Over the summer, my neighborhood Relief Society offered to put together supply packets for the entire 6th grade at my school. This was a wonderful blessing to our students as well as the teachers. I stopped by my local ward this morning to drop off the thank-you letters that the students and my fellow teachers had written to the ladies of the Relief Society. I want to thank them again for spreading life to those around them.Since I had no responsibilities at church this morning I decided to visit one of the churches near my house. There are 3 churches that meet in the local Megaplex. As you enter the theater, there are signs directing you to the varied congregations that meet there. If one wanted to church shop, this would be a quick way to see a few very quickly.
I think they are on to something by accident that might work very well on purpose. There are 20 theaters in the Megaplex. Imagine if you had all different traditions sharing a common building, but meeting in their separate sanctuaries to celebrate their varied traditions each Sunday. Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, Independents, etc.... all meeting under the same roof. After service, everyone could meet in the food court to have lunch together and talk about what was shared that day. During the week, there would be opportunity to easily attend each others bible studies. Service and charitable ministries would benefit from the combined efforts of everyone who shared the building.
Just thinking out loud...
I went to the Pentecostal service at the Megaplex. Though it wasn't my style, there was one part I appreciated much more than I thought I would have. After worship they asked anyone who would like prayer to come forward. They anointed the person with oil and then the pastor and a number of others gathered around, laid hands on them, and earnestly prayed for them. I was touched by this and I believe God was there.
I think I saw so much dysfunctional Pentecostalism when I was younger that I have thrown out the baby with the bath water in many ways. It was nice to have a good experience with something from my roots.
On another topic...
My daughter and I have been cast in a local production of Peter Pan. Kathryn has been in two previous productions under the director, but I am a newbie. I mostly saw this as a chance to do something with my daughter, but I am also finding it to be a lot of fun. I had my first major rehearsal the other night and had a really good time. My older brother has done a fair amount of acting, and I now see what the draw has been. Community develops in theater.
Blessings and Peace to all!
5 comments:
You mention, “After service, everyone could meet in the food court to have lunch together and talk about what was shared that day. During the week, there would be opportunity to easily attend each others bible studies.”
That’s a really interesting thought there, but the pessimist in me says that the ideal picture you paint here wouldn’t turn out anything pretty. There are too many ideologues. Even an individual congregation often finds it difficult to sit at the same table. Sometimes the distance is blessing.
You said, “They anointed the person with oil and then the pastor and a number of others gathered around, laid hands on them, and earnestly prayed for them. I was touched by this and I believe God was there.”
I was back at St James today and thinking much the same about the liturgy and communion today. When I got back home I went over to the end of fellowship over at Coram Deo, my wife informed me that the couple from our local fundamentalist Mormon Church got up and officially announced they were joining. God was working in an Episcopal church and a Pentecostal church all on the same day. :^)
Wow, Andy visiting a Pentacostal church again. I just checked Revelation and that event accompanies the opening of the seventh seal and signals the coming Apocolypse
that food court idea sounds like a set up for a very angry food-fight.
plus, I was raised to believe that Christians don't go to movie theatres. Den of sin, that place.
We will be at a local middle school (I'm not sure which, all our rehearsals are at a high school). It is a new theater company that is getting support from the city of South Jordan, so I suppose the thought is to bring some theater to the Southwest end of the Valley.
Post a Comment