We go to church and get busted

Peoples Church, Fresno, California
“We noticed you folks taking pictures, so I thought I’d talk to you. Not that I think you’re terrorists, but you never know.” That’s how Jay, head of security, introduced himself -- and I really appreciated it. It’s a sad but true thing that churches have to think through how to keep their congregations safe. Like recent school shootings, church shootings continue to be front and center in the news. Church leaders need to have plans to deal with all contingencies, and they need people like Jay keeping an eye out.

Shootings, of course, aren't the only danger. There’s the lesser -- but still serious -- danger of people with cameras posting pictures to social media. Perhaps they innocently posted pictures of children that could be seen by the wrong people. Or they could not so innocently attack a church via social media for theological, political, or personal motives. So though security is not listed among the spiritual gifts in Romans 12 or Ephesians 4, it’s a necessary part of 21st-century church life.

There’s a lot of campus to protect at Peoples Church in Fresno. We got there early, so I took a walk around the grounds before going inside the auditorium. The gym had tables set up for a banquet of some kind; I looked in the youth room and the playgrounds. Mindy sat in a courtyard outside the prayer garden and peeked into the prayer room while I looked at the buildings for Fresno Christian School, which isn’t run by the church (the website calls it a church partner). There is also a large chapel next to the large sanctuary. And just outside the chapel, lunch was being served.

Tables and chairs were set up on the lawn, and Asada tacos were on the menu in the morning's bulletin. Mindy approached a man who seemed to be collecting money and asked what was going on. When he found out we were visitors, he immediately said lunch was free for us. Richard at the information center told us the same thing: lunch was a gift to first-time visitors.

I really appreciate it when a church can serve meals. Peoples Church has worship services at 9:15, 11:00 am, and 12:30 pm. During the first two services, the church offers children’s and youth ministries (described in the announcements as a “fun and safe place to learn about Jesus in age-appropriate ways”), but they’re not in the third (nursery care is available for all three services). If someone volunteered by teaching Sunday School, monitoring the parking lot, or providing security before or after going to a worship service -- that makes a long morning. It’s nice when a meal is available. Even better, meals provide a great time for conversation and relationship-building, and we need more avenues for that at church.

But we didn’t come for lunch (though it looked good), we came because the church has been recommended by people in bars we were visiting for our other blog. Folks said they liked Peoples Church and particularly Pastor Dale Oquist’s preaching.

Dale’s wife, Joni, made some announcements. (She introduced herself saying, “It is my honor to work with women of this church.”) She admitted there were many announcements and encouraged people to study the bulletin and check the church website.

Pastor Oquist also made some announcements and encouraged people to pray for God’s blessing on another local church, CrossPoint Church and their Pastor Johnny Mendez. (I’m guessing praying for a different local ministry is a regular thing. How great to view other churches as coworkers rather than rivals!) Pastor Oquist introduced himself saying, “I’m happy to serve you each and every week.”

The sermon was about blood. I appreciated that, because doing a sermon about the role of blood in redemption isn’t a topic you’d get from, say, a focus group, but it is an important theological concept. Pastor Oquist cited Leviticus 17: 10 -11 and the Jewish laws against drinking blood and noted the theme of blood runs throughout the Bible.

I was impressed by a little technical aspect of the sermon. It had two points: 1) There is life in the Blood, and 2) There is power in the Blood.

Do you know how hard it is for pastors to resist making three points? So few can resist the temptation.

Pastor Oquist is a good preacher. He presented his points well, his insights were fresh and illustrations relevant. For one illustration, he called up Matt Perkins, the worship leader. Matt told an engaging story about having a serious illness, which his doctors treated with Matt’s own blood. I liked that he let Matt tell his own story, and it was a powerful one.

My one little quibble with the sermon had to do with the discussion of John 6 where Jesus said people must “eat His body” and “drink His blood.” Pastor Oquist said this passage “obviously” shouldn’t be understood literally. It wasn’t obvious to many of Jesus’ followers -- who left Him because of His words. And it isn’t obvious to those in the Roman Catholic church who believe in transubstantiation, the doctrine that the bread and wine, in reality, become the body and blood of Christ. I happen to believe Jesus was using powerful symbolic language, but that hasn’t been obvious to people throughout the centuries.

At the conclusion of the service, people were invited to come to the front to pray, to go to one of the “response stations” in the back to learn more about the church or go to the VIP room for first-time visitors. We went to our car, but I was happy those options were there. And I’m glad Peoples Church is in Fresno, clearly presenting God’s Word to large congregations every Sunday.

We go to Mass in Las Vegas

Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, Nevada

There are a lot of ways Las Vegas is different from other big cities in the United States -- not just because of what it has (the casinos and strip clubs), but also because of what it doesn’t have. When you drive down the major streets of most cities, you see churches. Sometimes they're old or even dead churches, but they’re there.

When you drive down the best known street in Las Vegas, the portion of South Las Vegas Boulevard known as “The Strip,” you don’t see churches. Sure, there are wedding chapels -- but anyone who works in one will make it quite clear those chapels are not churches. Many people who visit Las Vegas see only their hotel, some casinos, restaurants, and night clubs. When we visited Las Vegas this time, though, we found a church in the shadow of casinos.

Guardian Angel Cathedral, a Roman Catholic Church, is just off South Las Vegas Blvd. You walk out the front door and look straight out at Trump Tower. Like other buildings in the neighborhood, the architecture of Guardian Angel isn’t subtle. The A frame is large, but the cross-topped tower is even taller, with a statue of the Holy Family beneath it. Inside the cathedral, the stained glass windows are elaborate and quite beautiful.

Catholics definitely have an advantage over Protestants when they go to church in a new place. They can go anywhere in the world, and most of the worship service will be what they’re used to. The rituals of the liturgical year will be the same. For those of us who aren’t Catholics, we’re confused. We have to watch other people to know when to sit, when to kneel, when to stand, and what page to turn to in that little paperback book on the back of the pew. By now, Mindy and I have visited enough Catholic churches to get some of it right, but I always wonder what it’s like for visitors with no prior church experience.  

Even among Catholic churches, though, there are differences. A couple hundred people showed up for the 8:00 am Mass at Guardian Angel (You see lots of people on the streets in the afternoon, evening and even 2:00 am Sunday morning, but not so much at breakfast time. Apart from worship services, it’s a rather quiet time around town). This service had a fair deal of singing and the woman leading the singing (the cantor) had a very nice voice.

A part of worship in the Roman Catholic church that can throw some Protestants off is the two offering thing. The first offering goes to who knows what, but then the priest or a deacon up front says, “This morning’s second offering goes to …” some very cool ministry, perhaps to homeless in the neighborhood or hurricane victims or starving people in Africa. As an unprepared visitor, you already put the money you brought into the first offering. It’s frustrating.

The Gospel reading at Guardian Angel that morning (as at Catholic churches throughout the world) was from Matthew 21: 28 - 32, the story of the two brothers. In the story, the father asks the sons to do some work. One says he won’t, but then goes and does the work. The other brother says he will do the work, but then he doesn’t. The priest pointed out that God cares more about what we do than what we say.

Another strange thing is noticing who doesn’t go forward for communion. I don’t go, because I know that in the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is for Catholics who are in good standing. So I stay seated. But I observed people near me who knew when to sit and when to stand and when to kneel and to kick up the kneelers (which makes quite the simultaneous clunking sound), remain in their place rather than going forward. I know why I shouldn’t go, but I always wonder why that person doesn’t go forward.

There are moments during Mass when I feel like an outsider, but when Scripture is read, songs are sung, and even when people are shaking hands around me, I feel like I’m in the catholic Church, Christ’s Church encompassing all who believe in Him.

I hope that particularly this week, when so many in Las Vegas are suffering, grieving, questioning, and seeking, they can find hope in this church.

Statistics

Service Length: 52 minutes

Sermon Length: 7 minutes

Visitor Treatment: Near the end of the service, the priest welcomed visitors and invited them to return next time they were in Las Vegas

Followup by Tuesday Morning: none

Our Rough Count: 220

Snacks: none

Musicians: organ (woman)

Vocals (cantor, woman)

Songs: “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

“Glory to God in the Highest”

“Remember Your Mercies, O Lord”

“Lord, This Time, Change our Hearts”

“Here I am, Lord”

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God, Almighty”

“Save us, Save us, Savior of the World”

“Amen, Amen, Amen”

“Lamb of God”

“Teach us, O God, to Follow Your Ways”

“Amazing Grace”

“They’ll Know we are Christians by our Love”

Distance to Church: 3 miles

Open WiFi: no

Tie/Suit Count: at least 3 (all the ushers wore suits)

Church Website: gaclv.org

We Go to Church in North Dakota

The rites that usher a young person into adulthood certainly differ from culture to culture. If you’re a young man living on the Pacific Island of Vanuatu, you dive from a hundred foot tower with a vine tied to your ankle to keep you from hitting the ground. If you’re a boy in the Hamar tribe of Ethiopia, you will leap on top of a cow, jumping from one cow to another. And if you grow up in a Lutheran Church, you might have to speak in front of the congregation on Confirmation Sunday.

We were very happy when we realized it would be Confirmation Sunday the morning we attended the United Lutheran Church of Almont. Not only that, it would also be Reformation Sunday, marking the time Martin Luther broke with the Roman Catholic Church -- not only the start of the Lutheran Church, but all Protestant denominations. This particular Reformation Sunday begins the 500th anniversary celebration of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

Confirmation Day, the day young men and women become part of the church, is a big deal in many Lutheran families. On this day three young men, Kyler, Caleb, and Noah, were to become part of the church (or celebrate “the affirmation of their baptism”) as the conclusion of a two year process of classes and study. The average age of confirmation is 14. (Young women also are confirmed into church membership, but none were this day.)

The young men solemnly walked together to the front of the church along with the clergyman, Pastoral Intern William Dodd. During the service we sang songs that were chosen by the young men or their parents. At the Affirmation of Baptism, Caleb, Noah, and Kyler shared a Bible verse and spoke about why they found that verse meaningful. (I talked with Noah after the service and asked him whether he liked speaking in front of people. He said it wasn’t his favorite thing, but it was worth it to become part of the church.)

Kyler spoke about Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”). His essay on the verse also appeared in the bulletin, and it began with these words, “This verse is special to me because it is saying if you believe in Christ our Lord, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”

Noah’s verse was Hebrews 11:6 (“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him”). He said in his essay that he chose that passage because it “is like a guideline of how to enter heaven.”  

Like Kyler, Caleb chose Phil. 4:13 saying, “When I think I can’t do something, I think of this verse… I can bring any problem to God.”

The parents and sponsors of the young men were brought forward for a time of prayer. Kyler, Caleb and Noah affirmed their faith in God and their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Before communion, Intern Dodd said, “You don’t have to be a member here to receive the bread and the cup. You just need to want to be free of that ball and chain of sin” (a reference to the “ball and chain” he used as an illustration earlier in the children’s sermon). The confirmands received communion first and then helped serve. Noah dismissed congregants from their rows to come forward. Kyler served the cup, and Caleb collected the empty cups. Together, they served communion to Intern Dodd.

The pews were quite full; a number of visitors were in attendance to support the confirmands. (The population of Almont according to the 2010 census was 122. I counted 89 people in church.) A number of small children in church happily made their presence known throughout the service. Teri, in the row in front of us, said, “This is the most children’s noise I’ve heard for years.” Mindy agreed with her that “children’s noise” was a good thing. (Later, we heard another man saying of the children, “I like it. The more noise the kids make the better.”)

A potluck downstairs followed the service, and several people invited us to join in the meal. My eye was drawn to a dessert tower of rings that reminded me of Kristina Kringles, one of my favorite desserts.

I had an opportunity to talk to the pastoral intern during the potluck. When one hears “intern,” one might think of a young person, but William Dodd is a man with grown children (His daughter, whom I also met at the potluck, lives almost 50 miles away in Richardton). Dodd works full time for the state of North Dakota in a federally funded program to “reclaim” old coal mines. For many mines that “reclamation process,” we were told, is filling them with concrete to make them safe.

Dodd has been serving at Almont for nearly three years while also taking seminary classes. Graduation and ordination are both in his near future. He is also looking forward to retiring from his state job and putting more time into the church.

The Sims-Almont Lutheran Parish meets at the Almont church only every other week. The alternate weeks, the congregation meets in nearby Sims, a ghost town. All that remains of the place is the Sims Scandinavian Lutheran Church (built in 1884) and the parsonage next door, which was the church’s first location.

During lunch I sat next to Grant, a native of the community. I asked him what kept him at the church. “The fellowship, this is my home church. I feel like I’m in the community of God when I’m in this church. I’ve grown up with these people. I’ve a prejudice for the Lutheran church, particularly the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).”

12 year old Claire stopped by our table, and I asked her what she liked about the church. Someone teasingly asked her if she liked the singing, and she gave an emphatic “No!” She said she like the new carpeting and the new TV installed on the wall of the room we were in. I asked her what the TV was used for, and she said they’d used it to watch Sunday School slides. I asked her what she liked about Sunday School, and she said she liked learning about God. She said she was looking forward to beginning the confirmation process.

I doubt we’ll make it back in two years for Claire’s affirmation of her baptism, but I’m sure it will be a wonderful service followed by delicious desserts.

Statistics

Service Length: 1 hour 26 minutes

Sermon Length: 9 minutes

Visitor Treatment: During the passing of the peace, people all around us greeted us warmly. Because it was a communion Sunday, there was a card in the pew for visitors to fill out (with the name of their home church to be written on the back) and drop in the offering plate or hand to an usher before taking communion

Followup by Tuesday Morning: none In early January, we got a lovely personal email from Pastor Bill Dodd thanking us for visiting (and for this post) and inviting us to come again

Our Rough Count: 89

Probable Ushers’ Count: 95

Snacks: a bountiful potluck, including a traditional North Dakota soup (knoephla) and delicious warm ham and cheese sandwiches (as well as coffee, water, and the aforementioned desserts)

Musicians: piano (woman)

Songs: “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”

“The Old Rugged Cross”

“Kyrie”

“This is the Feast”

“Alleluia, Lord, to Whom Shall We Go?”

“Were you There?”

“Here I am, Lord”

“The Great Thanksgiving”

“The Church’s One Foundation” (piano alone during Communion)

“For the Bread Which You Have Broken” (piano alone during Communion)

“Let Us Break Bread Together” (piano alone during Communion)

“Amazing Grace” (piano alone during Communion)

“Thank the Lord and Sing His Praise”

“Seek ye First”

Distance to Church: 3 blocks

Miles from Start: 40,640

Total 2016 Miles: 40,354

Church Website: http://wndsynod.org/congregations/

Terrill Road Bible Chapel, Fanwood, New Jersey

A few weeks ago, I asked a woman in a bar what would make for a good church. She replied, "No priest, no minister, no pastor!" Well good news, Jeanie of Delaware, I've got a church for you!

Terrill Road Bible Chapel was built in Fanwood, New Jersey in 1957, but the Brethren Assembly that worships there has more than a century's worth of roots in the area. The assembly (the preferred term for what we grew up calling the "church" or the "congregation") is associated with the Plymouth Brethren, but Brethren don't seem big on formal ecclesiastical ties of any kind.

We attended the Wednesday night Bible study, where the group is working their way through the book of Hebrews. After a bit of a spirited discussion about whether Hebrews 6:4-6 taught that believers could "lose their salvation," Steve, the study leader, approached the issue with a clear stance of "eternal security." A couple of people respectfully challenged his position, and I was impressed by the biblical knowledge of many in the group of 20.

Also in that same meeting, there was sheet of paper filled with prayer requests. One side was chiefly requests by members of the Assembly, while the other was missionary and ministry requests. After about fifteen minutes of sharing prayer request information, the group spent another fifteen minutes to pray for those requests. (During the Thursday morning men's prayer meeting, we also prayed through that list.)

We were happy to be allowed to join in on the Saturday morning Chapel work day. Thirty people, about a third of the Assembly, showed up to work on the house and grounds. Mindy wiped down kitchen counters while I got to work on the street sign. Officially, the start time was 8:00 am, but some of the window washers arrived closer to 6:00 am. Before noon, everything was in good shape for the afternoon "Ping Pong por Pequenos."

For the past five years, the table tennis tourney has been an annual event, raising money to send Ecuadorean kids to a summer camp. Anyone can compete as a self-proclaimed professional or Forrest Gump (which, from what I remember of the film, should be the pro level, but never mind). Neither Mindy nor I wond the championship belt, but the event raised more than two thousand dollars, so we're okay with that. (If you would like to help Ecuadorean or low-income New Jersey kids with the cost of camp, contact the good folks at the Chapel.)

You may have noticed on the church sign that the names of the worship services are different than at many other churches. The 9:15 am worship is called "The Breaking of the Bread," while the 11:00 am is called "Family Bible Hour." Every week, the first service is a celebration of the Lord's Supper. It is a time of songs and scripture readings, the bread and the cup...but no sermon. Men in the assembly suggest hymns, which are sung without instrumental accompaniment. Other men stand and read Scripture, briefly commenting on it. There are many stretches of silence between the hymns and readings. After about 45 minutes, the bread and cups of juice and wine are passed among the seated assembly, and the service is concluded with a hymn, prayer, and announcements. Some people leave after this service, but many go downstairs for coffee and refreshments.

The Family Bible Hour is when the sermon is preached. First there are hymns and songs with instrumental accompaniment, then announcements again, then the sermon. This morning an itinerant preacher, Ken, concluded a two week sermon series, "Discerning the Will of God."

Not on the sign (but on the calendar on the website) is a third service, "Second Session." Most, but not all, Sundays the assembly goes to the fellowship room in the basement for sack lunches. After a brief lunchtime, the morning preacher continues his teaching, either with more preaching or with a question and answer time.

During the snack time after the breaking of bread, I was able to talk to people about what they appreciated about TRBC. Ben is a homeschool student between his junior and senior years of high school. I asked what he liked about the church, and he said he likes the variety of preaching. Since there is no pastoral staff, there's a rotation of preachers,  usually one of the elders in the assembly. There is no paid staff in most Brethren churches, and only men preach. The Brethren try to replicate New Testament worship, including Paul's instruction in 1 Corinthians 14:34 that women should remain silent in church.

Ben could have attended the high school Sunday school class, but though he likes the people who teach the class, he prefers to hear the adult teaching. Something else he likes about TRBC? Lots of food.

I also spoke with Ken Barrett, the morning's speaker, before the Family Bible Hour. During the week, he works fulltime as a high school history teacher, while on the weekends, he preaches at various churches.  I asked what he appreciated about Brethren Assemblies in general. He said one of the best things about the Brethren is, "they're not trendy." Brethren churches are consistent.

Two things, he said, have always been values in Brethren assemblies that are hot trends in other churches. One would be a high regard of for the Lord's Supper. In this regard, the Brethren are similar to Roman Catholics in the central place Communion plays in the life of the Church. The other value is the priesthood of all believers. In this way, the Brethren are quite different from Roman Catholics. Individual assemblies have no denominational authority over them, and a board of elders rather than a paid clergyperson leads the group.

Ken said this assembly does well at following tradition without letting it become rote and lifeless.

I should mention how we came to TRBC, especially since it was a topic of conversation throughout our time together. Friends we stayed with in Florida contacted friends who suggested the church and their friends who worship there. We contacted the church, their friends contacted us...so strangers welcomed us into their home and into their church. You might wonder what prompts people to that kind of hospitality.

Well, our host, Allan Wilks, decided in 2013 to walk from Scotch Plains, NJ, to his former home town of Toronto, Canada. Along the way, a number of people welcomed him into their home and he wanted to imitate that hospitality. The Wilkses also remember Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers." In fact, the whole assembly of TRBC values the Word of God and visibly seeks to honor and obey it.

Statistics
The Lord's Supper assembly

Service Length: 1 hour 12 minutes

Visitor Treatment: we were greeted at the door and introduced during the service by our hosts. Mindy also found a guest book and signed it. Many people chatted with us during the snack time.

Followup by Tuesday Morning: none

Our Rough Count: 75

Probable Ushers' Count: 80

Snacks: coffee, hot water for tea or hot chocolate, gold fish crackers, water, coffee cake, watermelon, bagels, tangerines, other pastries and fruit.

Musicians: none

Songs: "Jesus Lord, We Know Thee Present"

"Praise the Savior"

"Holy, Holy, Holy"

"Everlasting Glory be"

"I've Found a Friend"

Distance to church: 2 miles

Miles from start: 14,987

Total 2016 Miles: 14,690

Church website: trbc.us

Family Bible Hour

Service Length: 58 minutes

Sermon Length: 38 minutes

Visitor Treatment: Dean was asked to share briefly about what we're doing this year. A number of people talked to us during the lunch time.

Followup by Tuesday Morning: none

Our Rough Count: 63

Probable Ushers' Count: 75

Snacks: people brought sack lunches and food to share (either with the table where they were eating or on a table meant for all). Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water were available as well.

Musicians: acoustic guitar (man), bongos (man)

Songs: "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"

"My Savior and my God"