Good day for Worship at Little Church. Early this morning, I stood outside with my coffee mug considering the new day and wanted to stay home. Such a beautiful day to be tempted to stay home to dig in the earth, prune and weed. I finished my coffee and wandered inside to get ready to drive through the county.
Matthew 15:10-20 (Jesus telling the disciples that what comes out of the mouth is the problem not what goes into the mouth; Canaanite Woman with the sick daughter who SHOUTS at Jesus for help) provides many delights for the preacher. I was ready with my sermon, prayers and a happy heart to see my people. Having been in situations where "seeing my people" delighted me less than getting rabies shots, I’m grateful for a time of "happy heart."
We had visitors. I assume our new newspaper advertising, cleaning up our church directional signs and getting a telephone message giving directions helped them find us. Cute couple. She’s pregnant and I’d be willing to host a baby shower every month until the birth along with doing all of their ironing if we could have a baby born into the congregation. Old churches with old people seldom get the fun of a new baby. And, I’d be happy to baptize the baby along with providing an antique baptismal gown. I’ll keep these incentives/bribes to myself, but it would be fun if they joined the congregation.
I have a weepy person in the congregation. The person weeps during sermons and prayers, silently dabbing at eyes with a tissue. The weeping goes on most Sundays. Before you tell me that it’s the sermon and the prayers which cause her to weep due to low quality and excessive length, I’ve considered that already.
I understand what it feels like to cry/weep/mist in worship. Church is one of my favorite places to let grief out. Or to be overwhelmed with joy. I hope people who don’t "do" church have a place where they can weep in comfortable fellowship.
Have a good week, y’all.
St. Casserole
10 comments:
Loved reading about your day. It was hot here, so staying home (skipping church, which is air-conditioned, and home is not) was definitely not an option. Guest preacher today (at my former field ed church) did a nice job with Jesus and the Canaanite woman. Good luck "getting" that new couple to join -- you crack me up -- really a full-service church, eh? Today after church I cleaned the bathroom (not done in my 11-week absence!) and shopped (new shower curtain, among other things) and unpacked. Not much fun, but had to be done. Tomorrow I have 2 meetings at the Presbytery office (one about me and one not about me) and then I have 2 weeks to study for ords. Never a dull moment! Thanks for your interest!
Here is a story of visitors in my church -- it was a small parish in SC. I greeted them after the service and an elder came up and introduced himself. "I hope you join our church. Lord knows, we need more money."
I've never understood why they never returned :)
I did a lot of crying in church this weekend. It was appropriate because it was my final weekend here.
I'm not sure what I'll do with myself now that I'm not an intern pastor... Seems weird to even think that.
I hope that young couple joins your church, or at least attends regularly. It's always nice to have a baptism, and I'd be willing to have my sermon interrupted by a babbling baby any day!!
What a lovely-sounding day! I, too, hope the young couple will return. We need all ages to be together, especially in a smaller church.
Boy, that Caananite woman! It's a tough one.
Our new deacon (who looks about 16) preached on it and exclaimed over the great faith of the woman in challenging Jesus. All us ladies in the choir agreed that, that's not such a big deal - any mother of a sick child would do the same, and more.
:)
Yes, I know about weepy people in worship. Unfortunately, it's usually ME.
=o)
We have a weeper at our place, too. I try to be open hearted, but sometimes I just want to shake her and say, "Get a GRIP, for goodness sakes!" Once in a very traumatic while, okay. But every Sunday?? She comes from a charismatic church background where I believe crying in church is sort of like speaking in tongues--a sign the Spirit's presence.
if she came from a charismatic church they are probably just tears of joy she is not there anymore...
sorry, couldn't help myself.
I used to worry about who would notice my dabbing at my eyes in the choir loft nearly every Sunday, but after a while I stopped being concerned about it.
Oh...cherish that weeper, St Cass...my lot are too buttoned up to dare show any emotion in church at all. It's only very recently that they have dared to smile, in case it upset God or something! They think I'm really heretical, because sometimes I tell them he'd rather meet their real selves than a Sunday best version.
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