a><br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-27333760726982893732018-12-18T22:21:00.002-08:002018-12-18T22:21:29.701-08:00We go to church for a saint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHGlTubkgKEypzgG71rxQ_VEnS4-meu2BTRfd9ODFPqXzQQIlgYvm5ZrNEXQhaqtmL9EuRFw3Mo63TmU_Od60AYvavP0z6UIw6QNr-9XAfC8VoHYFPxXJYKVHGy4HtqKZc6Cje5qWByE/s1600/IMG_20181216_094548630_HDR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dean and Mindy go to a Santa Lucia celebration" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHGlTubkgKEypzgG71rxQ_VEnS4-meu2BTRfd9ODFPqXzQQIlgYvm5ZrNEXQhaqtmL9EuRFw3Mo63TmU_Od60AYvavP0z6UIw6QNr-9XAfC8VoHYFPxXJYKVHGy4HtqKZc6Cje5qWByE/s320/IMG_20181216_094548630_HDR.jpg" title="Seattle Finnish Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.finnishlutheranchurch.org/" target="_blank">Seattle Finnish Lutheran Church</a></b>, Seattle, Washington (Crown Hill)<br />
“Would you like to be in the procession?” A woman asked a girl as she entered the church with her family. It was the church's annual <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9keulYPsgKM">Santa Lucia</a> celebration, and there was no limit on how many young people could participate.<br />
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<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html">Last minute recruitment</a> has been part of my life many times in churches. We also overheard someone being recruited for a reading. I’m not sure if it was part of a recruitment process, but I heard a man tell someone, “I am quite familiar with this song. In a different language, of course.” In general, it says something about a church that's comfortable doing last minute recruiting. It says that this is a small church with a family setting, where people feel comfortable asking each other to pitch in.<br />
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Anyway, you may be wondering what this “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Lucy">Santa Lucia</a>” thing is all about. For one thing, it is part of why we decided to go to the <a href="http://www.finnishlutheranchurch.org/" target="_blank">Finnish Lutheran Church</a> last Sunday. When our kids were young, we often celebrated Santa Lucia (or Saint Lucy) Day, December 13th. It wasn’t an ethnic heritage thing for us, but we thought the celebration was fun -- in homes, the oldest daughter traditionally wakes the family with candles, coffee, and sweet rolls. Mindy would make our daughters a wreath with candles to wear as a crown, convince one of them to wear a white robe (probably formerly used as a Princess Leia costume or an angel costume from a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Skits-usual-Dean-Anderson-ebook/dp/B07HYK1CJN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545194265&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+skits+anderson">church Christmas play</a>), and they would wake the household for breakfast. We were happy to see the procession this Sunday (December 16th) with children carrying candles (battery operated for small children and a real flame for the older girl portraying Lucia).<br />
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Though I mentioned this isn’t a part of our cultural heritage, Lucia is part of the Finnish Lutheran tradition. It is interesting that though the girl martyr was Italian, she is especially celebrated in Norway, Sweden, and Finland (particularly in the Swedish speaking portions of the country). Finnish culture was central to this worship service, particularly in the music. Three of the five hymns we sang were in Finnish. (Finnish is a rather exotic language; the largest of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Uralic-languages">Uralic languages</a>. We heard someone mention a theory that the language is most closely related to Korean.) The one word I could confidently pick out was “Hoosianna,” which I believe would be translated as “Hosanna” (though it might be “Hallelujah”).<br />
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Another major portion of the musical menu of the morning wasn’t Finnish at all. The prelude for the service was “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGtC32jkp2s">I Know That My Redeemer Liveth</a>” from George Frideric Handel’s <i><a href="http://www.moviechurches.com/2018/12/christmas-movie-churches.html">Messiah</a>,</i> and all the special music of the morning (two solos and a duet) came from that same classic choral work. We also sang a hymn by a German and an Englishman, “<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/12/we-go-to-church-for-smore.html">Hark! The Herald Angels Sing</a>”.<br />
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The sermon was from guest pastor Kristy Daniels, and I got the impression that she visits often. She said that Maria, the pianist and organist, choose the music for the day and that “Hark! The Herald” was sermon enough for the day. (But she still spoke. Pastors always say something or another was sermon enough, but they always preach anyway. That’s what pastors do. I’ve only been in one service where the pastor followed through on that. <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-help-friend-pack-some-suitcases.html" target="_blank">Kudos David Jordan-Irwin</a>.) Pastor Kristy spoke on the Gospel reading, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203%3A1-18&version=RSV">Luke 3,</a> about John the Baptist, who was quite the Advent kind of guy, preparing the way for the Messiah.<br />
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I found the announcements after the sermon especially interesting: in the afternoon, Swedish Lutherans were going to use the building for a Swedish language service with a guest Swedish pastor from San Francisco. The Finnish congregation wouldn't be meeting the next Sunday, we heard, because the congregation would be gathering on Christmas Day.<br />
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After the worship service, everyone was invited downstairs for coffee and snacks (if you know anything about Scandinavian culture, you know they love their coffee). We chatted with many people around the table, some about our project of visiting churches and bars. I asked John, who was sitting across from us, what he appreciated about this church.<br />
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He talked about how the church celebrated Finnish culture. Along with the worship services, there are classes for Finnish language and music. He said that the church faced challenges (“We’ve been having more funerals than weddings”). He said the tech companies are bringing in many workers from Finland, but they don’t seem to be seeking out churches here. For now, the people of Seattle’s Finnish Lutheran Church obviously enjoy being able to celebrate their culture and their Lord Jesus Christ together.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-5795536823030104492018-12-12T06:04:00.000-08:002018-12-12T06:04:14.819-08:00We go to church for s'more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://livinghopefmc.org/">Living Hope Free Methodist Church</a>,</b> Bothell, Washington<br />
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There's an online game called <a href="https://www.whamageddon.com/">Whamageddon</a>. The object of the game is to make it through the Christmas season without hearing “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI">Last Christmas</a>” by that ‘80’s pop sensation, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wham!">Wham</a>!<br />
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It’s a worthy goal. The song about a singer who gave away his/her heart the previous yuletide but this year is saving it for “someone special” is beyond inane. Mindy and I lost the game the other day. The car radio was tuned to a station that plays oldies during the week and Christmas songs on the weekend, and there it was: “Now I know what a fool I’ve been, but if you kissed me now, I know you’d fool me again.” I felt like a fool for listening to this tripe.</div>
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It could have been worse, though. The game could have been about “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k01n6j-Jxug">The Christmas Shoes</a>.”</div>
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This is a long way to say that though Christmas songs are on the radio, in almost every store, maybe even playing at work, good Christmas music needs to be sought out.<br />
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We sought it out at a <a href="http://livinghopefmc.org/">Living Hope Free Methodist Church</a> in Bothell on Sunday night. The church was hosting a special event, “Carol S’more.”</div>
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It was a dark, cold, rainy night, and entering the bright, warm church was especially pleasant. A smiling woman handed me a program and said, “The words are the same as the ones we’ll be singing. Unless it’s a joke.” (The song sheets in the program were accurate. So that wasn’t a joke. But saying it might be a joke, was, in fact, a joke.)</div>
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We seated ourselves in the middle of the sanctuary, near small children and a service dog -- which made the service even more pleasant. (Pro tip: dogs and small children make everything in life a little more pleasant -- especially when they're not your responsibility.) The pianist’s prelude included “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvI_FNrczzQ" target="_blank">Christmas Time is Here</a>” from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+charlie+brown+christmas" target="_blank">A Charlie Brown Christmas</a></i>.<br />
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Pastor Kyle welcomed people to the service (“I’m sure I greeted many of you by saying “Good morning”) and introduced "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pilgrimsinging/" target="_blank">The Pilgrims</a>" men’s chorus, representatives of <a href="https://nhmin.org/our-mission/" target="_blank">New Horizons Ministry</a>. The service format alternated between “Everybody Sings” and The Pilgrims singing. Some of the songs might be heard on your local Christmas music station (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLaHb9raSfU" target="_blank">The First Noel</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVrAAs6VVDo" target="_blank">O Come All Ye Faithful</a>”) but there are songs I love (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAtXDcbC1Wk" target="_blank">Angels from the Realms of Glory</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgYzJDxxzN8" target="_blank">While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night</a>”) that you have to go to church to hear.<br />
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There was a break in the singing when Kristina, the pianist, gave an introduction to the work of New Horizons, an outreach to homeless youth in the Seattle area. The estimated 1,500 homeless young people in the area (70% of whom recently exited the foster care system) are in need of assistance. New Horizons provides meals, housing, legal counsel, job training, and other necessary services, all with the bedrock goal of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (People seemed eager to contribute to the offering, all of which would go directly to the ministry.)<br />
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The service concluded with a couple of my favorite carols: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDPwNPAV6tA" target="_blank">Hark! The Herald Angels Sing</a>” (a theologically profound song with lyrics like “veiled in flesh the Godhead see”) and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evXmTDHPyTQ" target="_blank">Joy to the World</a>” (which probably could, and should, be sung all year long).<br />
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After the singing ended, everyone was invited to enjoy indoor s’mores. In a nearby room, sterno cans were lit down the center of four tables. At other tables, a selection of elements for making classic or gourmet s'mores was available along with skewers for toasting the marshmallows over the flames. Graham crackers, brownie bites, Hershey’s milk and cookies and cream chocolates, and strawberries (!?!) were available.<br />
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Pastor Kyle had said it was a night to celebrate our God and King Jesus Christ, and the evening did just that. And not once did we have to debate the morality of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby,_It%27s_Cold_Outside" target="_blank">Baby It’s Cold Outside</a>.”<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-88150021119030406302018-12-11T06:26:00.000-08:002019-04-28T14:38:41.348-07:00Bonus Post: We don't go to Nigeria (but we would if we could)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9U-MMPcN0RJacwM_0WaqiEq-aPjdRTgs09syCscP8S-tKRNafSAZBOPg36ljRbfCK48ibw61yFEfnsPIOZMgP_1KiDPgXN4ZvFoMYkUNUFd3QO6CnQMNU6uALHaol71RZejavmH_tnw/s1600/IMG_20181209_090207756_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9U-MMPcN0RJacwM_0WaqiEq-aPjdRTgs09syCscP8S-tKRNafSAZBOPg36ljRbfCK48ibw61yFEfnsPIOZMgP_1KiDPgXN4ZvFoMYkUNUFd3QO6CnQMNU6uALHaol71RZejavmH_tnw/s320/IMG_20181209_090207756_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.wheelchairsfornigeria.org/" target="_blank">Wheelchairs for Nigeria</a><br />
Someone recently told me she didn’t want to give her children vaccines because she didn’t think they did any good, and might instead cause harm. She said, “I don’t see how putting a disease in someone can prevent a disease.”<br />
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Sadly, she’s not alone these days. There seem to be a growing number of people who believe what a friend of a friend, a former Playboy centerfold, or a leading comic from the '90s have to say about the topic rather than decades of scientific research. It’s sort of depressing.</div>
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So here’s some good news: <a href="http://polioeradication.org/" target="_blank">polio has almost been eradicated</a>. Last year there were only 22 reported new cases in the world. Thirty years ago, thousands of people contracted the disease every year in Nigeria, but around that time, <a href="https://www.rotary.org/" target="_blank">Rotary International</a> took an interest in providing vaccines to the nation. In time, the Gates Foundation took up the cause. Is it just a coincidence that the dramatic decline in polio occurred when the vaccines were distributed?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFzZnYbNFudmmvfXtCgPCTXQMKqg1selgLhRbdVGeksU2hobpau1FuCVajegBfY7c0fAj1PphBvKHsYR6_OYUNxpxcfQUZSkRNs3bpwyyzbokKQ39NEAc5neYFAH16XGuWjVP6Y5TByw/s1600/IMG_20181209_095009022_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFzZnYbNFudmmvfXtCgPCTXQMKqg1selgLhRbdVGeksU2hobpau1FuCVajegBfY7c0fAj1PphBvKHsYR6_OYUNxpxcfQUZSkRNs3bpwyyzbokKQ39NEAc5neYFAH16XGuWjVP6Y5TByw/s320/IMG_20181209_095009022_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Dr. Ron Rice, a retired Presbyterian pastor, presented this good news to a Sunday School class at <a href="https://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/07/we-go-to-church-in-transition.html" target="_blank">West Side Presbyterian Church</a> last Sunday. but there was bad news to go with the good. Though a great deal of charitable giving has been directed toward preventing new cases, little has been done for the crippled victims of the disease. For that matter, little has been done to help Nigerians living with the effects of birth defects, other diseases, and maiming accidents. <a href="https://www.wheelchairsfornigeria.org/" target="_blank">Wheelchairs for Nigeria</a>, through Beautiful Gate, is doing that very thing. </div>
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The name “Beautiful Gate” comes from the passage in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+3&version=NIV" target="_blank">Acts 3 </a>where God used Peter to heal a lame man who waited by a temple gate called “Beautiful.” With a factory employing 65 Nigerians (some of them physically disabled), the ministry manufactures wheelchairs for distribution throughout the country. These wheelchairs are quite different from what you’re probably picturing. They’re more like adult-sized tricycles adapted for pedaling and steering by hand (instead of feet).<br />
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Ron and his wife Sharon recently returned from a three-week wheelchair distribution trip to <a href="http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/Maps/Nigeria_States.html" target="_blank">Plateau State in Nigeria</a>. From a base in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos" target="_blank">Jos</a>, the Rices and <a href="https://www.impatientoptimists.org/Authors/G/Ayuba-Gufwan" target="_blank">Ayuba Gufwan</a>, their Nigerian partner, drove to communities up to three hours away to distribute wheelchairs. Ayuba, himself a polio survivor who uses a wheelchair, was honored with presentations in several communities, while Ron, who was made an honorary chief on a recent trip, was able to meet -- in appropriate turban and robes -- with an emir to discuss the project. While at the emir’s palace, Beautiful Gate gave away 50 wheelchairs to members of the community. Many of the local leaders he meets are Muslim. Nigeria (the most populous African nation) is a majority Islamic nation, though a few Nigerian states have a Christian majority. <br />
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When Ron meets with Muslim leaders, he doesn't hide his faith in Christ or that most of the money for the wheelchairs comes from churches in the United States. He is respectful of the people he meets with, acknowledging that Islam also calls for concern for the poor and weak. Muslim leaders, he said, are often surprised that Christians are concerned for poor Muslims. <br />
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On this trip, Ron and Sharon were also able to visit a state school for the deaf and two different ministries for the blind. At the University of Jos, the 85 blind students in residence were offered a folding white cane or an audio recorder they could use for lectures. Every stop on their trip provided an opportunity to remind people of God’s love for them and His special care for the poor. The main emphasis of their ministry, though, is polio victims. Beautiful Gate distributed 360 chairs in eight different presentations. In every community, more chairs than they could accommodate were needed.<br />
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<a href="https://www.wheelchairsfornigeria.org/donate.htm" target="_blank">Could you help fill this need</a>? One chair manufactured by Beautiful Gate’s factory costs $150. As you consider charitable giving this Christmas season (and before year’s end), this is certainly a worthy ministry. Click <a href="https://www.wheelchairsfornigeria.org/" target="_blank">here</a> to learn more.</div>
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-79831703228522298472018-12-04T21:07:00.000-08:002018-12-04T21:07:04.633-08:00We go to church for an ancient tradition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.saintmarks.org/" target="_blank"><b>Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral</b>,</a> Seattle, Washington<br />
The <a href="http://www.saintmarks.org/experience/worship/live-stream/" target="_blank">O Antiphons </a>Service of Advent Lessons and Carols<br />
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I have to confess my ignorance (and laziness). I had no idea what the “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Antiphons" target="_blank">O Antiphons</a>" were when I told Dean about the evening Advent service at <a href="http://www.saintmarks.org/" target="_blank">Saint Mark</a>’s. I mostly suggested we should attend because it was in the evening and I thought there'd be carol singing. <a href="https://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2017/12/we-go-to-church-for-carols-but-not-beer.html" target="_blank">I always like to sing carols</a>. Researching -- even a little -- didn’t occur to me.<br />
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Turns out, the O Antiphons are ancient invocations (the earliest mention of them that I'm aware of -- I eventually researched a little -- was in the 6th century. Usually, one of these prayers beginning with the word "O" was sung or chanted during evening worship on each of the last seven nights before Christmas Eve. They were part of preparing to celebrate Jesus' coming into the world.<br />
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At Saint Mark's, they sang all of them in Latin and in English, interspersed with readings from the Bible, a couple of modern poems, prayers, and a hymn or two. Three choirs, handbells, incense, candles, and banners illustrated and accompanied the great O's.<br />
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The program had a request for no unauthorized video or photography during the liturgy (meaning the entire worship service); we honored that request. I noticed the authorized photographer, though. He, like others assisting with the service, wore a white robe with a rope tied around the waist. Members of the choirs wore fancier robes, while those reading scripture or poems wore regular clothes. The officiant, The Very Reverend Steven L. Thomason (the dean and rector of the cathedral), wore a green embroidered cape over a white robe. </div>
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Finally, at the end of the service, we sang "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," which contains, in one hymn, all seven of the O Antiphons. It's my favorite pre-Christmas carol, though I hadn't known the background of the verses. </div>
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Here's the text of the song; I've linked each title with the Bible verses that were used during the service with that portion:</div>
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O come, O come, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+7:10&version=NASB" target="_blank">Emmanuel</a>, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQ-qPhZKfPVDZzZ5MuvtaCYoUGuMlbHuczYZMUtlKWveK1TZgWw_KqdBFc8rJmaAi5cTOgVQ7FKf8TGTqYYYiGSsEstMDR8cRfQikYZk9IB4WvZ8hJtwj0iQ8F888y9HgOo6dpANr65o/s1600/IMG_20181202_185011291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQ-qPhZKfPVDZzZ5MuvtaCYoUGuMlbHuczYZMUtlKWveK1TZgWw_KqdBFc8rJmaAi5cTOgVQ7FKf8TGTqYYYiGSsEstMDR8cRfQikYZk9IB4WvZ8hJtwj0iQ8F888y9HgOo6dpANr65o/s320/IMG_20181202_185011291.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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O come, thou <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+8%3A1-31&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Wisdom from on high</a>, who orderest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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O come, O come, thou <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ezekiel+20%3A33-41&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Lord of might</a>, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud and majesty, and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAs0YNCSPAdE_ejGK_rLPH3J3LbjPXpSOBQmWf73_sH6tdmQOwxGIB9QNxLZvwUTJj7Qqa0ngNdGi5yhpVgrGRT74U26SVPNhdexK2XfarnJ49tYgNXo6EZ0XJMZJXFGZPEX4czrnhXs/s1600/IMG_20181202_185155751_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAs0YNCSPAdE_ejGK_rLPH3J3LbjPXpSOBQmWf73_sH6tdmQOwxGIB9QNxLZvwUTJj7Qqa0ngNdGi5yhpVgrGRT74U26SVPNhdexK2XfarnJ49tYgNXo6EZ0XJMZJXFGZPEX4czrnhXs/s320/IMG_20181202_185155751_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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O come, thou <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+11%3A1-10&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Branch of Jesse</a>'s tree, free them from Satan's tyranny that trust thy mighty power to save, and give them victory o'er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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O come, thou <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+22%3A22&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Key of David</a>, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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O come, thou <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=malachi+4%3A1-6&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Dayspring from on high</a>, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5888tKTn5FF3zVZtd7NMHaJBIUJ8hsHHLwpwEIjz1Y2rkp-_lbrSd-vxvbbIwhyphenhyphen6kqUdMwvO_o2iQ2mNjKANUy8xUwiLERgVYKJ0ZX3eDot0T8bcLKpR-aucTnXdoZPeUt34hZM0B5wk/s1600/IMG_20181202_185214932_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5888tKTn5FF3zVZtd7NMHaJBIUJ8hsHHLwpwEIjz1Y2rkp-_lbrSd-vxvbbIwhyphenhyphen6kqUdMwvO_o2iQ2mNjKANUy8xUwiLERgVYKJ0ZX3eDot0T8bcLKpR-aucTnXdoZPeUt34hZM0B5wk/s320/IMG_20181202_185214932_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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O come, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+45%3A8-12&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Desire of nations</a>, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and be thyself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YxOhGzkaOJbNkzMlTaHOebShbhQvsVqDD-5QHXkkT3TrBzMXDDPjLLOnPLLi_tjFeQAx0J_25gw5uW41xUcJDfRu3wxsSZUQTZP9q4oQ_QZfwWqRLC8aBBHKimyoSx0rXHYmKfFyPe8/s1600/IMG_20181202_184508128_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YxOhGzkaOJbNkzMlTaHOebShbhQvsVqDD-5QHXkkT3TrBzMXDDPjLLOnPLLi_tjFeQAx0J_25gw5uW41xUcJDfRu3wxsSZUQTZP9q4oQ_QZfwWqRLC8aBBHKimyoSx0rXHYmKfFyPe8/s320/IMG_20181202_184508128_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-41260346874599257042018-11-27T21:46:00.000-08:002018-12-04T20:17:04.182-08:00We go to church because we're thankful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGgv2VRFStpGsuVyW-oWGLVWL2RnCbS_3P7aj6NEuKc4KZPN-1iA_vEbIJMDVxgpZcpisIpae_XBKdvivKlqUObH8K6j6lemTCLgyTzR8i3Yz-sQdBR-So080JHHKuKXSUsyHY4YSaJU/s1600/IMG_20181125_074822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGgv2VRFStpGsuVyW-oWGLVWL2RnCbS_3P7aj6NEuKc4KZPN-1iA_vEbIJMDVxgpZcpisIpae_XBKdvivKlqUObH8K6j6lemTCLgyTzR8i3Yz-sQdBR-So080JHHKuKXSUsyHY4YSaJU/s320/IMG_20181125_074822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://hopeseattle.org/" target="_blank">Hope Lutheran Church</a></b>, Seattle, Washington (West Seattle)<br />
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I do like the calendar this year.<br />
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The four Sundays before Christmas are the Sundays of <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Advent" target="_blank">Advent</a>, preparing to celebrate Emmanuel -- God entering the world in the form of a baby boy. Often, the first Sunday of Advent will be the Sunday of the long Thanksgiving weekend, so there’s no breathing space between these two holidays (really, Holy Days). But this is one of those years when the Sundays of <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2017/12/we-go-to-church-for-advent-and-pancakes.html" target="_blank">Advent</a> start a whole week after Thanksgiving weekend. Even better, they all fall in December (so every <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-pilgrim-cant-expect-expected.html" target="_blank">Advent </a>calendar requires less explanation).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAIClH4p9KQo8x0dEDTpVzJHkQSpLrIn_QcVop67IIbuBPTY6x5mf2TJ8oJcbP8bosQCURwAfU0QEsCCQrt7jn_pctxXA1CnWLBGpegR9D_MC6GASVRxAnhjFUwiwsI3z58psBI0J_u8/s1600/IMG_20181125_074937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="notice the sign at Hope Lutheran Church in West Seattle, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAIClH4p9KQo8x0dEDTpVzJHkQSpLrIn_QcVop67IIbuBPTY6x5mf2TJ8oJcbP8bosQCURwAfU0QEsCCQrt7jn_pctxXA1CnWLBGpegR9D_MC6GASVRxAnhjFUwiwsI3z58psBI0J_u8/s320/IMG_20181125_074937.jpg" title="Hope Lutheran Church, West Seattle, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
Pastor Peter Mueller made a point on Sunday morning at <a href="http://hopeseattle.org/" target="_blank">Hope Lutheran</a> -- this was an opportunity to take a deeper dive into <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/11/santa-rosa-nazarene-church.html" target="_blank">Thanksgiving</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9IKJThoxynI0F-XO-Jk5V2Z6GfzsYC4RzlS-KchD1LjIoNDpSVz3msxQ75AjOPzZvGAkeECQ_KZa1PX3qIemScXXQC7q5buJ-f2LY6dvw4HSIongn_uQMLmA-0Qy9O0IZpZk5On8LpA/s1600/IMG_20181125_074849566_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9IKJThoxynI0F-XO-Jk5V2Z6GfzsYC4RzlS-KchD1LjIoNDpSVz3msxQ75AjOPzZvGAkeECQ_KZa1PX3qIemScXXQC7q5buJ-f2LY6dvw4HSIongn_uQMLmA-0Qy9O0IZpZk5On8LpA/s320/IMG_20181125_074849566_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Not that <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/12/we-go-to-church-in-california.html" target="_blank">Christmas</a> went unmentioned in the early worship service. A couple of different opportunities for decorating the church were announced. There was another announcement about the church’s Giving Tree in the lobby. People were encouraged to take a tag with a child or senior citizen’s gift wishes (next Sunday was the last chance to get a name). There was yet another Christmas announcement (though it wasn’t the final announcement) about a TV program, <a href="https://abc.go.com/shows/the-great-christmas-light-fight/episode-guide/season-06/2-episode-2#recap" target="_blank">The Great Christmas Light Fight,</a> on ABC Monday night. It’s a reality show featuring families who elaborately decorate their homes for Christmas. The episode was filmed last year at the home of a family from the church (and other folks from the church were filmed as well).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdFr16IOszRvNGwhGTyhPywagEQWpYl8sF7I61xQwaauYQYcA3kY6YoSQP3yn64RSOF_r0ACxsZGRX5qypbh4_WYxRnx_RAonJsU4_8iTyUbooDIBcSRRkHCkI81gRZGn-F-Wx8H07Zg/s1600/IMG_20181125_081842045_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdFr16IOszRvNGwhGTyhPywagEQWpYl8sF7I61xQwaauYQYcA3kY6YoSQP3yn64RSOF_r0ACxsZGRX5qypbh4_WYxRnx_RAonJsU4_8iTyUbooDIBcSRRkHCkI81gRZGn-F-Wx8H07Zg/s320/IMG_20181125_081842045_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
But the big announcement wasn’t about Yuletide. Julie Hill had been scheduled to speak that morning about an all-volunteer, nonprofit ministry, but she was sick and couldn’t come. So Erin, a woman from the church, came forward with a brief announcement about <a href="https://www.livingwaterwells.org/" target="_blank">The Living Water Project</a>, which seeks to demonstrate God’s love by funding clean water projects. The most exciting part of Erin’s announcement was that a group from the church was planning to work in Central America or Africa, helping a church provide clean water for their community. I love when churches do this kind of thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjzphkJZBwgs8SRsqyjhgyNl9uv4o_sXK95sX_Q-mh2w6glmmNelmdtyIa1nFDuEVELKQNHI0WVT5zFpiAAHEVLC8-7Wm-kR_1k2PIjuNsxHrlAljnA_yVr-yQa3VPxdZ7X6JQcQXwJc/s1600/IMG_20181125_082329310_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjzphkJZBwgs8SRsqyjhgyNl9uv4o_sXK95sX_Q-mh2w6glmmNelmdtyIa1nFDuEVELKQNHI0WVT5zFpiAAHEVLC8-7Wm-kR_1k2PIjuNsxHrlAljnA_yVr-yQa3VPxdZ7X6JQcQXwJc/s320/IMG_20181125_082329310_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The Scripture for the day was a very Thanksgivingy passage, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17%3A11-19&version=NIRV" target="_blank">Luke 17: 11 - 19</a>. It’s the story of the ten lepers who went to see Jesus. Jesus healed them all, but only one, a Samaritan, returns to thank Him. With the title “Being Mindful of Our Blessings,” Pastor Mueller focused on our need for gratitude. “It is easy for us to forget the fine art of giving thanks to God.”<br />
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He proposed that one of the obstacles to gratefulness is our rushed lifestyle. He quoted Dallas Willard’s injunction, “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” This is perhaps even more important at this time of year when holiday obligations can make us more hurried than ever. If we slow down, we can be more mindful of our blessings.<br />
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Pastor Mueller suggested four steps to pursue a life of gratitude:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v0yPizQgfgLzYBLCqwKIyXx8QmVvCRoY-fR56P6qGW065_S2G_4iRA5m6JOPHxCaSkKUXNtCaBswOyX_Rl0wztHCb2IBRLNHZh744A-OsTH5jK6-hzvWCNGE5XzRlzh2n4Hj7ZtTOss/s1600/IMG_20181125_085300281_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="881" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v0yPizQgfgLzYBLCqwKIyXx8QmVvCRoY-fR56P6qGW065_S2G_4iRA5m6JOPHxCaSkKUXNtCaBswOyX_Rl0wztHCb2IBRLNHZh744A-OsTH5jK6-hzvWCNGE5XzRlzh2n4Hj7ZtTOss/s320/IMG_20181125_085300281_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Slow down<br />
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Live mindfully<br />
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Pursue perspective<br />
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Thank God!<br />
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He suggested thanking God to a ridiculous extent. He suggested thanking God for the fact that you don’t just have mustard in your fridge, you have three kinds of mustard. Thank God for that, and for all the people that make mustard possible. (<a href="https://ricochet.com/archives/mustardmustard/" target="_blank">I do have an affinity for mustard.</a>)<br />
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In the pastor’s prayer, he thanked God for the truly important things. “Thank you, God, for the opportunities to share your love in this community and around the world.” I’m thankful for this time (before Christmas), for <a href="http://hopeseattle.org/" target="_blank">Hope Lutheran</a>, and for God’s work in this congregation.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-26279443840699902432018-11-21T05:59:00.002-08:002018-11-21T05:59:32.566-08:00We go to a hallowed place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxTeoxJ6A2W4K1M4lOkO2cECbcW2Ra3G4mJ65iCcZxu0_L0XvpvXbvtelw0bFs7iz48vPBiCFBWEz-5FWzqQmGWJM9N1aTrhDct6YhoRRGk2vIcpJv74CCtQvX9M6BwE41y9GYAD5Gg8/s1600/IMG_20181118_103250996_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dean and Mindy go to the Hallows" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxTeoxJ6A2W4K1M4lOkO2cECbcW2Ra3G4mJ65iCcZxu0_L0XvpvXbvtelw0bFs7iz48vPBiCFBWEz-5FWzqQmGWJM9N1aTrhDct6YhoRRGk2vIcpJv74CCtQvX9M6BwE41y9GYAD5Gg8/s320/IMG_20181118_103250996_HDR.jpg" title="The Hallows Church, West Seattle Expression" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.hallowschurch.org/west-seattle-expression/" target="_blank">The Hallows Church</a></b> (West Seattle), Seattle, Washington<br />
A little over five years ago, Mindy and I were visiting our daughter, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-to-how-not-to-make-church-website.html" target="_blank">Paige</a>, who had a summer internship in Seattle. We’d just started visiting churches, (we hadn’t started writing about them yet), and we visited a church here -- Mars Hill. At that time, Mars Hill was a thriving, multi-campus ministry, and we were very impressed. The congregation we visited met in an old church building, and the service was filled with young people. The worship team was wonderful, doing old hymns in new arrangements (loudly), and the speaker happened to be one of my beloved professors from seminary. We all loved our visit that morning.<br />
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Not long after that visit, the church fell apart (it wasn’t our fault) There was scandal, not about money or sex, but rather bullying and intimidation. Even though we'd just visited once, we were sad about the whole thing. <br />
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I was thinking about this former church because it was mentioned a couple of times in our visit to the West Seattle expression of <a href="http://www.hallowschurch.org/" target="_blank">The Hallows Church</a>; obliquely in the sermon and directly in a conversation after the service.<br />
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Mindy had noticed the church soon after <a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/2018/07/cheers-and-amen-book-launch.html" target="_blank">our move to West Seattle in July.</a> “The Hallows” is an interesting name, explained by a banner outside featuring the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A9-13&version=NIV" target="_blank">Lord’s Prayer</a> (“Hallowed be Thy name”). We arrived a few minutes before the 10:45 Sunday morning worship service and were greeted warmly by several women just inside the door.<br />
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Mindy headed for the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/06/dean-and-mindys-6-reasons-for-coffee-at.html" target="_blank">coffee</a> in the back of the sanctuary where a man named John introduced himself. We asked when he had begun attending the church, and he told us he came in the summer when his previous church, Living Hope, closed down. We said we’d met other people from Living Hope when we visited <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/08/we-go-to-church-and-admire-book-table.html" target="_blank">All Souls Church</a>, and he said most people from that PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) had gone to either of these two churches.<br />
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James, the sole song leader, opened the service, “If you could stand up, we’ll pray, and be off on our merry way.” With his guitar he led a blend of hymns and choruses.<br />
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“My name is Andrew, and I serve as one of the pastors here,” Pastor Andrew said as he introduced the announcements. Guests were encouraged to fill out the connection cards and put them in a box in the back of the church (along with tithes and offerings). He also spotlighted areas of need, such as people for the prayer team. He also announced that all three “Expressions” of The Hallows would be meeting on November 28th for congregational prayer. (Besides the congregation in West Seattle, there are also North and Fremont Expressions of The Hallows.) He then dismissed the “little disciples” to Sunday School. He took time to pray for the church (“let us grow into a humble people”).<br />
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Before the sermon, there was a quiet time where people could read Scripture and quotes from Christian leaders (such as Martin Luther) projected on the wall at the front. The main text of the morning came from Judges (the church is working through the book), <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+14-15&version=NIV" target="_blank">chapter 14:1 through 15:20</a>. This passage is the beginning of the story of Samson.<br />
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Andrew said that we might expect Samson to be an admirable character. After all, he was a special gift to barren parents, set apart as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazirite" target="_blank">Nazirite</a> from birth (as John the Baptist also was). God promised to use him greatly. And he’s featured in the Bible and all. Andrew pointed out there is a disconnect between those expectations and his actual character. In the stories we looked at, Samson is impulsive, more sensual than spiritual. He is irreverent; eating honey from a lion’s corpse (yeah, weird, read the story) which is a clear violation of the Old Testament dietary laws and his Nazirite vows. He is manipulative and… well… just a jerk.<br />
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And yet God, through His grace, used Samson to accomplish His purposes.<br />
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Part of the sermon’s point was that giftedness is not a sign of godliness. “In Seattle, we’ve had people that were gifted but not godly, and because of that, people in this area are still hurting.” It’s not much of a stretch to see this as a critique of the leadership of Mars Hill.<br />
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After the sermon, Andrew invited us all to the Communion table, “We’ll be worshiping through communion. The table is open. Go at your own pace.” A man at the back of the sanctuary held gluten-free crackers, and a woman held a cup of juice to dip the crackers in. <br />
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After the service, we had the chance to chat with a couple of people. Ronda, who’d greeted us at the door, used to attend Mars Hill, and that church had shepherded her through a difficult time. When that church folded, she told us, “I was broken.” <br />
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She visited church after church but didn’t find anything like what she had before. She visited The Hallows, and at that time there were only about a dozen people attending. She was frustrated and talked to one of her old pastors at Mars Hill who told her, “You’re going for the wrong reasons. Where can you serve and where you can grow in the grace of Christ?” With that, she knew where she should be. <br />
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She went back to The Hallows (which has grown a lot since that time, though the West Seattle expression isn’t a large church). She said, “Andrew is an amazing pastor.” We asked about the strengths of the church, and she talked about it being Bible centered, humble, and involved in the local community.<br />
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We also talked to Andrew, who started the groundwork for the church in 2014. They began to meet in 2015. He talked about the church’s focus on Scripture and service, and that Gospel clarity includes telling people the Gospel is not just for the future but for right now. Humility came up again, which obviously is a high value in the teachings of Jesus. “Multiplication is in the DNA of the church,” Andrew added as he described The Hallows’ reasons for existing in (so far) three neighborhood expressions. <br />
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He talked about the “missional communities” which might be called “small groups” in other churches. These ministries have three parts: love of God expressed through Bible study, love of church expressed through fellowship, and love for neighbors expressed through service. Each group varies its activities throughout the month to demonstrate these three values. <br />
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But we had been occupying Andrew’s time (almost everyone was already out the door, though people had lingered to chat after the worship service ended) so we finally let him go.<br />
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Though one of the purposes of this blog is to celebrate the work God does through His church, we must be honest in acknowledging that people are also hurt by the church. The Hallows, among many other good things, is caring for some people who have known that pain. They are doing the good work of hallowing God’s name and bring His Kingdom to earth.churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-87007899584167992252018-11-14T06:26:00.003-08:002018-11-14T06:26:18.579-08:00We go to church on an island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://orcaschurch.org/" target="_blank">Orcas Island Community Church</a>,</b> Eastsound, Washington<br />
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When Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He told the story of the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=ICB" target="_blank">Good Samaritan</a>. Churches need to ask that question in an another way. Perhaps I should churches should ask the question in an additional way. They need to ask it in a practical way. Though a church should care for everyone, even the whole world, a church needs to focus resources on a specific community. <br />
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For example, a church located here in Seattle probably shouldn’t send out 700,000 flyers to the whole city when they put on a Vacation Bible School. They need to figure out who their neighbors are, who they can reach with their available resources. <br />
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The answers to such questions might be a little easier to figure out in <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html" target="_blank">small, isolated towns that are like islands</a>. And, of course, there are literal islands. Like <a href="https://oicf.us/" target="_blank">Orcas Island</a>.<br />
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Last weekend we went to visit Mindy’s brother Hank and sister-in-law Hilary on <a href="https://www.visitsanjuans.com/about-the-islands/orcas-island" target="_blank">Orcas Island</a>. We walked onto<a href="http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/" target="_blank"> the ferry,</a> leaving our van behind, because Hilary had offered us a ride -- and let us use her car on Sunday morning to go to <a href="http://orcaschurch.org/" target="_blank">Orcas Island Community Church</a>.<br />
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Edie greeted us as we came in the door for the 10:00 am service. It was hard to find a seat. We’ve been to plenty of churches that have open seats minutes before the service, but fill up after the service begins. There were prompt congregants here. We found seats toward the back and side, and we had time to notice that the walls were decorated with patchwork quilts (I assume made by folks in the church). Church bells rang, and the service began.<br />
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It was time to worship (and we did sing “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6oY5oPqsPc" target="_blank">Come, Now is the Time to Worship</a>”). Pastor Brian sent children off to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Skits-usual-Dean-Anderson/dp/172667035X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1542031948&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Christmas program</a> rehearsal. (Later other kids were sent off to Sunday School, so I guess <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Skits-usual-Dean-Anderson/dp/172667035X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1542031948&sr=8-1" target="_blank">not all kids are going to be shepherds, sheep, and/or Magi</a>.) People were encouraged to bring in their <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-2-churches-in-colorado.html" target="_blank">Operation Christmas Child</a> boxes the next Sunday. There was an announcement for the upcoming Thanksgiving service, with all the island’s churches gathering together at Orcas Island Community Church. The church is hosting a <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-2-church-thanksgiving-dinners.html" target="_blank">Thanksgiving dinner</a> as well.<br />
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There was an announcement for an event that would take place during the service. “Some people will be leaving for a special service somewhere else on the island.” The American Legion Post was holding a <a href="http://orcaspost93.org/calendar/" target="_blank">Veteran’s Day commemoration at 11:11</a>. Pastor Brian noted that this day was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day" target="_blank">the hundredth anniversary of the end of World War I</a>, and he said we “look forward to the day when all wars will cease.” On the screen there were photographs of that first international armistice.<br />
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To honor the veterans, Pastor Brian asked them to stand as their conflict was mentioned. For World War II, two men stood. Then the Korean War, engagements during the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and finally wars in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. Photographs of Veterans Day celebrations, beginning with the first as World War I ended, played on the screens at the front, and Pastor Brian said, “We honor those who have followed the call to serve something beyond themselves, in this age of narcissism.”<br />
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After a time of quiet reflection and prayer, people were invited to raise a hand and share a prayer request or update. One woman shared, “I have a new grand niece and by the end of the service I’ll have pictures. Not that I’ll be looking at my phone during the service!”<br />
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Pastor Brian acknowledged the local <a href="http://www.islandssounder.com/sports/track-athlete-heads-to-state-championships/" target="_blank">cross country team that went to state finals</a> (“Jaydon, one of the fastest runners in the state”) and<a href="https://www.islandssounder.com/sports/orcas-boys-soccer-team-win-state-quarterfinal-matchup-next-game-is-this-friday/" target="_blank"> the soccer team that advanced to semifinals</a> (“Good job, Levi!”)<br />
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A woman named Sue said, “I can’t even count the miracles that allowed me to be here today,” leading to cheers and applause from the congregation. Pastor Brian led in prayer, taking time to pray for those threatened by the <a href="https://google.org/crisismap/google.com/2018-camp-fire" target="_blank">fires in California</a> and <a href="https://google.org/crisismap/google.com/2018-Woolsey-fire" target="_blank">those who have already lost much</a>.<br />
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Dick Staub, the church’s preaching pastor, gave the sermon. He preaches every fourth Sunday, and he explained that he was sitting down to speak because “Rabbis sat down to teach. You may think I’m sitting because of neurological problems, it’s because I have something really important to say.” <br />
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His message that day was titled, “Deliver Us From the Evil One,” with <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6%3A5-15&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 6: 5 - 15</a> as the text. “This morning we’ll be talking about the Evil One, or as Nigel calls him, Mr. Nasty.” (He mentioned Nigel many times through the service. Nigel is a real person, part of a group of faithful creatives called <a href="http://www.thekindlings.com/" target="_blank">The Kindlings</a>.) Pastor Staub said he first preached about Satan in a sermon titled “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_Wilson" target="_blank">The Devil Made Me Do It</a>” back in 1972 at New England’s first drive-in church. He said the devil always attacks when you preach about him; for instance, Pastor Staub brought the wrong version of the sermon that morning.<br />
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During the sermon he talked about the mission of Orcas Island Community Church. “We have a mission statement that everyone on the Island will learn of God’s love through word or deed in a language they’ll understand.” <br />
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As I mentioned before, a church on an island is more easily able to define their scope of ministry. And this church looks for a variety of ways to reach out on the community. The day before, after the island’s <a href="https://www.visitsanjuans.com/events/hops-rock-orcas-island-beer-fest" target="_blank">Hops Fest</a>, a couple of people from the church offered rides home in the church van. <br />
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From what we could see, the church seems to be doing a good job of loving their neighbors on Orcas Island. Even visiting neighbors from the mainland -- like us.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-30103156890848175122018-11-07T05:49:00.000-08:002018-11-07T05:49:10.752-08:00We go to church for the saints<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://www.epiphanyseattle.org/" target="_blank">Epiphany Parish </a>of Seattle</b>, Washington<br />
The night was dark and windy. I’d found a Episcopal worship service (via the event calendar on <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/06/we-go-to-church-to-bless-and-are-blessed.html" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, which not nearly enough churches use to announce their activities). It was the perfect night for the “<a href="https://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/all-faithful-departed-commemoration">commemoration of all faithful departed</a>" at <a href="http://www.epiphanyseattle.org/" target="_blank">Epiphany Parish.</a><br />
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During October and November Dean and I particularly remember our mothers, who "departed"(faithfully). My mom died <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/p/where-we.html" target="_blank">in 2016 </a>while we were in <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-church-in-north-dakota.html">North Dakota</a>. We headed back to <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/09/indiana-churches-part-1.html" target="_blank">Indiana</a> for <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-memorial-service.html">her memorial service</a> almost exactly two years ago. I've been missing her the past few weeks (more than I did last year, certainly more than immediately after her death), so this commemoration was particularly poignant for me. Dean's mom passed away in <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-pilgrim-cant-expect-expected.html" target="_blank">November of 2014</a>, just before we began writing about visiting churches.<br />
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When I was little, I remember my mom making a distinction between Halloween (All Hallow's Eve, she explained) and <a href="https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/all-saints-day-november-1.htm" target="_blank">All Saints' Day on November 1.</a> She wanted me to understand that both holidays honored those who'd gone before. This worship service seemed like something my mom would have appreciated.<br />
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We drove through the dark to another part of Seattle. Google maps led us well, but we really didn't know where we were until we arrived. We found parking in front on the street and found our way to the front of the church along a sidewalk. It wasn't raining, but everything was a little wet. Every doorway and every lighted window seemed inviting. We took some pictures; a couple walked by and greeted us. They headed into the chapel of the church building.<br />
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Through the window, we could see the choir moving around in preparation. Once inside, some children and adults were getting ready for the service. We found seats to one side, near a kneeling bench in front of a little altar. The room was quiet. The choir entered and took their place quietly. The program read, "We invite you to help create the experience of silence before our service."<br />
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I can't describe the choir's singing. They sang mostly in Latin, from a piece written in 1605. The harmonies were amazing. There was no sermon, but there were scripture readings, prayers, and a reading from an oration of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nazianzus" target="_blank">Gregory of Nanzianzus</a>. At times, bells were rung, a man swung a censer, people bowed. The pastor chanted, and the congregation sang hymns, concluding with "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gYYdlI17uA" target="_blank">Let saints on earth in concert sing.</a>"<br />
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After the dismissal, the program said, "we invite you to remain for silent prayer or depart quietly." We gathered our things, a little awkwardly. Most people seemed to be sitting quietly. At the door, a woman from the choir smiled.<br />
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"It's safe to leave now," she whispered. So we went into the dark refreshed.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-27881811297350842332018-10-31T05:56:00.003-07:002018-10-31T05:56:34.831-07:00We go to church down south<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGGiP3d5buX5jSUwNCrOb21BFebR85Px_daZGoGDbpCi4AytyeDXdtmGe9lYhini2chMI14OMy9EUVe8Q4IyF5Ibb-SCPlGLyZ7Rb_pJTOBwueBV0emYvPMC1NPTki4dtUqKFO0hT4eI/s1600/IMG_20181028_103118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dean and Mindy (not pictured) go to Bethel Community Church in Washougal, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1239" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGGiP3d5buX5jSUwNCrOb21BFebR85Px_daZGoGDbpCi4AytyeDXdtmGe9lYhini2chMI14OMy9EUVe8Q4IyF5Ibb-SCPlGLyZ7Rb_pJTOBwueBV0emYvPMC1NPTki4dtUqKFO0hT4eI/s320/IMG_20181028_103118.jpg" title="Bethel Community Church, Washougal, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://bethelcommunitychurch.org/" target="_blank">Bethel Community Church</a></b>, Washougal, Washington<br />
Why do people say “things are going south” like that’s a bad thing? We spent October to going to the furthest <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-back-east.html" target="_blank">east,</a> <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html" target="_blank">west</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-up-north.html" target="_blank">north</a>, and south churches we could find in Washington state. Sunday we went south, and we thought it was a pretty good thing. <br />
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On Saturday night we crossed the border into Oregon. Because I work at a hotel in Seattle, we were able to get a free night’s stay at a <a href="https://www.silvercloud.com/portland/" target="_blank">sister hotel in Portland</a>. After a good night’s sleep and a continental breakfast, we made the short drive back over the border to Washougal, Washington. (Mindy’s internet research turned up a <a href="http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/mount_pleasant.html" target="_blank">town further south in the state</a>, but she couldn’t find a church there. We could have gone to <a href="https://stanneswa.wixsite.com/stanneswa" target="_blank">the other church</a> on the same east-west street, but <a href="https://bethelcommunitychurch.org/" target="_blank">Bethel Community Church</a> won our virtual coin flip. <br />
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When we pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car, we heard an amplified voice. We were curious if the church sound system was that loud, but pretty soon figured out it wasn’t coming from the church. The <a href="https://www.active.com/washougal-wa/running/distance-running-races/scary-run-2018" target="_blank">community’s Halloween 5K run</a> was just finishing up a couple of blocks away, so we walked down and saw some of the costumes and heard some of the winners announced. </div>
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Then we headed back to church for the 10:45 am worship service. The gentleman who shook my hand at the door said, “Have a good day! God’s Word!”</div>
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A large area just outside the sanctuary served as a meeting place. People chatted as they got cookies cookies and water at a table or at the counter where coffee and tea was available. Mindy had gone to find a restroom, and so I stood by myself for a bit. No one approached me but, to be fair, I had a cold and was blowing my nose. I wouldn’t have wanted to approach me either. When I saw Mindy next, she introduced me to Penny, who had introduced herself when she saw Mindy at the cookie table. It was time to go in the sanctuary, so we found seats toward the back and watched the announcements on the screens up front (along with a presentation of the church’s core values). <br />
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Pastor Rich Blum walked the central aisle greeting people. He greeted us, and, in fact, had already gotten our business card from Penny. But now it was really time for the service to start. Pastor Rich pointed at his mike and the tech crew gave him sound. He directed all of us to look to the screen for video announcements (children’s and adult Christmas choirs were starting that day; there would be a Harvest Festival at the church on October 31st and candy was needed). Pastor Rich said the planned video promoting Samaritan’s Purse wasn’t working, so he just reminded people to pick up a box, fill it, and bring it back the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This was part of the church’s annual “Christmas in October,” which is a way they focus on missions. Pastor Rich then announced the greeting time.<br />
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I spent most of the greeting time talking with Darrin, who happens to be the chair of the elder board (he was sitting right in front of me). I asked him what led him to this church and what he appreciated about it. He said he and his wife had both grown up in (different) small towns, going to small churches. Before they came to Bethel, they’d gone to a large church of 3000 people. B, but Darrin said he knew more people in this smaller church than he had at the larger church. He noted that the greeting time this morning, with many people chatting for a prolonged time, was something that happened every Sunday. He also appreciated the expository preaching in the church and mix of hymns and choruses that appealed to young and old.<br />
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(Mindy and I particularly appreciated the lyrics of one of the morning’s choruses: “Shout to the north and the south, sing to the east and the west.” It seemed quite appropriate for our quest for the month.)<br />
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After singing and an offering, we stood as the morning’s Scripture was read. Pastor Rich said, “We stand to honor God as our only audience.”<br />
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Pastor Rich introduced Dennis Fuqua, the guest speaker for the morning and director of International Renewal Ministries. During the day’s “Christmas in October” celebration, the church has a missionary speaker during the worship service and another during a potluck following the second service. <br />
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Dennis’ message that morning was “Shalom Should Shape Your Prayers.” Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, but it has a broader meaning: not just the absence of conflict, but also prosperity, health, harmony, favor, and security. Dennis talked to other people about what the word means and heard definitions such as “Nothing missing, nothing broken” and “The way things should be.” Perhaps the best definition is one Jesus used in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A10&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 10:10</a> -- “Abundant life.”<br />
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Dennis talked about a trip he and his wife had taken during the summer. They drove the perimeter of the state of Washington, praying that the towns they visited would have God’s Shalom. We could relate to that kind of travel (especially when he mentioned two of the communities we visited during October, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-back-east.html" target="_blank">Clarkston</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html" target="_blank">Neah Bay</a>).<br />
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After church, Mindy and I were debating whether to attend the potluck. Though visitors as a group had been encouraged to attend, no one had personally invited us, but then someone did, so we went. (We didn’t see that person at the potluck, though!) We sat at a table with Marge, who had served many years with <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/01/big-fun-with-missionaries-and.html" target="_blank">Wycliffe</a>, particularly in Brazil. She said the church supported her through her years of ministry, and when she retired, she was able to move into the church’s former parsonage. She’d been born a few houses away, and she’s lived in the parsonage for the last ten years. We enjoyed meeting her and the others who welcomed us to their table.<br />
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We headed back north that afternoon happy to see that God is still at work at all points of the compass in Washington (and throughout the world).<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-51067182803986726182018-10-23T21:09:00.000-07:002018-10-23T21:09:22.406-07:00We go to church up north<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZcpASpcFXbSvZjk6awc5eR2NATOeklYrfgnpW5jzctVjQfgzOxjzgsvw2Iy0aRFqQLw6JvWjYp1PV-CHlNGcZ6RuYdYyix30f2uoKopfCH1aoa6-QI853UM1qFPqN2_ztNW2s_rL8wQ/s1600/IMG_20181021_122744729_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.valleycc.us/"><b>Valley Community Church</b></a>, Sumas, WashingtonIn the news,<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-caravan-what-happens-if-it-reaches-the-us-border/"> thousands of people are walking toward the United States border</a>. On Sunday, Mindy and I were the only ones walking toward the border. We were coming from Canada in the north, rather than through Mexico from the south, but I wasn’t completely anxiety-free. <br />
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This month we’re going to the furthest north, south, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-back-east.html">east</a>, and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-way-out-west.html">west</a> churches in Washington State, and this week we went north. Mindy came across Sumas, a town that’s right on the Canadian border. It’s the<a href="https://www.revolvy.com/page/Sumas,-Washington"> northernmost town in Washington</a> -- and in the contiguous US -- because of a surveying error that placed part of the town <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/canada-seattles-neighbor-to-the-north-nope-better-check-your-map/">north of the 49th parallel.</a> Post office boxes seem to be the main business in town; among other things, we read that Canadians have their Amazon purchases delivered to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/20/17484052/blaine-washington-amazon-prime-canada-us-mailbox-address">mailboxes on the US side of the border</a>. <br />
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Mindy had her passport with her, but mine has expired. She wanted to cross the border for the fun of it, so we walked toward the checkpoint, and I figured I’d wait while she crossed and came back. Instead, a border guard greeted us and told us we’d already crossed the invisible line. I ended up going through the border with just my (not enhanced) driver’s license, but we made it back in plenty of time for church.<br />
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<a href="http://www.valleycc.us/">Valley Community Church </a>is just a block and a half south of the border, on the south side of Garfield, the street the 49th parallel runs through. We were surprised to learn that we were further north than everything in Maine. We had another surprise when we looked closely at the sign for the church. In new clear print we could read, “Valley Community Church, Sun. 10:30 AM - Youth Ministry - MOPS - Food Bank.” But we could also read, in very faint, faded lettering, a former incarnation of the sign: “Desperado’s Saloon - Pull Tabs - Dining - Dancing”. (We briefly debated whether this would also count as our bar visit for the week. We ruled it out.)<br />
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We walked in the front door from the street, and we soon saw that most people came through the back door by the parking lot. We missed picking up a bulletin, but we were greeted by Philomena. “You came on a good day, we’re having a potluck...We’re all family here.”</div>
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As the worship service began, Pastor Jeff introduced himself and said, “All you kids that are part of the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Skits-usual-Dean-Anderson-ebook/dp/B07HYK1CJN/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1540349303&sr=1-5">Christmas program</a>, you are dismissed.” As they headed to another room to practice, Jeff played a guitar and led the singing. He told people, “Feel free to stand or sit, sing or be quiet in the presence of God.”<br />
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Pastor Cliff came forward to lead “Body Ministry” time. “This is the time in the service when it is important to share. A word of knowledge, a word of wisdom.” Some people shared Scripture and others shared what was on their hearts. One man asked for prayer for “children going through things they should never have to go through.” Obviously there were congregants with a charismatic backgrounds, because during this time many joined in, “Thank you, Jesus.”</div>
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Pastor Jeff dismissed another group, “The teens can go to your class. You’ll be missed, but you can go to your class.” He then gave some announcements, “Before we go to the Word -- next week is Harvest Festival. You know the drill. Because of the festival we won’t have prayer meeting next Sunday night.” He finished with an announcement about what was happening after the worship service, “Please stay for the potluck. We need your help to eat all the food.”<br />
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Pastor Jeff’s sermon continued a year long series on “Like Jesus.” This sermon was part three of “A Friend of Sinners… Like Jesus.” The Scripture passage was <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A27-42&version=ESV">Luke 6: 27 - 42</a>, which included Jesus’ instructions on loving your enemies. Jeff took some time to talk about the need to be kind to people you disagree with on social media. (Even if they disagree with your politics? Wow. That seems rather counter cultural.) Insulting people, he pointed out, is “not the will of God. How are we advancing the Word of God in that person’s life?”</div>
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After the sermon, we shared communion. Oyster crackers served as the bread, a very practical and tasty choice more churches should consider. It seemed the service was over, but Marguerite said not yet. October is <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/october-web-only/pastor-appreciation-month-october-what-wont-tell-you-wishes.html">Pastor Appreciation Month</a> and she, along with Philomena, brought forward gifts for Pastors Jeff and Cliff. (There is another pastor, Bud, who was home sick. His gift was left at the church for him.) Marguerite said, “Not only does Pastor give us good words, he works full time, and raises a family, and is a good man.”</div>
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We stayed for the potluck and enjoyed the chili, meatballs, salad, and carmel corn (and all the other desserts, too). I asked Jim what he appreciated about Valley Community Church. He said he came for the opportunity to lead <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_of_God_youth_organizations#Royal_Rangers">Royal Rangers</a>, an Assemblies of God boys’ scouting-type ministry.<br />
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Later, when we were able to talk to Pastor Jeff. He came when the church was planted over a decade ago. He was then an associate pastor, but when the founding pastor moved to Colorado, he asked Jeff to take his place. As Marguerite mentioned, Jeff is bi-vocational, working full-time at a door company. (I worked for a door manufacturer myself during college summers -- <a href="https://www.trademarkia.com/calwood-73375805.html">Cal-Wood Door</a> in Rohnert Park.)<br />
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Mindy and I began to this project to see how God is working in HIs church in this country, and it was good to see He is doing good things even at the far edges.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-72970101989059456932018-10-17T05:54:00.000-07:002018-10-17T05:54:23.005-07:00We go to church way out west<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mkovgI5Xx1YJ5SCJNqszvRArvJth12sIs0Y7AHnpmoEbOi2NnXJuYzjg5aLKHaFOhnvf_QiiA0oafCNRAKENvKNR6kbSlSYo9gPuA8aiEY4WAuqIPvwpL2dPk-AoqJaENA6TEd_R7fc/s1600/IMG_20181014_103417336_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="farthest west church in Washington: Neah Bay Presbyterian Church" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mkovgI5Xx1YJ5SCJNqszvRArvJth12sIs0Y7AHnpmoEbOi2NnXJuYzjg5aLKHaFOhnvf_QiiA0oafCNRAKENvKNR6kbSlSYo9gPuA8aiEY4WAuqIPvwpL2dPk-AoqJaENA6TEd_R7fc/s320/IMG_20181014_103417336_HDR.jpg" title="Neah Bay Presbyterian Church, Neah Bay, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.northwestcoast.org/neah-bay/" target="_blank">Neah Bay Presbyterian Church</a></b>, Neah Bay, Washington<br />
You could say, “<a href="https://truewestmagazine.com/go-west-young-man/" target="_blank">Go West, Young Man</a>” applied to us. Except you'd have to change it to “woman and man.” And the “young” part doesn’t really apply.<br />
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Otherwise, Horace Greeley could have been talking right to us this past weekend. As we near the end of our “visit a new church every week” project, we thought it would be fun to mirror <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/direction-in-new-year-garmin-and-i-dont.html" target="_blank">the beginning of this adventure</a>. Back in 2015, we visited the furthest <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/ten-far-north-california-travel.html" target="_blank">north</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/ten-going-south-travel-observations.html" target="_blank">south</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/ten-east-travel-observations.html" target="_blank">east</a>, and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/ten-far-west-california-travel.html" target="_blank">west</a> churches we could find in California. Now we’re visiting the furthest north, south, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-back-east.html" target="_blank">east</a>, and west churches we can find in Washington state.<br />
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So this week, we went as far west as we could (easily) go in Washington state, <a href="http://makah.com/" target="_blank">which was also pretty much the furthest west we could drive in the contiguous United States</a>. And we went to the furthest west church we could find.<br />
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On Saturday we drove to <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/olympic/recarea/?recid=47709" target="_blank">Klahowya Campground in the Olympic National Forest</a> to spend the night by the Sol Duc River. It was the last weekend the campground was open for the year, and it was very quiet. We got up early the next morning to drive the hour or so to <a href="http://www.neahbaywa.com/" target="_blank">Neah Bay</a>, which is part of the <a href="http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/tribe/" target="_blank">Makah Reservation</a>. We had an hour before church started, so we drove to the parking lot at the base of the Cape Flattery trail, which took us as far west as we could go. Then we drove back to Neah Bay. <br />
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Mindy’s research had found two possible churches: an <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/12/we-go-to-church-in-montana.html" target="_blank">Assembly of God Church</a> and a <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/07/redmond-presbyterian-church-redmond.html" target="_blank">Presbyterian Church</a>, both in Neah Bay. We were leaning <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/10/first-presbyterian-church-of-hollywood.html" target="_blank">Presbyterian</a> because we were pretty sure of when the worship service was. When we saw the two churches, which are a block apart, we did some eyeball calculations. It looked like the Presbyterian Church seemed to be a few feet more to the west.<br />
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We arrived at 10:30 am and looked at the sign on the side of the church that read Sunday School at 9:30. Some children filed out of the church and got into cars to go home. (We heard later that 12 - 15 kids have been attending Sunday School class, some from families that don’t attend the church.) The sign said the worship service started at 10:45, but when we got inside, Pastor George greeted us and said the service actually started more 11-ish.<br />
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Pastor George, sitting at a long table with his laptop, offered coffee and the restroom (after camping with minimal fire and water, Mindy appreciated the hot coffee and I appreciated the flushing). We sat at the table with Pastor George, and as other people came in the room, introduced us all as they sat at the table for a chat. <br />
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Some of the women who joined us told us about the history of the church, which for decades was, apart from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Indian-Shaker-Church" target="_blank">Indian Shaker church</a> (unrelated to the Shakers we’d heard of before), the only church in town. They told us that the mural at the front of the sanctuary was financed by women in the church selling cookbooks. We heard about the church’s choir in the 1950’s and ‘60’s (we were urged to visit the local museum, where reel to reel tapes of those choir performances were housed). <br />
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One of the grandmothers quoted her granddaughter saying that they need to “pay attention to Pastor George and God” during the worship service. There was speculation that some might not make it to church that morning since the <a href="https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-win-over-raiders-in-london-felt-like-a-home-game" target="_blank">Seahawks were playing the Raiders in London</a>, and the game had already started. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6hoZEomg8JDrerxynqnNMGEhE_eR8VmPtarZd40WWI1bUWPNOe0eZ14rn8OzAiFbcCasuC_0MdGmx2jHFYN6vmgSeEHK2nxFHz3ZxY9FzriqgkxkXagiOjnK_wnmX1Qldd9rrmqrCRI/s1600/IMG_20181014_111142366_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6hoZEomg8JDrerxynqnNMGEhE_eR8VmPtarZd40WWI1bUWPNOe0eZ14rn8OzAiFbcCasuC_0MdGmx2jHFYN6vmgSeEHK2nxFHz3ZxY9FzriqgkxkXagiOjnK_wnmX1Qldd9rrmqrCRI/s320/IMG_20181014_111142366_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Pastor George mentioned he was disappointed that he hadn’t received more information from the denomination on <a href="http://pda.pcusa.org/situation/hurricane-michael/" target="_blank">disaster relief for the recent Florida hurricane</a>. Since that hadn’t come in, he wondered if Mindy and I would be willing to share for their Minute for Missions. (Of course we agreed). By then, it was 11ish, so Pastor George asked the group if we should just go on chatting around the table or should we go to worship? Unanimous agreement on worship.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzZKuALa5MNHA8uczkkZ9JN1r_6P_XCaGLbLJpqL2CQvYpjG_olFgvuLA5t8xPXzYTdwU32iDhNHZW0YkoiJ1O5Fo2hAWjGNhMsF6-hu3ZDcDG3MMlkNXWYXsRpsRJXrX0nmVxE3Yv1Q/s1600/IMG_20181014_115924065_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzZKuALa5MNHA8uczkkZ9JN1r_6P_XCaGLbLJpqL2CQvYpjG_olFgvuLA5t8xPXzYTdwU32iDhNHZW0YkoiJ1O5Fo2hAWjGNhMsF6-hu3ZDcDG3MMlkNXWYXsRpsRJXrX0nmVxE3Yv1Q/s320/IMG_20181014_115924065_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
We sang many of our favorite hymns that morning, with music provided by the playlist on Pastor George’s tablet (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3-_Hm1yCZQ" target="_blank">Take My Life,</a>” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkr7H-JIY9M" target="_blank">A Mighty Fortress is our God</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spE-BE23qxA" target="_blank">Immortal, Invisible</a>” among them). During the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/06/st-andrew-presbyterian-church-marin-city.html" target="_blank">Passing of the Peace,</a> there was time for everyone to shake the hand of every other person, and they did. During the Minute for Missions, Mindy and I told how we’ve seen God work in powerful ways through His Church, particularly <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/03/vieux-carre-baptist-church.html" target="_blank">Vieux Carre Baptist Church</a> in the French Quarter of New Orleans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXXGjf7p4zJFPyJSCLIKJYfqcJCi63Jb_dz1DW-0FW2wxYqpWiF0NHYTT4SgmneyoW2FX0ry22CeWWguoAfRqlZuIFVyZ2C8Cnm8rwjXxXAqo7pc6rEhHnhSaaNMhL6ByPdrDtCGzsmE/s1600/IMG_20181014_112815992_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="1048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXXGjf7p4zJFPyJSCLIKJYfqcJCi63Jb_dz1DW-0FW2wxYqpWiF0NHYTT4SgmneyoW2FX0ry22CeWWguoAfRqlZuIFVyZ2C8Cnm8rwjXxXAqo7pc6rEhHnhSaaNMhL6ByPdrDtCGzsmE/s320/IMG_20181014_112815992_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Pastor George prayed for us, which we greatly appreciated. People shared other needs for the prayer time, which concluded with the Lord’s Prayer. (There was a moment of “Debt” / ”Trespass” confusion. We’ve experienced it <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/07/we-go-to-church-in-transition.html" target="_blank">other churches, too</a>. Pastor George blamed his Methodist upbringing.) Pastor George prayed for <a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/samaritans-purse-deploys-two-disaster-relief-units-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-michael-press-release/" target="_blank">hurricane victims in Florida</a>, the local schools (including the high school football team), the tribal council and state government, and the upcoming elections.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uj242P5WjWq8J7mmmpxhSEanJTyUmho6v56S72Z7FdDzKXFBHK-FplYhSnrExstRb_2pJpeuIQ5Oadi2ShDSw6oSV61a3SLfcLDZqxM82f-F8kIHjbBTSPoNrvTgw7xnFVE86i2pG9w/s1600/IMG_20181014_105414238_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uj242P5WjWq8J7mmmpxhSEanJTyUmho6v56S72Z7FdDzKXFBHK-FplYhSnrExstRb_2pJpeuIQ5Oadi2ShDSw6oSV61a3SLfcLDZqxM82f-F8kIHjbBTSPoNrvTgw7xnFVE86i2pG9w/s320/IMG_20181014_105414238_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The congregation is following <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2018/10/14/" target="_blank">the lectionary</a> in their worship services, with Scripture readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Gospels. The Gospel reading (for which we stood) was the story of the rich, young ruler from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A17-31&version=NRSV" target="_blank">Mark</a>. Pastor George commented, “That one caught my eye and kicked me in the backside.” He went on to say, “We’ve all had opportunities to give to the poor; sometimes we take them, and sometimes we don’t.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9herKH4UDih8K5dh_G2Z9SRNV7NrbVaLOmPRs5_shm2bfwbsHHNDfUz7cWlUWFPHUjAaqf0kNsqXVHsF6_dWM1dP84t5ZDRAFU-Gr5cZ0Rn6y3OP-_6avXduSXI3m-0gHCLA2zIsOm-0/s1600/IMG_20181014_120453061_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9herKH4UDih8K5dh_G2Z9SRNV7NrbVaLOmPRs5_shm2bfwbsHHNDfUz7cWlUWFPHUjAaqf0kNsqXVHsF6_dWM1dP84t5ZDRAFU-Gr5cZ0Rn6y3OP-_6avXduSXI3m-0gHCLA2zIsOm-0/s320/IMG_20181014_120453061_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After church, we had more time to chat around the table, this time with snacks along with the coffee. We couldn’t stay long, though; we had a long drive back to Seattle. Several people wished us well and even mentioned they’d be praying for us. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEBY0VYWfYWNU1Udva_yHWmkaK1abxj9iFsRRXsz0p5fF-vveudt8awwUq_UY9AFU6Rxp4LxdIleOGKXIHKjDO1goSghtLd6KncNo11CXB11eNSTioNt-U6RGD093awv_zTwPDXz7rL4/s1600/IMG_20181014_093655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEBY0VYWfYWNU1Udva_yHWmkaK1abxj9iFsRRXsz0p5fF-vveudt8awwUq_UY9AFU6Rxp4LxdIleOGKXIHKjDO1goSghtLd6KncNo11CXB11eNSTioNt-U6RGD093awv_zTwPDXz7rL4/s320/IMG_20181014_093655.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The Old Testament Scripture from the lectionary that morning was from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job+23&version=NIV" target="_blank">chapter 23 of the book of Job</a>. Verses 8 & 9 caught my attention, “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.”<br />
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I hate to disagree with Job, but we saw God at work in His Church in the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/10/we-go-to-church-back-east.html" target="_blank">east of Washington,</a> and this week we saw it in the west. We trust we’ll see the same in the north and south over the next couple of weeks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nyNhmsu8GFTcTW7ELYUrsydoKpZt9wS2yropDuFA6vxnquEgGftePBQkfbT_-AYwv1TsQe10-RxRPeu2A5aiMkQwvH7gfu6tXl950b48dhsmgunjYEzYHMuWlEDFIuDsRBy5_3z9zrk/s1600/IMG_20181014_093821246_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nyNhmsu8GFTcTW7ELYUrsydoKpZt9wS2yropDuFA6vxnquEgGftePBQkfbT_-AYwv1TsQe10-RxRPeu2A5aiMkQwvH7gfu6tXl950b48dhsmgunjYEzYHMuWlEDFIuDsRBy5_3z9zrk/s320/IMG_20181014_093821246_HDR.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-81468067460222482442018-10-09T21:39:00.001-07:002018-10-09T21:39:25.657-07:00We go to church back east<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroPqc0YsHell9h-EAQpfgB6uHirmhhXEfrY1Enf8JEoAh_c0zN6Acuzvqw_XIw0x3xDD4RX2TZerDRfxDL1oiXz_3pj2pGLtc7UGwUlT3V5ZFwDu-5KkSwvWnZqRge00zq61iy6NyD6c/s1600/IMG_20181006_153135882_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroPqc0YsHell9h-EAQpfgB6uHirmhhXEfrY1Enf8JEoAh_c0zN6Acuzvqw_XIw0x3xDD4RX2TZerDRfxDL1oiXz_3pj2pGLtc7UGwUlT3V5ZFwDu-5KkSwvWnZqRge00zq61iy6NyD6c/s320/IMG_20181006_153135882_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Trinity Baptist Church</b>, Clarkston, Washington<br />
You could say that today’s post was <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/09/whats-happening-in-2015.html" target="_blank">years in the making</a>. <br />
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Back in 2014, as we started this blog, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-pilgrim-cant-expect-expected.html" target="_blank">we were figuring out how to pick a church</a>, whether or not we should mention our project as we talked to people in a church, whether we’d kill each other after being cooped up in the car hours on end….There were a lot of questions. <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/direction-in-new-year-garmin-and-i-dont.html" target="_blank">We decided to practice visiting churches in 2015</a>, starting in January by going to the furthest <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/first-baptist-church-dorris.html" target="_blank">North</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-rock-church-san-ysidro-campus.html" target="_blank">South</a>, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/big-river-baptist-church-big-river_20.html" target="_blank">East</a>, and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/search?q=ferndale" target="_blank">West </a>churches we could find in the state. It meant a lot of driving and a lot of hours in the car every weekend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCXYRSRIbmBg-D1K1PcTrzXuuZ2CVeAzJkFWnNOJ4yl8CRM0jPCnZOdtCns0RbUQI2V1uS46IgKA2wsRrB4k4spnzqHYmpAsV2UxM5FM2jobVH3Y9ILR8RMtlXUQwz0KEQDMG28pJtXw/s1600/IMG_20181006_170016167_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCXYRSRIbmBg-D1K1PcTrzXuuZ2CVeAzJkFWnNOJ4yl8CRM0jPCnZOdtCns0RbUQI2V1uS46IgKA2wsRrB4k4spnzqHYmpAsV2UxM5FM2jobVH3Y9ILR8RMtlXUQwz0KEQDMG28pJtXw/s320/IMG_20181006_170016167_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We survived and enjoyed the process. We did a lot more driving <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/12/shocking-news.html" target="_blank">during 2015,</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/12/we-hit-road.html" target="_blank">during 2016</a>, we made it to <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/p/where-we.html" target="_blank">churches in all 50 states</a>. It made sense to us that now, since <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/07/we-go-to-three-churches-at-same-time.html" target="_blank">we live in a different state</a> and plan to finish up our weekly church visits at the end of the year, we should go to the furthest North, South, East, and West churches in our new home state (especially since we barely scratched <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/07/redmond-presbyterian-church-redmond.html" target="_blank">one corner of the state in 2016</a>). This week, we started by going east.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtRxxfJdieZ1f0ygH_g81452S3BueOX6m46qixMQiLT8oSqsUlb3iLz1Ym_euKgf1-QGC8hFGteup48LMXWnIjR-tDwm70klP_1-tujB3OZj4dZPB0cibGgXPFzGwkCpVkMDHcRXfF9Q/s1600/IMG_20181006_185025572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtRxxfJdieZ1f0ygH_g81452S3BueOX6m46qixMQiLT8oSqsUlb3iLz1Ym_euKgf1-QGC8hFGteup48LMXWnIjR-tDwm70klP_1-tujB3OZj4dZPB0cibGgXPFzGwkCpVkMDHcRXfF9Q/s320/IMG_20181006_185025572.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On Saturday afternoon, we left Seattle and headed to <a href="https://www.clarkston-wa.com/" target="_blank">Clarkston</a>. It was getting late, and we didn’t trust the back roads Google maps recommended, so we chose an alternate route. It sent us through Lewiston, Idaho, just after dark, then over the Snake River back into Washington. We found a Motel 6 on Bridge Street in Clarkston, a couple blocks from the border, and settled in so that in the morning we could visit what we figured (through <a href="http://deanandmindywalkintoabar.blogspot.com/2016/10/we-walk-into-bar-in-north-dakota.html" target="_blank">our incredibly scientific reckoning</a>) is the most easterly church in Washington state, <a href="http://www.trinityclarkston.org/" target="_blank">Trinity Baptist Church</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8md6nsog_5zR2K1z-rjbTK2-zuaCm3v2cClSO0NtM1wlSUMYH1gsA6pOqEo85rRSUsf7vIruHz4DgS_k3eKRCmbRk8S7B5nmzxBu6hCKBrqbiKiGBRXFfkkVcq9UpFmKEcd8hHHWpFYg/s1600/IMG_20181007_103747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Dean and Mindy go east: Trinity Baptist Church, Clarkston, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8md6nsog_5zR2K1z-rjbTK2-zuaCm3v2cClSO0NtM1wlSUMYH1gsA6pOqEo85rRSUsf7vIruHz4DgS_k3eKRCmbRk8S7B5nmzxBu6hCKBrqbiKiGBRXFfkkVcq9UpFmKEcd8hHHWpFYg/s320/IMG_20181007_103747.jpg" title="Trinity Baptist Church, Clarkston, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
When we told Gloria, a woman in the church, we came to the church because it was the furthest east, she laughed and said, “It’s also the best.” Gloria was one of several people who greeted us as we entered Trinity Baptist Church. It’s not a large congregation, and we were conspicuously visitors.<br />
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When I shook hands with <a href="https://thedewpoint.blog/" target="_blank">Pastor Doran Williams</a> he asked if I’d phoned the night before. I had, to check the service times, and he recognized “Dean” from the caller I.D. We gave him our card, and he also welcomed us from the front during the service.<br />
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A common complaint about worship services, particularly contemporary services, from elderly church attenders is that there’s too much standing during the singing. This was not the case at Trinity Baptist. The musicians were all seated as they led the singing, and the congregation was seated most of the time. (People stood when we began singing “I Stand in Awe of You,” because, well, you’d feel silly if you didn’t. They also stood for the reading of the Scripture.) Tom, one of the guitar players in the worship team, performed special music, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w-urtdsZ6Y" target="_blank">Life’s Railway to Heaven</a>,” a gospel number that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wck03Y72340" target="_blank">Patsy Cline</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wck03Y72340" target="_blank">Johnny Cash</a> (and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wck03Y72340" target="_blank">many others</a>) recorded. <br />
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Pastor Doran began his message with a very unusual request for the congregation, “Those of you who have been praying for your pastor to lose weight… Please stop it!” It was a lighthearted approach to something very serious. He’s battling <a href="https://www.mds-foundation.org/what-is-mds/" target="_blank">Myelodysplastic syndromes</a>, a bone marrow disorder. Chemo has resulted in a loss of appetite and a loss of weight. In a conversation after the service, he mentioned his disease to explain his need to wear a surgical mask before and after the service (his white blood cell count has suffered). He has also written a little about his struggle with illness in his blog posts. He noted that pastors are not exempt from hardship, but that, like all believers, they can trust God will be present throughout trials (citing <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43:2-3&version=NIV" target="_blank">Isaiah 43: 2 & 3</a>).<br />
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I’m guessing Pastor Doran has been working through the book of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1&version=NIV" target="_blank">Colossians</a>, because this Sunday he spoke on the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A18-4%3A1&version=NIV" target="_blank">second half of the third chapter,</a> “The Successful Christian Family.” He used examples from his own family growing up, discussing the discipline he received from his parents (he and his brother would sneak out during nap times, and his mother would track them down and give him a “whippin’” on the way home.) as well as examples from his own parenting experiences (when his son had a friend pierce his ear -- which soon became infected). He pointed out that though it’s strange for us to see slavery mentioned in this passage about families, in that day slaves were often a part of the household. (He also noted that slavery during that time was much different than the more cruel form slavery took in American history: “read <i><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Uncle-Toms-Cabin" target="_blank">Uncle Tom’s Cabin</a></i>.”)<br />
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I appreciated that he noted that though this passage talked about husbands and wives, the passage still had things to teach us about living in relationship with others in the family of Christ whether we’re married or not (I get a little irritated when preachers assume that everyone is part of a two parent, two child family, with a dog and a cat and a white picket fence.).<br />
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I was able to talk to a couple of folks about what they appreciated about Trinity Baptist Church. Gloria said she appreciated Pastor Doren’s preaching, “I have learned so much from him.”<br />
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Pastor Doren said he appreciated that Trinity Baptist was a “caring community,” noting the “love people have for one another.” I asked him about strengths of the church, but he volunteered a weakness, “there aren’t enough young people.” We did notice several teens in attendance.<br />
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The church seemed to be doing a good job of caring for the people who were there. They did a good job welcoming us, visitors from the Wild West. We’re looking forward to seeing what the other points of the compass in Washington have in store for us this month.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-64734553213421821142018-10-03T05:23:00.000-07:002018-10-03T16:54:01.492-07:00We go to a coffee house<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://thehillsidechurch.com/home" target="_blank">Hillside Church</a> / <a href="https://www.livingroomevent.com/" target="_blank">The Living Room Coffee House</a></b>, Marysville, Washington<br />
Is Twitter just the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellmouth_(Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer)" target="_blank">Hellmouth</a>, or Hell itself? Turns out, when people have the opportunity to anonymously spew venom about a variety of topics, many will take it. <br />
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On the other side of the debate, I’ve seen some good things can happen on Twitter. For instance, Twitter introduced me to Andy and <a href="http://thehillsidechurch.com/about" target="_blank">Hillside Church</a> in Marysville, Washington. <br />
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I generally post links to our church visits, and after we’d been to several Seattle churches, he messaged me about getting together to visit the church he attends.<br />
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We arranged to meet at the church with plans for lunch afterward (somewhere he could watch the <a href="https://www.seahawks.com/" target="_blank">Seahawks</a>). When we got to the door of the building, we were given programs and a woman approached us saying, “You must be Andy’s friend!” She introduced herself as Andy’s wife, Andrea, and told us they’d driven to church separately. Andy would be arriving soon. <br />
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While we waited, she gave us a tour of the building, starting with the Great Room, where the worship service would be starting soon. It had rows of chairs, but also couches and easy chairs as well as a few round tables around the edges of the room. Andrea showed us the classrooms (all with coffee-related names), and finished the tour in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lroomcoffeehouse/" target="_blank">Living Room Coffee House</a>. <br />
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The coffeehouse is open all week long from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and it’s a central part of the ministry of the church. Mindy ordered decaf (there was drip coffee available for free), and we had some of the bagels and donuts set out for the morning’s service.<br />
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Andy arrived and we chatted for a bit before the service started. Actually, we got into the Great Room a little late because of the chatting.<br />
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Andy and Andrea have been part of Hillside for the last two years. Previously, they’d attended a small church in North Seattle, but they wanted to go someplace closer to home. They had been going to a small church in north Seattle but decided to go someplace closer to home, where they could see other people from church during the week and not just on Sundays. <br />
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Around the same time, Hillside Church moved from a strip mall into a church building. The challenge was to make the church building more like a coffee house. Andy’s comment about it indicates their success: “People find the church by going to the coffeehouse…That’s how we found it.”<br />
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When I went into the Great Room after chatting, the singing had already begun. We sang choruses, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_XEEY7pmLg" target="_blank">Closer</a>” and “<a href="https://www.essentialworship.com/songs/mosaic-msc/tremble" target="_blank">Tremble</a>” and then Brandon gave some announcements. He gave <a href="https://tenor.com/search/pee-wee-herman-word-of-the-day-gifs" target="_blank">the word of the day</a>, “<a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/persevere" target="_blank">Persevere</a>.” (Though someone in the congregation had guessed aloud the word would be “Welcome,” the word on the screen and definitely appropriate from our experience of the church so far.)<br />
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Commenting on an event the next Saturday night designed for families with children at home, Brandon said, “So if you have a kid who puts things in the toilet...You’ll probably find another parent who can relate to that.”<br />
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The “Pause” time followed the announcements. People were encouraged to put their offering in the box in the back, along with their connection cards, and to get some coffee and chat with each other for a few minutes. Parents of small children had the opportunity of taking their kids to one of the classrooms for Sunday School. That’s when I had the chance to meet Mike. He and his wife Kim (who usually does announcements) are co-pastors of the church. He’s bivocational; during the week he manages a golf course.<br />
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Once everybody had sat back down, Pastor Mike continued a series on “Soul Food,” examining the ways we receive nourishment from God. He summarized the previous two weeks’ messages, mentioning that the “food” discussed then had been more what people expect: Scripture and prayer. This Sunday he preached on listening to God. He said prayer could be a way God speaks, but there are other ways we can listen to God. <br />
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He went to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+4&version=NASB" target="_blank">Matthew 4</a>, the temptation of Jesus, and noted that living on the Word of God isn’t just about Scripture (though that is an important). Our problem, he said, is that we don’t believe God has something to say to us. God does have something to say to us, and whatever He has to say will not conflict with His written Word. We need to have back and forth communication with Him because that is the only way to develop intimacy.<br />
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In <a href="https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/33-3.htm" target="_blank">Jeremiah 33: 3</a>, God says, “Call to me and I will answer you.” God wants that conversation.<br />
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Mike said that God will address us through circumstances, but at times we need to step back from our circumstances to understand what He might be saying. God speaks to us through our thoughts, logic, and our consciences. God can speak to us through other people, and not just through the best of people -- sometimes our critics have important things to say to us.<br />
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Sometimes people look for God’s voice in silly places (he mentioned <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Code-Michael-Drosnin/dp/0684849739" target="_blank">The Bible Code</a></i> craze when people studied Scripture using numerology).<br />
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Sometimes God speaks to us in unusual ways. Mike told a great story about his call to ministry, the only time God spoke to him in a big way. At a youth camp, the speaker had asked those who were called to ministry to stand. And he felt himself standing, even though he hadn’t known he was going to stand. He tried to sit down, and couldn’t. He looks back at this time as a direct intervention of God in His life.<br />
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After the service, I asked a few people about what they appreciate about Hillside Church. During the service, we’d enjoyed watching a couple of little kids, the offspring of Matt, who was sitting in the same row we were. Matt said he appreciated that the church is “community driven… I like that it’s small. It’s friendly and diverse, not a majority old or a majority young.” The church strived for a casual and homelike feel, and people appreciate that.<br />
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During lunch with Andrea and Andy at a nearby <a href="https://www.fox.com/bobs-burgers/" target="_blank">Bob’s Burgers</a> (not to be confused with the animated series). Mindy enjoyed talking with their delightful daughters (she generally feels more comfortable with children). After our time together, I was especially thankful that, for all its flaws, Twitter had been the mechanism for a good thing. Thanks, Twitter! Even more, thanks, God!<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-21122543811495835252018-09-30T16:43:00.000-07:002018-09-30T16:43:09.469-07:00We go to a 100th birthday party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://www.flcws.org/" target="_blank">First Lutheran Church of West Seattle</a></b>, Seattle, Washington<br />
After celebrating <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/09/we-go-to-comedy-club-for-party.html" target="_blank">Kalos Church</a>'s first birthday recently, we were excited to participate in a <a href="https://westseattleblog.com/2018/09/video-first-lutheran-church-of-west-seattles-centennial-celebration/" target="_blank">100th birthday party</a> last Sunday. First Lutheran of West Seattle commemorated the event by following a bagpiper from the site of the church's first building.<br />
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Along with banners, crosses, and the church choir, the congregation gathered in the sanctuary for hymns, Scripture readings, a brief sermon, and Communion, then went outside again for an official group photo.<br />
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Afterward, all were invited inside to enjoy a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/pauls_kransekake_83354" target="_blank">Kransekake</a> <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/11/we-go-to-church-in-north-dakota.html" target="_blank">reception</a> and reminiscences wth old and new friends. We were honored to be part of this historic gathering.<br />
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<br />churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-25615096302970002722018-09-25T20:58:00.000-07:002018-09-25T20:58:28.581-07:00We go to a comedy club for a party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="https://kalos.church/" target="_blank">Kalos Church</a></b>, Bellevue, Washington<br />
Call me a Grinch or a Scrooge or a killjoy, but I’m not usually a fan of birthday parties for one year olds, especially when it’s a big event with dozens of people gathering, some bringing their own one- or two-year-olds who are as baffled as the birthday child by the loud music and popping balloons and candle flames approaching a small young face. Why throw a party when the guest of honor has no idea what’s happening?<br />
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Even I’ll admit, though, it’s a very different thing when the one-year-old birthday party is for a church. so we were happy to join the celebration of one year of ministry for Kalos Church. The church meets in shopping mall (<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/10/we-go-to-church-in-south-dakota.html" target="_blank">something we’ve encountered before</a>); the web site directions read next to the movie theater and above Lucky Strike (a bowling alley). The church meets in a comedy club, the Parlor Live Comedy Club.<br />
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The marquee inside the mall announced the birthday party with video of folks from the congregation acting a bit silly. A woman carrying a child greeted us and when she learned we were visiting, gave us a tour of the rooms the church uses and showed us where the restrooms were. Once in the sanctuary/theater space, we saw pictures of comedians who have appeared in the club, but in honor of the church’s birthday celebration, there were also balloons, birthday banners, and large trays of cupcakes. I’m guessing the coffee and bagels available as we came into the space were standard fare. Like the children’s spaces in the club, the decorations were all the more impressive because they have to be set up and taken down every Sunday.<br />
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A number of people greeted us, and -- more impressively -- seemed eager to engage in conversation. I talked to Andrew, the director of music and one of the founding members of the young church. I asked him what he thought was one of the best things about Kalos Church, and he said, “Everyone here wants to be together; to be friends, not just friendly.” (As the morning went on, I heard others use these same words, a motto for the church.)<br />
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We attended the first ever 9:45 am service in the life of the church. During the first year, the church had only one worship service on Sunday mornings; now there are two (the other starts at 11:30 am). Both seemed well attended that morning (I peeked in the door at the second service). As the 9:45 service began, more chairs were pulled out of a closet. After a little singing, a worship leader said, “Sometimes it’s like passing through heaven and hell to make it here at 9:45 AM on a Sunday morning… Over the next hour, we’ll have singing, communion, sharing a message.”<br />
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There was an announcement about the Crash Course that takes place after the worship service, where staff and volunteers help guests understand the purpose and ministries of the church and how they can be involved. Crash Course includes a free catered lunch (we went. They served nachos, ginger beef with rice, and toast points that morning).<br />
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During a video of highlights of the church’s first year, people chuckled as they recognized themselves and friends. After a short look back at the church’s launch on September 17, 2017 (with 200 in attendance), Pastors Pradeepan and Amreitha Jeeva led the congregation in singing “Happy Birthday” to themselves and each other.<br />
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Dave, who manages <a href="http://parlorlive.com/index.html" target="_blank">The Parlor Bellevue</a> and who’s the church’s contact person, was called up for recognition. He often works late on Saturday nights (it’s a club, after all), but he’s always there to open the space for church set-up before 7:30 am. The pastors thanked him and reminded the congregation to thank and honor him. (He was also given a gift; no idea what it was).<br />
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Pradeepan preached a sermon that was a continuation of their series “Dream Again” (based on <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A1&version=NASB" target="_blank">Hebrews 11:1</a>, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”) He said that many of us are living without hope, but that God wants us to know that our best days are still ahead.<br />
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He shared some of their dreams with the beginning of the church. The church needed a lot of things, so they set up an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/38DFBHHWNVETQ" target="_blank">Amazon wish list</a>. Out of the blue came a request that Amreitha should meet someone in a park, with their young son. With trepidation, she went and met another mother of a small child. They talked about parenting, and Amreitha talked about their dreams for the church. That evening they got a message. The woman she’d met in the park told her to take a look at the wish list. She had purchased $40,000 in needed sound and audio visual equipment, the biggest items on their list -- including the <a href="http://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-stage-3" target="_blank">Nord Stage 3 keyboard</a>. Pradeepan mentioned the Nord several times, I think because it’s fun to say “Nord.”<br />
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He got to the text of sermon, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8%3A22-25&version=NIV" target="_blank">Mark 8: 22 - 25</a>, the story where Jesus heals the blind man by spitting in the dirt and putting the mud in the man’s eyes. One of the points Pradeepan made was that miracles are messy. He went on to talk about churches being messy places and told about being hurt himself in the church, but also told how God had healed him in the church. <br />
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Pradeepan shared some of his own story. His family were Hindu refugees from Sri Lanka, who came to live in a trailer park in Minnesota. He grew up with many struggles and doubts, growing up in this strange, cold land. At 17 he was suicidal, but he found hope in a Christian church, and he found Jesus.<br />
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I appreciated that there was a lot of talk about Jesus in the church. “Jesus is a big deal to us. If you remember just one thing from this morning, it’s Jesus is the best.” The name of the church, Kalos, comes from the Greek word for beauty. It , and the name was chosen to “make known the beauty of Christ, even when churches have done ugly things… The beauty of Jesus in a comedy club is no joke.”<br />
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I have to agree. The beauty of Jesus is worth celebrating, worth a party (even for a first birthday).<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-68759640795001936692018-09-19T06:12:00.001-07:002018-09-19T06:12:06.800-07:00We go to church...er, churchome. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="https://churchome.org/" target="_blank">Churchome</a></b>, Seattle (Downtown or possibly Belltown), Washington<br />
Robert offered me the seat next to him. I thanked him, but pointed to Mindy in the row ahead and said I was sitting with her. It was greeting time during the beginning of the worship service at <a href="https://churchome.org/" target="_blank">Churchome</a> in downtown Seattle. His offer was a little thing, but I appreciated it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5om5b9E1gyKQVP-fIkOf4Rp1vd9qgIyahXzqRIQhJ9sfBm4yYFd4tGX6QIlYJbrsq-_geNEc_C39pcmoJo-F23HYuEZRvhsmJxAb5XjeK21OIQFn9qP2_W5xWi93FlrgQ4bx0rYSANB4/s1600/IMG_20180909_175201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5om5b9E1gyKQVP-fIkOf4Rp1vd9qgIyahXzqRIQhJ9sfBm4yYFd4tGX6QIlYJbrsq-_geNEc_C39pcmoJo-F23HYuEZRvhsmJxAb5XjeK21OIQFn9qP2_W5xWi93FlrgQ4bx0rYSANB4/s320/IMG_20180909_175201.jpg" width="213" /></a>For nearly four years, Mindy and I have been professional church visitors. (Not “professional” meaning getting paid for it, but in the sense of commitment. We’ve been visiting churches and ministries most weeks since August of 2014, and writing about it since November of that year.) Almost every Sunday, we’ve walked into a new place and seen all new faces. Sometimes people acknowledge us and sometimes they don’t. It’s worth noting when people do a good job of greeting visitors, and Churchome did a very good job, with me especially.<br />
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We visited on a Sunday evening and found (free!) parking just around the corner. As we approached the building, I noticed people smoking outside, which is something I’m happy to see. I’m not advocating the use of tobacco or tobacco products here -- the surgeon general is right about these things -- but seeing smokers outside tells me that people here aren’t afraid of being judged for smoking. (There are certainly plenty of places where this would be the case.)<br />
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The first thing I noticed in the lobby was a set-up for what looked like a photo shoot. I found out it was part of the church’s promotion for small group ministries. I told Carley, one of the women hosting the station, about our project of visiting churches, and we talked about what she liked about Churchome. She said, “The community; it’s easy to become a part of things.”<br />
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I went inside the sanctuary to take some pictures. After a bit, I just stood in the back, observing. Kellon, whose name tag identified him as a church greeter, came over. I told him we were first-time visitors and why we were visiting. He said he always looks for people who are alone (as I appeared to be) to say “Hello.” That night he’d gone to chat with a man sitting alone and found out the man had just graduated from the Salvation Army’s rehabilitation program. They had a good, ten-minute talk.<br />
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As the service began, a woman welcomed everyone and introduced the pastor, Judah Smith, who was giving the evening message via tape. Which is why the evening crowd was greeted with “Good morning, church! It’s a big day; it’s game day. That’s why everyone came to the 10:30 service. Everyone’s welcome unless you don’t cheer for the Seahawks.” (The home team cheering even continued in the pastoral prayer asking for God to “Be with the young men in green and blue in Colorado”. Which sounded odd -- the game was over, and the Seahawks had already lost to the Broncos.)<br />
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Churchome is a multi-campus congregation, with four locations in the area (including Bothell, Kirkland and the University District), and one in Los Angeles.<br />
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The message came from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 10</a> (which was interesting because that had been the text <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/09/we-go-to-small-church.html" target="_blank">the week before at Elim Baptist</a>). That’s the passage where Jesus said, “I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword.” Judah Smith said it was one of the most challenging passages he’s ever preached.<br />
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Judah talked about our need to put Jesus above everything. Bringing in the story of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A38-42&version=NIV" target="_blank">Mary and Martha,</a> he said one of our problems in the church is “doing things for God while we are thinking of ourselves… Do you know why you think God owes you? Because you’re doing things for God while thinking about yourself. This is why weird things happen in the church: gossip, backstabbing, infighting.” If we put Jesus first, other things fall in line.<br />
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After the message, the worship team led singing -- the opposite order from most services we’ve attended where the sermon comes tends to come as the concluding part. At the conclusion of the service we were told, “Thank you for finding parking or Ubering; how ever you got here. Thank you for taking part of your Sunday for us...You belong here. In a world of a lot of bad news, we are here to tell you about the love of Jesus.”<br />
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People who had questions about the church or faith were encouraged to go to the “Next Steps Bar” in the lobby, and he added, “We don’t have the word ‘bar’ just to be trendy and cool.” (For the record, <a href="http://deanandmindywalkintoabar.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">we go to bars and write about them</a> just to be <a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/" target="_blank">trendy and cool</a>.)<br />
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People were encouraged to also check out the small groups station in the lobby, “Because at Churchome, we don’t just do Sundays together, we live life together.”<br />
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People truly made an effort to make us feel at home at Churchome, and I’m pretty sure they would have done so even if they’d known we were 49ers fans. Pretty sure.churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-35098906239573564142018-09-12T06:02:00.003-07:002018-09-12T06:02:47.532-07:00We go to a small church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="https://www.elimconnects.com/" target="_blank">Elim Baptist Church</a></b>, Seattle, Washington (Wallingford District)<br />
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<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/09/we-go-to-big-church.html" target="_blank">Last week</a>, I wrote about a guy who said what he liked about his church was that it was big. This week I asked a woman named Sheryl what she liked about <a href="https://www.elimconnects.com/" target="_blank">Elim Baptis</a>t, and she said, “It’s a quirky, small, wonderful, little church.” So half of her adjectives referred to the petite nature of the place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTWWtfbR4LRCgGziGsIys_ZuLdZq3OkIXbnBThFfSDCdHDFvpo4fWb7feo1gb_vn4WqQvfEF-n-09LdFHhb2Xu3g4ceWemFPxUKUK3RjDHXVJimzwrmN9jfSJAxI4SFRmX1lbEyRpWLY/s1600/IMG_20180902_093258093_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Elim Baptist Church, Seattle, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTWWtfbR4LRCgGziGsIys_ZuLdZq3OkIXbnBThFfSDCdHDFvpo4fWb7feo1gb_vn4WqQvfEF-n-09LdFHhb2Xu3g4ceWemFPxUKUK3RjDHXVJimzwrmN9jfSJAxI4SFRmX1lbEyRpWLY/s320/IMG_20180902_093258093_HDR.jpg" title="Elim Baptist Church, Seattle, Washington" width="213" /></a></div>
Finding <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-rock-church-san-ysidro-campus.html" target="_blank">big churches</a> to write about is easier than finding small churches. When we google churches in Seattle, all the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/05/two-very-different-churches-in-delaware.html" target="_blank">big churches</a> come up first because that’s how algorithms work. (I guess. I actually have no idea how search engine algorithms work.) So maybe you’re wondering how we came upon Elim Baptist Church, whose online presence is surprisingly minimal.<br />
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When I was in seminary, I needed to do an internship at a church as part of my pastoral training. I ended up at <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/09/evfree-fullerton.html" target="_blank">Fullerton Evangelical Free Church</a> in Southern California, where <a href="http://insight.org/about/chuck-swindoll" target="_blank">Chuck Swindoll</a> was lead pastor. Paul Sailhamer was in charge of the intern program, and Elim is pastored by Paul’s wife’s sister’s husband, Mick Berberian. So we heard about the church through Paul (still one of the people in ministry I respect most highly). And Paul respects Mick and his ministry.<br />
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Elim Baptist is in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, on the north shore of Lake Union. We arrived a little early, so we took a walk around the neighborhood. The church is surrounded by homes, with a large city park down the street. It’s not a commercial district. As in many parts of Seattle, parking is at a premium, so the streets were lined with cars, but we couldn’t tell if they belonged to people who were already in the church building.<br />
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The service was scheduled to begin at 10:00 am, so <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/06/harvest-community-church-crows-landing.html" target="_blank">Mindy decided to try the front door</a> a few minutes before. It opened, and we could see a dozen or so folks already in the sanctuary.<br />
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We sat down in the back row. In the row ahead of us, a couple of women were discussing the end of summer change in the service time. The next week, worship would begin at 11:00 am. One of the women preferred the earlier time. “Get it done, and you have the rest of the day.”<br />
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Sheryl was one of the women, and she introduced herself. We also met Marvic (short for “Mary Victoria”) who expressed appreciation for this church as a neighborhood church. Another woman came in asked her, “Are you doing music?” </div>
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Marvic replied, “Yes, join in! We’re going to be doing oldies.”<br />
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Mick was in front (I recognized him from a photo on Facebook), so I went up to introduce myself. He’s been at Elim since 1983; before that he was involved in larger ministries. This isn’t a church with a lot of programs, Mick said, “Their faith is expressed outside of the church. We see a lot of life come through this church.”<br />
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The service started a little late, nearing ten after ten. The church doesn’t have a countdown clock like University Presbyterian and a lot of other big churches have. We used hymnals for the opening song (“Morning is Broken”), and then the children were released to Sunday School. For most of the service, we could hear a baby being cheerful, which was a nice thing.</div>
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We sang several choruses, and they were oldies (“<a href="https://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/michael_w_smith/above_all.html" target="_blank">Above All</a>,” “<a href="https://genius.com/Mercyme-lord-i-lift-your-name-on-high-lyrics" target="_blank">Lord I Lift Your Name On High</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LMQfOp9w8k" target="_blank">Seek Ye First</a>,” and “<a href="http://www.klove.com/music/artists/francesca-battistelli/songs/he-knows-my-name-lyrics.aspx" target="_blank">He Knows My Name</a>”), covering each of the decades from the seventies to the aughts.) A screen and an overhead projector were used for the lyrics. (I remember many heated discussions at other churches back in the day about whether the screen should be allowed to cover the cross.) Mick accompanied the choruses on his saxophone.<br />
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The screen was raised to reveal the three crosses, and Mick came forward to preach. “This morning we have arrived at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10-11&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 10 and maybe chapter 11</a>,” he said. He referred often to the Greek word choices in the Gospel, but also said, “<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A34&version=NASB" target="_blank">Verse 34</a> is a bummer.” (Maybe it’s just me, but the slang seemed to work especially well with Mick’s Hawaiian shirt.)</div>
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People in the congregation obviously knew and loved each other. They love their pastor and he loves them. This can happen in a unique way in a small neighborhood church. Churches -- small, big and in-between -- God can use them all.<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-42789838741913361352018-09-05T06:10:00.000-07:002018-09-05T06:10:14.797-07:00We go to a big church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX4b2QphAPIUxFtqwCoi_4veXIww42mdMY0G39p_src55uqPPFwr_ezFeLOWZkAHOfOb9xz6qdWeOdDecGZ63Hn9gDmuubqxGJ0EB9Eua20yE9gzMY8ew0cc4fuQQREKiZOI8Vxrd9wc/s1600/IMG_20180826_164735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dean and Mindy go to University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX4b2QphAPIUxFtqwCoi_4veXIww42mdMY0G39p_src55uqPPFwr_ezFeLOWZkAHOfOb9xz6qdWeOdDecGZ63Hn9gDmuubqxGJ0EB9Eua20yE9gzMY8ew0cc4fuQQREKiZOI8Vxrd9wc/s320/IMG_20180826_164735.jpg" title="Dean and Mindy go to University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.upc.org/" target="_blank">University Presbyterian Church</a></b>, Seattle, Washington<br />
“It’s a big church. It has lots of programs,” Jeff said when I asked what he liked about this church. It was rather refreshing to hear enthusiasm for bigness. We’ve been in plenty of settings where we’ve heard the opposite. Many small churches consider “intimacy”, “warmth”, and “familiarity” high values. <br />
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<a href="http://deanandmindywalkintoabar.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">When we go to bars</a>, we always ask people what they think makes for a good church. It’s pretty common <a href="http://deanandmindywalkintoabar.blogspot.com/2016/06/we-walk-into-bar-in-new-york.html" target="_blank">to hear</a> the <i><a href="http://www.deanandmindy.com/2018/07/we-remember-bar-we-walked-into-two.html" target="_blank">Cheers</a></i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-mi0r0LpXo" target="_blank">theme song</a> mentioned -- <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2016/06/salem-church-not-just-for-scandinavians.html" target="_blank">a good church is a place where “everybody knows your name.”</a> Even if the person we’re talking to doesn’t go to church (and doesn’t want to go to church), they see the appeal of being part of a small community of friends. On the other hand, we often hear negative things about big churches; it’s pretty common for people to believe a big church is impersonal.<br />
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But this visit was a reminder that some people really love big churches. You can’t have a big choir (or worship team or praise band) in a small church, unless you don’t mind having nobody in the pews to listen. Big churches can offer specialized ministries to people with different needs, in different stages of life, and big churches can also provide the chance to minister in a greater variety of ways.<br />
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Jeff said something else I found interesting. He said of the church, “We have liberals and conservatives but we find a way to get along.” He didn’t specify whether those were political or theological divisions, but those differences often go hand-in-hand. We live in a country that seems increasing rife with division and the dream of <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/30/can-we-all-just-get-along-rodney-kings-question-still-matters/" target="_blank">Rodney King (“Can’t we all just get along?”)</a> grows increasingly dim. More than ever, the Church needs to live out the words of Jesus: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”<br />
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We went on a Sunday evening; even with a good-sized gathering of people in a good sized building, there wasn’t at all the feeling of a megachurch. Someone with an ear finely tuned to politics might have picked up a liberal or conservative tone, but the focus was really on the Kingdom of God.<br />
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When we entered the sanctuary shortly before 5:00 pm, the worship team was practicing, but after part of a song or two, we saw them going to a back room to pray together. The large sanctuary has a balcony and beautiful stained glass windows, as well as banners at the front which echoed the colors of the windows. Mindy thought some of the organ pipes had stained glass colors as well, and there was interesting <a href="https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/3-D-three-dimensions-or-three-dimensional" target="_blank">3-D</a> looking Last Supper art above the platform. <br />
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I saw a note in the program that this was Suzanne’s last worship service in her role as Interim Coordinator of Contemporary Worship (she still will be a part of the church). I guessed (correctly) that the flowers under the piano bench were for her, and it was a nice time of worship.<br />
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After some singing, a man came forward and said, “In case you forgot, my name is George Hinman.” The congregation chuckled -- he is the senior pastor at UPC. “Thanks for the privilege of getting away… Recharging my batteries…” He said he’d spent part of the time to plan the sermons for the year to come. “We’ll be looking at Romans, Jeremiah (the man who tears down to build up).” He said he also took time for fishing, sleeping, and reading.<br />
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Joyce, who introduced herself as “a young adult here at UPC,” came forward. She serves with international students through the church. She led prayer for shooting victims in Jacksonville (it was the day of the incident at a video game tournament), flooding in Hawaii, and student ministries throughout the world. In her prayer, she also mentioned an article about <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article217336825.html" target="_blank">the persecution of female politicians in Bolivia</a> and prayed for them, along with other oppressed women throughout the world.<br />
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A missionary shared about her ministry, though her full name and the country where she works wasn’t shared. She was asked about the challenge of a ministry where one sees little fruit, and she insisted she does see fruit, it’s just small and slow -- but it does come. She told the story of two young women who came to church to ask questions about Christianity. One had recently abandoned the faith of her parents. After two hours of discussion she said, “I believe. What do I do now?” Seeing young people stepping into leadership roles in ministry has also been an encouragement. <br />
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Pastor Hinman preached on the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+25%3A14+-+30&version=NIV" target="_blank">parable of the Talents from Matthew 25</a>. He suggested that the parable is about the attitude of the workers had toward their master, rather than the performance of the workers. If we believe in a harsh God, we’ll bury our talents. If we believe in a gracious God, we’ll be willing to take risks.<br />
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The service concluded with a time of prayer for healing. The elders and prayer team waited in the front with anointing oils and prayed with those who came forward. Quite a few people did.<br />
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After we ask people what they think makes for a good church, they sometimes ask us the same question. Sometimes they’ll ask, “What’s better, a big or a small church?” My answer is always, “Yes. When God is there.”<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-14824891530926726832018-08-28T21:15:00.000-07:002018-08-28T21:15:08.826-07:00Mindy goes to church alone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><a href="http://sjbwestseattle.org/" target="_blank">The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist</a></b> in the <a href="http://www.moviechurches.com/2018/07/in-theaters-now-ant-man-and-wasp.html" target="_blank">Admiral District</a> of <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/West+Seattle,+Seattle,+WA/@47.5461487,-122.4444511,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x54904104d638618b:0x4a6b33b54023f871!8m2!3d47.5666668!4d-122.3867537" target="_blank">West Seattle</a>, Seattle, Washington<br />
The Reverend Kate E. Wesch was describing the impromptu use of the church building as a <a href="https://westseattleblog.com/2018/08/just-announced-2-places-to-escape-the-smoke/" target="_blank">smoke sanctuary</a> when air quality made it dangerous for children and those with breathing challenges to spend time outdoors. The families and children who came weren’t there for a worship service, she said, they were “simply enjoying this holy place.” <br />
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She talked about the meaning of the word sanctuary: a place of refuge and safety. <br />
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I appreciated hearing how members of the congregation and the community had come together to provide a place of refuge. Like most others in the Seattle area, I’d spent a good deal of the previous week concerned about the smoky air from distant fires. It was good to hear how the church had responded.<br />
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Then Kate talked about the Gospel reading for the morning, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A56-59&version=NRSV" target="_blank">John 6:56-69</a>. She said it was the end of the “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_of_Life_Discourse" target="_blank">Bread of Life” passage</a>, and mentioned the connection with Communion. Then she quoted <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013A1JGA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">Take This Bread</a></i>, a book that Dean and I refer to frequently, one that inspired a visit to<a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/06/st-gregory-of-nyssa-episcopal-church.html" target="_blank"> another Episcopal church</a>. <br />
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In that book, <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/06/sara-miles.html" target="_blank">Sara Miles</a> described her <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/06/sara-miles.html" target="_blank">sudden and unexpected conversion to Christianity</a>, a description that Kate (who said she was a “cradle Episcopal;” she'd been part of the Church her whole life) said, “has always stayed with me because it was so foreign to my experience.”<br />
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The congregation would be sharing communion -- good bread and wine -- together as the culmination of the worship service. In preparation, as she closed her sermon, Kate said that as the author of <i>Take This Bread</i> “found sanctuary that morning...I pray that we find it here together. I pray we find it here in this holy place of refuge.”<br />
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<a href="https://westseattleblog.com/2018/08/smoke-yes-its-back-but-not-as-bad/" target="_blank">The smoke had, for the time being anyway, lifted outside</a>, but inside, the sanctuary of the church was still very much present, even after the worship service when I joined others for a time of fellowship (and snacks).<br />
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churchandstateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934540786341546389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053927966056268633.post-49372732501801368552018-08-21T21:16:00.000-07:002018-08-21T21:16:08.479-07:00We go to church, but miss the show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0oVHM-MeZkPG0d93k-l8mLE5BbZaebDfOtrIpAQf1PmJjKjTlwjTkUaM609zx1iOdWc8O9Nr4igoJLj8sZrkXPblsMDsweMjV3NbsxUX9x3RKM0SpzDaZCE17-rP0hqup-nxTNL1D9o/s1600/IMG_20180819_095645531_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sanctuary Church at Taproot Theater, Seattle, Washington" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0oVHM-MeZkPG0d93k-l8mLE5BbZaebDfOtrIpAQf1PmJjKjTlwjTkUaM609zx1iOdWc8O9Nr4igoJLj8sZrkXPblsMDsweMjV3NbsxUX9x3RKM0SpzDaZCE17-rP0hqup-nxTNL1D9o/s320/IMG_20180819_095645531_HDR.jpg" title="Sanctuary Church at Taproot Theater, Seattle" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.sanctuarycrc.org/" target="_blank">Sanctuary Christian Reformed Church</a></b>, Seattle (Greenwood neighborhood), Washington<br />
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We've enjoyed worshiping with <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/04/we-go-to-church-in-movie-theater.html" target="_blank">congregations who meet in movie theaters</a>, but this week was the <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2015/04/new-city-church-of-los-angeles.html" target="_blank">second time</a> we've been able to worship in <a href="https://www.sanctuarycrc.org/" target="_blank">a church that meets in a Legitimate Theater</a>. <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/" target="_blank">Taproot Theatre</a> calls itself a “Professional theater in a neighborhood setting.” Mindy and I were both in theater in high school and college (different schools in different states -- and different plays), so we both have a fondness for the setting. And the background for the worship service was the set of <a href="http://taproottheatre.org/shows/2018/sweet-land/" target="_blank">Sweet Land</a>, which ended the day before we visited. Sweet Land is set in rural Minnesota, so there’s a windmill in the backdrop. Which was cool.<br />
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The Sanctuary Church <a href="https://www.sanctuarycrc.org/sunday/" target="_blank">website</a> suggested parking in the <a href="https://www.fredmeyer.com/" target="_blank">Fred Meyer </a>parking lot, so we did that. (And went shopping afterwards because we haven’t been in a Fred Meyer for a long time). We walked the short block or two to the theater, where the big sign, obviously, was for the theater, but sidewalk signs let us know we’d arrived at the church.<br />
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A tall man greeted us as we entered, telling us we could sit in the balcony or downstairs, handing us the morning’s bulletin, and directing us to cofee. There was the free church coffee, of which MIndy partook, but if we’d wanted to pay, we could visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StageDoorbyOneCup/" target="_blank">The Stage Door</a>, which was also in the theater lobby. (Not surprisingly, we went with free coffee). Home baked snacks and Girl Scout cookies were available nearby (also free). While we were pondering goodies, a man introduced himself, “I’m Mark, one of the pastors here at Sanctuary.” We’d just started our conversation when someone came through ringing a bell to call us to worship. (It wasn’t a large steeple bell. And there wasn’t any flashing of lobby lights as is typical for theaters). <br />
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The service opened with “A Mighty Fortress” (the projected lyrics had a footnote for the definition of “Lord Sabaoth” as “Lord of Heaven’s Army”). A woman came forward to lead the call to worship (“My name is Jen and I’m one of the elders here at Sanctuary”).<br />
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Soon the children were escorted to class by their parents as the rest of us “passed the peace.” I was glad that it was a genuine greeting time, rather than people mechanically shaking hands and saying “peace be with you” to a set number of people. That rote greeting can be better than nothing, but I prefer a chance to chat with people. We met a delightful young woman, Elissa (maybe Alissa; we talked about the pronunciation but not the spelling of her name), who had been attending Sanctuary for nine years. I asked her how long the church had met in that theater. She said they’d been at Taproot for the whole time she’d been there, but she’d heard the church had originally met in a home. I asked what had drawn her to the church, and she said it was the worship and teaching.<br />
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Summer, the Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Mark’s wife, conducted an interview with Ashley and Jeff, a couple the church supports. They are leaders of the <a href="https://students.washington.edu/gradcf/" target="_blank">Graduate Christian Fellowship</a> at the University of Washington, and they talked about caring for the whole person as part of that ministry. Over the summer, their group has hosted discussion groups with the chair of the Women’s Study Department about the #MeToo movement and talked to local journalists about the media in the age of Trump.</div>
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But they are beginning another ministry, a church plant. They were inviting, and they invited people to help out with a work day at the building where a Lutheran Church is allowing them to meet. I won’t write much more about the this, because we might make the plant a post in the future.</div>
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People were encouraged to write needs on response cards before a time of prayer, “We love knowing how to specifically pray for all of you.” The prayer also introduced the morning’s text, “As we learn from our Sister Esther, whether we are political activists, engineers, teachers, old and young, let us realize our influence, to have God shine through us.”<br />
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Pastor Mark was continuing a series on “Cloud of Witnesses” (the phrase comes from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 12:1</a>, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...”). He noted the Old Testament figures they’ve been studying were not necessarily “great.” Instead, they were often broken people, but God worked greatly through them. <br />
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He said he’d read up on <a href="https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm" target="_blank">Purim</a>, the annual Jewish celebration where the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther+1-10&version=NIV" target="_blank">book of Esther</a> is always read. Listeners are encouraged to treat it like a melodrama, cheering Esther and Mordecai and booing Haman. Mark said maybe all Scripture reading should be done like this. He noted (as we’d heard a week or two in our visit to <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2018/08/we-go-to-church-at-senior-center.html" target="_blank">Calvary Chapel in West Seattle</a>) that Esther is the only book in which God is not mentioned --which makes it a lot like most of our everyday life.<br />
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At Sanctuary Church, Mark noted, “We follow the <a href="https://www.rca.org/resources/liturgy-rca-basics-worship/liturgical-calendar" target="_blank">Church calendar</a> a little bit.” They celebrate <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-pilgrim-cant-expect-expected.html" target="_blank">Advent</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2017/03/we-go-to-church-for-very-traditional.html" target="_blank">Lent</a> and Pentecost. Now, the time between <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/pentecost-sunday-heck-pentecost" target="_blank">Pentecost</a> and <a href="http://deanandmindygotochurch.blogspot.com/2017/12/we-go-to-church-for-advent-and-pancakes.html" target="_blank">Advent </a>(most of the calendar year), is called <a href="https://www.trinitywallstreet.org/blogs/episcopal-explained/what-ordinary-time" target="_blank">Ordinary Time.</a> It’s a time when coming together for worship weekly is especially important. Gathering together helps us remember God -- because we’ve probably forgotten Him some in the time in between.<br />
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 12</a> was read for a benediction, and we were happy to be with this cloud of witnesses who are not just putting on a show, but seeking to remember and remind others of God’s work in the world.</div>
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