Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Part II

So what do you love about the church?

As I said in my last response on my last post, I love the fact that I am not the only believer in my community. I love the faith that my parents passed on to me and the many great teachers that tried their best to show me the right way to live. I love the butt nasty Kool-Aid that the little old ladies used to make at VBS. I don't know why they never added sugar to it or why they only filled the cup half full but I love the fact that they were there trying to give something back to God in the small ways.

I love the wonderful stories that I have heard about God and how he has moved throughout history. I love the times that I have been awed into silence during corporate worship. I love the work projects where you sweat side by side a complete stranger and then see that person evolve into a close friendship (Miah, do you remember painting the Hole with me?)

I love the times when I have prayed with dear brothers and cried with people through their agony. I love the potlucks that I went to as a kid and was always the first person in line (that way you could go back for seconds and everyone thought it was your first time through).

I simply love the church and I look forward to serving side by side all of you for many years to come (through whatever form She takes).
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4 comments:

John said...

Nathan,
two great posts. thank you.
i spend too much of my week, criticizing, judging, or analyzing "church". Then two Sundays ago while we were singing I was overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings. At that moment church was about all of the people praising God. The people who I sometimes criticize and judge. And I was overwhelmed by the reality that GOD WAS THERE IN SPITE OF US. it was a vivid reminder that God doesn't depend on us to get everything "right" in order for him to be present. He was right there, in the midst of us getting so much wrong. As we took communion together i looked around at everyone and thought, "This is right, this is why we're here, and through these elements we are all covered by the same grace, and that is why God is able to be here."

5:43 PM
g13 said...

i've loved these posts as well. that being said, i don't think the phrase "butt nasty" should ever appear in a sentence that also mentions little old ladies.

just a thought.

6:24 PM
A boy named Toadie said...

Shannon --you have touched on a part of the Eucharist that many of us have forgotten about. It is the communion-the common union of God and his people. Thank you for adding a beautiful imagery to my thoughts.

Gentry--That is funny stuff.

8:15 AM
flowergirl said...

nathan...i join in and thank God for giving you those words. I've turned into more of an anthropologist here in Russia...learning by analyzing and being critical in church services than learning by loving and trusting and worshiping freely the God who has brought me here more for my heart to be changed than to "do" anything. Sometimes I don't know how to do it here or to see God past all of the confusion and distraction and legalism and I want it to be as simple as you put it.

Thanks for talking about the sermons, it brings me back and the other night after reading your blog I was even inspired to pull out the old journals and read some old LCC chapel sermons and JK sermons from Jeff Street and had my own little worship time as I was maybe even impacted more during those readings than when I was a silly college girl privileged enough to be there listening.

I'm excited to get to experience the Kenya you and Lindsay saw recently and wrote about...4 days now!!

Again I say, thanks, Nathan.

11:31 PM

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