So in an attempt to avoid that, I decided to walk the other direction, down the street to Another Methodist church that happened to be near-by. However I could not find any resources online to tell me when the service started. So I went with my default guess. 10 am........ And I was wrong. I approached the church at 9:52 and the singe said services start at 9am. Well Shit. So I went in for the last 10-15 min. The service finished. The minister approached me and told me that he was also ministering at another Methodist church down the road, and that their services started in half an hour, and that he would be happy to give me a ride.
Nice old guy.
So we drove over to the church I was initially avoiding, passing the graveyard as we drove down the road. We arrived at the church, perched at the top of a hilly incline. There were a few people parked around it and filing in. Most in their "Sunday Best", (I soon discovered that there was a baptism going on that day). The church bell sound is a automated recording, that rings out with different tunes on the hour 7-days a week. It is clearly heard from a distance away, but not overly loud when you are inside the actual church. The building appears to be old, but maintained. There is approx 50 people here. More of a family mix, ( I suspect that these numbers are directly influenced by the event going on today).
I must say, I have experience more them my share of MERICA, since coming here. The town I am currently in, was apparently the location of some major historic battle? And there is some kind of an army army base? Needless to say almost every house in the area dons the star spangled banner, if not some other array of Americana. The church is no exception. It also has and American flag at the front of the room, on a vertical flag pole topped with a gold eagle looking proudly upwards. The date is June 28. Only a few days before American Independence Day.
The service started, and one of the first things that was announced, was my presence, what my name was and that I came from "CANADA". I got looked at like I was the most exotic thing these people have seen in a while. Who knew Canadians actually existed?
The service started in song, which was kind of difficult because I think the music peace they picked was a bit too advanced for the average Joe to catch on. The minister then took request for anyone that was in need of prayers. After the names were listed off, He then acknowledged that the July 1st Holiday was coming up
Yes we sang this.
"God Bless America!"
Is a common phrase used in these parts, and I suspect it will be more so as we head towards the holidays,. The church leader said that maybe it is time to re-examine this phrase and think of it differently.First off, yes America is blessed, not the next thing we should look at is "What can we do to bless America and the world?" And secondly, maybe we should spend less time asking God to bless this country more, and reflect, and be thankful, for the blessings we already have.
Personally, I would like to see more of this way of thinking, in the U.S.A.
Quote of the day:
"The healing hand of the great Physician."
There was a baptism that happened today. For a Little 5-7 year old boy? Roughly? I have no idea. This young boys family stood around him at the baptism front as the church, and his family made pledges to show a good example and commit themselves to his spiritual growth. I may have missed this, but at no point did I see the church leader address the little boy, and ask him if he accepts this sacrament. After a long speech, he wet his hands with the water in the font and touched the young boys head 3 times saying the blessing. After it all was over the little boy ran back to his seat, and garbed his hand held gaming device, nearly clueless to the significance of what just happened.
Honestly. I have feeling of compassion right now for people that argue that baptism should be done only to fully grown, comprehensive, adults. I still hold my position that infant baptism is not invalid.
The scripture that was focused on today was from 2 Corinthians 8:7-15...Wait! that's not right......
The church leader totally dropped the ball on this, but the story we learned about today was not in 2 Corinthians 8:7-15. I discovered the actual location of the scripture in Mark 5:21-43.
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing[c] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
There was discussion about the woman that suffered from internal bleeding. This condition would have been a really ugly situation in this time and place, due to the lack of medical advancement. And compounded on the fact that the old Leviticus laws state, that a woman who is "bleeding" can not be touched. Therefore she would have been rejected and secluded. This is where I Cant help but admire Gods love for us, show thru Christs example. Jesus find the people that there is no hope for, and gives them a new life.
The Church leader spoke about how she had visited may doctors that had taken her money and left her no better off. He related this to the endless medical lawsuits against malpractice that occur here in the states.
Something I think people forget about sometimes, is not only, the spiritual revolution of salvation that Christ started, but the Social salvation work he also did. After the woman was healed, she was likely just hoping she could sneak away. Jesus instead called her out, and she feel to the ground, and told everyone what just happened. This almost seams confusing at first. This woman's condition was embarrassing! Why would he single her out and announce it to the world, that she had been healed of this? Why make a Public Service Announcement? Answer: So she can start over. To lift the social stigma. She is clean again. Safe to touch, to go shopping, to go meet with friends, to have a job, get married, to be free. And it is not just on the truthful authority of her word, but the word of God. Christ forced people to socially to rethink their ways and norms. Jesus really changes everything.
Side Note: This is only time that Jesus uses the word "daughter" in the bible to refer to someone.
I was able to speak to the church leader after the service, and I took a moment to ask about the other flag at the front of the room that I did not recognize. He lifted it up and told me that it was the "Christian Flag"...... hold on......what?
Yes apparently this is a real thing. Christians have a Flag! Fallow the link to learn more.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Flag
What really got me is when he said "This flag (Christian Flag) supersedes the other(American Flag)." WOW. I must say this guy has impressed me. He has also given me hope that maybe people like him, can influence some of the more arrogant and self-righteous citizens, to take a step back and examine themselves.
So I left the church passing by a big black truck with "Vietnam War Vet" stickers on the back of it and headed home.
This grape bush/tree/vine was one of the most beautiful and healthy I have seen in my time here (wild grape vine grows everywhere around here). Most grow out of reach. Not this one. And it had fruit! Plenty of it! Looks good huh?
And it ends up the walk was not that bad, I just kind of powered thru it!
And then finished my way home thru the creepy forest.....
.....And they all lived Happy Ever After!
for now...... *que dramatic music.
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