The Community

I just got home from church, and I feel really good. It was the first service in quite a while that was exactly what I wanted/needed. First thing that happened was I couldn't find a parking spot. It irritated me, but it made me glad too.
Then I was early (intentionally) so I bought a donut and sat in the gym at a table with this random girl. I didn't know who she was, but we got to talking. She's new to the church, so I sat wtih her at service. IT reminded me of how I like doing that, how my weakness in ability to make conversation is totally compensated for by Daniel, who can talk to any random person for an hour, and how grateful people are that I do it even when I don't have anything to talk about.

Service was awesome. I realized while the choir was singing that one thing I love about my church is that they are able to worship in so many different ways. They aren't stuck to bluehair on the organ, or five-piece band rocking out, or choir, or whatever. They do it differently every week, and every week, I watch people lift their hands and sing and shout and truly worship. It's still pretty reserved, but it's worship. Today was no different, except for the reserved part. They were singing a Brooklyn Tab song that was kind of soulful. First the black lady from the worship team stood at the front of the sanctuary, and before the end of the song, a good third of the people were satnding, swaying and singing. It was good times. By the time the congregation joined for singing, we were all ready to worship. It was just reallyl cool.

The other thing I realized that I like about my church is how grace-oriented, but evangelisticlly minded they are. It's an incredible blend that works so well. Mixed with the overlaying emphasis on servant leadership, they do an awesome job of discipling and equipping people from every place in their Christian walk. I know that sounds vague, but if I went into examples, I would talk forever.

I was getting kind of tired of the sermons and some other things at church, but today reminded me of how beautiful of a place it is. And then the sermon was about teaming up for evangelism, how we are part of the big Church of the world, and we rely on one another and on God to get the work done. He preached over a passage that has forever confused me (Luke 10, which is about the same as Matthew 10), and it started to make a little more sense.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my excitement. I know this was poorly written, but I was too happy to concern myself with that.