Out the Door

Atmosphere and Worship

How much does atmosphere impact worship?  It's a question that I've been asking myself lately. 

On the one hand, I believe that the way a place looks has a profound impact on worship.  I think Protestants can learn something from our Catholic friends.  Josh, our son, spent the summer in Sicily.  He had the opportunity to visit a number of beautiful churches on the island.  The artwork and the architecture spoke profoundly of God's glory.  Having seen a few new world cathedrals, I know that it is when standing in such a space that it's impossible not for one's eyes to be drawn heavenward.  There is a sense of awe which comes just from being present.  Obviously, these builders and artists sought to demonstrate their believe in God's majesty by what they created.

As I look around our sanctuary, I ask myself, what does this space say about what we believe about God?  It might be interesting to survey the congregation and get their opinions.  It could be even more interesting to survey visitors.  The latter would likely give a more unbiased answer.  I doubt if in most Protestant churches the answer would be "the majesty of God," though every congregation would profess that the belief in the majesty of God would be among its core beliefs.

On the other hand, some of the most wonderful times of worship I've ever experienced have had nothing whatsoever to do with where I was.  I still remember after 25 years sitting on a friend's deck singing along with a guitar.  Or at a Cursillo held in a old school house where I gave my heart to Christ.  Or around a campfire.

I guess I need to keep on pondering the question.

The Blue Planet

Last night I watched The Blue Planet on the Discovery channel.  I find the show fascinating.  I wanted to be an oceanographer when I was young.

Last night's episode was about deep sea creatures.  No fantasy movie has ever portray any alien as fanciful as these living animals.  There in the darkness, far beyond the sunlight of the surface, many of these animals use some form of bioluminescene for hunting or protection from hunters.

The creature filmed I found most fascinating was a shrimp that when fleeing a predator, emitted a burst of bioluminescene which traveled a short distance then exploded into a flash of blue light.

What may have been equally incredible was the fact that the scientists interviewed were absolutely convinced that these creatures, some which were beautiful beyond description and some which were the stuff of nightmares, all came to be via random chance.  It takes an immense amount of faith to believe that the vast variety of species grew out of mutated genes.  I mean what are the odds that animals would mutate in such a way as to make it possible for them to inhabit these seemingly uninhabitable environments.

I realize I'm bias, but it seems to me it takes less faith to believe that there was some intelligent force at work than to believe it's all random chance.  The creatures seen on the program proves to me once again that God's thoughts and ways are higher and deeper than any human being's.

I Remembered

Today Julie had her first day with students at Oskaloosa Elementary.  Even though she's been working in the for 26 years, the first day in a new place with new students stresses her some.  So I sent her a bouquet.

A year ago, I didn't get around to getting her flowers on the first day of school.  She came home quite disappointed.  It seems that was the first time in all her years of teaching that I had failed to send flowers on the day school began.  I didn't want to make that mistake twice.

What's so amazing to me is that she remembered that I had always sent flowers.  I knew I had done it, but I had no idea that it was all that important to her.  You'd think after nearly 30 years of marriage, I'd start figuring things out a bit better. 

It's so easy for long-time married couples to start taking things for granted.  I never want to do that with my wife.  She's the most important person in the world to me.  And if making sure she receives a bouquet of flowers on the first day of school is something I need to do to make sure she knows that, I'm never going to forget it again.

God laughs

The Bible records two things which make God laugh.  Those who rise up against him and the wicked.  (Psalm 2:4; Psalm 37:13) 

How different is God's response than how we normally respond.  When people rise up against us, when the wicked flourish, we become angry, defensive, questioning God why He'd allow this to happen.  In other words, we lose our joy.

I haven't subscribed to anything but a hometown paper for years.  I rarely watch TV news.  I only occasionally read news stories on line.  For a while I had the UM Portal set as my homepage, but I find them all too depressing.  It's not that I simply bury my head in the sand and pretend that evil doesn't exist. I always figured that if something is really newsworthy, I'd hear about it somewhere.  I have come to understand that I can't fill my life with bad news and expect to maintain the joyful attitude that I believe a Christian is to exhibit.  I haven't yet come to the point where my attitude is like that of Christ Jesus, to whom every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess as Lord.  I can't laugh at the wicked.  But God does.  God knows how futile is the cause of the wicked and those who oppose Him.    

I'mmmm Back

The past few months have been a whirlwind, leaving me feeling a bit psycho.  Where better to get my thoughts in order than with my friends from the Methoblogosphere.

The last time we talked Julie & I were packing our things and getting ready to move from Sumner after living there for nine years.  We left some very good friends behind the day the moving truck a pulled out of town.  Fortunately, we've had the chance to see a few of them since we've moved.

Our decision to move and trusting that God would put us where we need to be has proved to be a good one.  New Sharon UMC is a happening place and I had to hit the ground running.  I had a wedding and a funeral before I preached my first sermon.  On our first Sunday in New Sharon, I had the opportunity to help commission 23 youth and 5 adults as they left for a week long work camp.  What a powerful experience that week turned out to be for those involved.

The lay leadership here in New Sharon is phenomenal.  They have a real desire for the presence of the Spirit to be at work through them and through their church.  Because of their spiritual maturity, they not only lead, they follow.  Something I heard from several people within the first couple of weeks of being here really freaked me out, "You're our leader, we will follow you."  In more than twenty years of ministry, I don't recall any person saying that to me.  I had heard that there were churches with that kind of an attitude, I just had never served one.  I thank God for Kevin Glesener who served here for 15 years for helping to develop people of this character.

Since things are so different here than other places I've been, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I supposed to be doing.  Working with eight dedicated paid lay servants, the Administrative Assistant is the only other full-time person beside myself, is a blessing from God.  It's also a growing point for me as I seek to be the kind of leader these leaders need.  Please keep me and the people of New Sharon United Methodist Church in your prayers as we begin our journey of faith together.