This post is inspired in part by Heather's post on going back to REAL church for the first time in a long time, and partly by the visit this weekend of one of my close friends from the CILB, with whom I shared this experience.
A month ago I went to Sydney to attend a friend's exhibition and spend a frenetic weekend catching up with friends and former flatmates. On the Sunday evening I ended up going to church with three of my good friends from my CILB. The only catch was, we were not going to our 'regular' church, but to another building, another denomination a few suburbs away - they were finding their current church experience was progressively stagnating, and I have to admit, having them say that made me feel a whole lot less crazy about what I went through last year.
Though I have an inkling I was just not made to function to my fullest potential within the institution, the service we attended filled me with hope at the fact that there are churches out there whose hearts are truly seeking God and community in a real way. Worship was stripped of its adornments and was so real, more so than anything I had experienced in a long time, teaching was solid and spirit-filled, and afterwards we were welcomed by people who were truly interested in what was said and what we had to say. Nobody seemed to be going through the motions, and we almost skipped back to the car!
Later on I remembered the last supper, how Jesus had gathered his friends together for what was, essentially, a meal: the breaking of bread and drinking of wine, how he had said do this in remembrance of me. So as we sat eating KFC and watched traffic fly past us, laughing and reflecting and sharing, I remembered him and thanked him for this crazy, diverse, honest group of girls, glad that he has let them be my church.
When Your Kids Deconstruct
5 years ago
4 comments:
beautiful reflection on what true worship is and ought to be. thanks for blessing my evening.
peace,
chris
Beautiful :) Yep, that's church methinks.
Isn't it funny that God permeates anywhere he is allowed to - mosques, beaches, alleyways ... even churches! :D Such grace :)
I love that when a church really cares about a visitor and doesn't just see dollar signs over their heads.
I'm so glad you had this experience...there is one church in my life that helps me to continue to hope that one day I will be able to function in some kind of community again...and it's a place that really sees people and cares for them...doesn't just talk about it.
Sometimes I think church is just whoever we happen to be in closest proximity to at any given time.
Chris - thank you for stopping by and thank you for your kind words, I'm glad the essence of that night was able to jump off the screen.
Sue - indeed...in churches, random roadside KFC's, our own kitchens...
Erin - it was a lovely experience. I totally agree with your last statement - to me these girls are my church, whether we're having it in a church service or at KFC!
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