Governor Sanford's Affairs

So, really, do I have to hear anymore about Gov. Sanford's affair? Honestly, I don't care. I mean, yes, I do care but this is really weird. We had a previous President that was all but a sexual predator and the media excused it. "It didn't matter"and "didn't reflect on how he ran the country", they said. Now, the recent rash (and yes, it's a rash alright!) of Republican confessions is all over the news and they're questioning the morality of these men and will it affect the 2010 elections and blah, blah, blah... interesting double standard to say the least but here's my point...

If he wasn't a Christian than why are we as Christians surprised that he was unfaithful? Why do we expect non-Christians to hold to Christian standards of morality? It's hard enough sometimes for a Christian to remain pure and honorable in this world and we expect a man (or woman) outside of faith to live this way? I don't know if Gov. Sanford has a personal faith in Jesus. If he does then the church needs to come alongside and help bring he and his family back together lovingly and provide support and accountability for him. There is no room for being judgemental because we are ALL one bad decision away from ruining our own lives. If he is not a Christian, why are we at all surprised?

Goin' to the Chapel...

We went to a beautiful wedding yesterday. We had a great time celebrating Julie and Greg's marriage. A couple of things crossed my mind as we were there. 1st is how few people get married in churches anymore. Don't get me wrong, I've attended glorious Christian weddings on the beach and in other settings but there's something about a church; it's is as if you're inviting God to the wedding. This was an amazing sanctuary with the huge pipe organ that left me almost breathless. It was majestic and awesome. This was an amazing church. Honestly, I'm more partial to contemporary settings for church understanding that some, especially newcomers feel too uncomfortable stepping into such a majestic setting (and really, we shouldn't) but this was truly majestic and inspiring.

The second thing that was really unique was a "sand ceremony". Rather than lighting a candle together, the couple placed two different colors of sand into a glass vase symbolizing their joining. In the same way that marriage is a lifelong union never to be separated, the sands can never be separated; they are blended, united. The really cool thing though was that the Pastor poured in pure white sand first symbolizing that their marriage was based on the foundation of Jesus. Really cool.

I love weddings, obviously because they are such a special celebration but also for the new and unique lessons I can learn.

"Goin' to the chapel..."

Church Testing

So, in our "search for a church" we visited a Lutheran church today. Quite different from what we're used to but I did find it interesting taking part in some new practices. For example, whenever the Pastor prayed, he turned his back toward the audience and faced the cross or the communion table. Not sure which as both were next to each other. Secondly was his robe. Even though this was a "contemporary" service, he still wore his traditional robe.

Also, we took communion which is practiced every week rather than 3 or 4 times a year. I like that. I like being reminded of what Jesus did for us and taking part in the meal that He ordained. Weekly communion was a part of the early church since the beginning but has been reduced to an occasional practice in most churches over the past century. Communion is an important part of the worship experience. I would welcome participating on a weekly basis.

Another aspect to the service was reading prayers. I know people who refuse to read prayers or creeds but really, what's the difference? We sing the words to other peoples songs and we read the Psalms which were someone else's prayers so why not use a prayer or creed that communicates the heart of the worshiper? I understand when it becomes a ritual for rituals sake but the same can be said for not having them.

In all, it was great to experience something new and different. It's so easy to get caught up in the same styles of worship and neglect that there is so much more to Christian worship than what we think it is or should be. While I so desperately want to be in a church and serving, I'm enjoying the opportunity to experience some styles of worship that I would otherwise not. It's tough breaking out of old habits and experiences but I learn so much from it when I do.

A New Chapter

This last weekend was the final service for The Well, our church family. I know for me, the tendency is going to want to keep everyone together. We even joked about visiting another local church all wearing our Well t-shirts. But the reality is, we all walk our own paths; we are all on an individually created journey unique to our own experiences. To artificially cause them to join simply for my own gratification would be like trying to make oil and water mix. It's futile unless of course it is God's will.

So, here we are beginning a new chapter. Ironically, my journal ran out of pages this week so I began a new journal with a new chapter and new experiences. When Abram was prompted by God to "go", he didn't tell him where. He didn't even point in a direction. We are in a similar situation. God has said go and I stick my finger in the air, figuratively of course, and try to make sense of where to go. I know this, an old Pastor friend of mine used to say, "find out where God is moving and join him in that work."