Where Is A Church Service At?

 Over the last week I have been in places and online when a conversation about church and service times were talked about. Things like what time a congregation has a service, what type of service that a congregation has, the things that go on during a service and many other things church and service related. But a little earlier I really began to rethink about the topic.

 Yesterday I attended a service that most people wouldn't think of as being in a church, but now that I really think about it, I was in a church that has a service, but it didn't have all of the things that we see in our services most Sundays. There wasn't any stain-glassed windows. There were any pews with cushions on them.There were no candles. There wasn't any... well you know all of the stuff that we see within our services ever week, so I don't need to go further.

 In my diocese, like in some other diocese, a service exist that even though some within the diocese have heard about it, not many people actually attend it. I know that part of the reason is because many within this diocese don't subscribe to DioBytes to find out what events and other things are going on within the diocese, I know that in the congregation that the "Digital Divide" still exist, and I am sure that there are tons of other reasons people never see it. But I am getting off topic again.

Once a month, one of the people who is going through the ordination process has been doing what is called "Worship In The Wilderness" which I attended the first time yesterday. The main idea is to take the service out into a nature area and do it there. As strange as it may sounds, it is taking it back to how services had to be done in some areas. 

 As I was thinking earlier, I realized how much I really enjoyed it. I wasn't spending time worrying if things were going smoothly in the sanctuary or in the naive. It gave me time as we walked around to really give my attention to the beauty that God has bestrode and permitted up to get to see and know. As we walked through paths in Tilden Park I looked at the plants, trees and animals that we around, and was just amazed at the things that I would of never seen or thought about if I just kept my church service experiences to the walls of a building. It allowed me to really be with the Holy Trinity in a way that being within a building could never really give me.

 I as sat in service this morning at the congregation, I began to think about what a church building really means, and how in many ways we really need to get outside of the building from time to time and think about the what we are really doing? I also thought about the history of the congregation that I am in. According to the history of the church that my pastor wrote, it began in 1858 and was received into the diocese in 1860. In 1858 the clergy person that they got to come and do services at the house of one of the women that got the church started had to travel through marshland and other areas to get to it. As I was walking I thought about him and pictured myself traveling in the time that he did to go to somebodies home to celebrate the Lord with them. Imagining myself as I was on my way to celebrate the life of the Lord with them, and in my mind wondering if there are any animals that may try and attack me or if they were trying to blend into the background watching me and wondering where I was headed. I tried to imagine the smells that he encountered along way, and the things that he saw what we can not longer see anymore. I began to wonder what were some of the things that ran through his mind? 

 As we walked I also began to think about the about Jesus and people of that time traveling from one place to another. They had no cars, buses, bikes, truck and so on. I think that for many if they even had a burro to get from one place to the other they were lucky. As we would stop to do different things in the service, I imagined Jesus and his followers stopping as they traveled, and Jesus telling them parables and about Heaven. I imagined myself among the followers paying attention to each and every word Jesus spoke, and I wondered how Judas was feeling as he had a choice to make. 

 But as we walked, I also wondered what was so important about having a building to worship in, and could Christianity survive without them? How many have left the church and Christianity when they claimed that they didn't believe, but in reality if they had been doing it in the wilderness they would have a far deeper relationship with the Holy Trinity?

 I also thought about another service which occurs in San Francisco right now, and that being Open Cathedral. Open Cathedral takes place every Sunday in the UN Plaza area and at the Harvey Milk Library in the Castro area. Done outside, and everyone is welcomed. We often say that we welcome people through the doors, but in both cases there are no doors so truly all are welcomed. At times I wonder if the doors to the building that we have are truly open to all.

 If you live in this diocese, or one of the surrounding ones, check the Worship In The Wilderness website and see when and where the next one will be that is near you, and give it a try. Looking for something that you can do either alone or with your family, grab your Book of Common Prayer and a Bible and go out to a large park, a lake, or the beach and do a service where you break the service into parts where you stop and do a part when you feel that the Holy Spirit wants you to do something. So say that it is to hard to get to a place to do it? why not walk around the area that you live and do it? Sure if you live in a large city some people may look at you strange, but you may find others along the way who will ask what is going on and will then join you along your travel.

 But still the church building is important for some people, as they grow closer to the Holy Trinity by coming through the doors. Their are the people who need the structure of what happens within the walls of a building, as it helps them to bring structure and order into their life. 

 I would like to see both exist side by side. One thing that I would make a change in though is the things that the Deacon could do. In the Episcopal Church a Deacon is not empowered to do the blessing of the Eucharist, but this is something that I change. When it came to services that are outside, Deacons would have the power to bless the bread and wine for eucharist for these services. I think that more than any or the orders within the church, Deacons represent the church more than any other order. I am sure that some will say that it is really the priest, but in a way I think that the priest are acting in the role of a Deacon outside of the walls of the church. When a priest is involved in some non-profit charity in a spiritual way, I think that they are involved as a Deacon.Why not permit the Deacons to truly bless and bring the eucharist to the people outside of the walls of the church? But then again I don't recall Jesus saying that one had to be a priest, bishop or deacon in order to bless and celebrate the eucharist, only that we break the bread and drink of the cup. 

 So where is it important to you to have a church service at? Within the walls of a building or out in the open? I can't tell you what is good for you, as it could be both that brings you closer to the Holy Trinity.

Let Ye Without Sin...

 Over the last few months there has been we have been bombarded with news about Casey Anthony and the trail. As we all know, she was found Not Guilty of most of the charges against her but a jury. What I find interesting is how much this is much like the O.J. Simpson trail in that what the press is showing us is how people are upset about the verdict. The jury has been blamed over and over again because it didn't come back with the verdict that they wanted. People seem to forget that the jury had to go with what was presented to them, and could not have all of the stuff that the press was giving out.

 The press seems to be "Hell Bent" on finding out where she is now that she is no longer in jail, and in my view if they should find her, they will tell the public, which will mean that someone will try to kill her because they didn't agree with the verdict. If that should happen, the press will not taking any responsibility of it, but the truth is that they will be equal to the whomever should kill her. They will give all kinds of excuses, but they will be at fault.

 But as I think about it, the story of the woman at the well comes to mind. All of these people who were not on the jury are in a way throwing stones at her, and want to stone her to death. I really wonder how many of these people have lead a sinless life? Oh I can hear it now about the crime that occurred, and that it was a horrible crime, which it was, but the truth that we all need to remember is that their is no real different levels of sin. Well, as far as i recall the Bible doesn't have rankings on sins. A Sin is a Sin. Jesus died for ALL of our sins, and that includes such things as murder. Can you truly say that you have lead a sinless life?

 But as I think about it, I also wonder how many children do they see being beaten but yet don't bother to stop and help? Are these people stopping to help when someone is being bullied? How many of these people don't obey the law when driving by speeding? How many of these people have gotten into a car and driven after drinking alcohol? How many of these people claim to be a Christian but yet don't follow ALL of the rules written in the Bible? Can you claim to be sinless in everything? I sure can't.

 One of the local TV stations had a show on that asked something like, "If you bumped into Casey Anthony, would you say anything to her?" Within really thinking about it, I thought to myself that I would. I would ask her how she was doing, and if she needed someone to be able to talk to, and that I would be really interested in finding out about the Real Casey, not the one that the press and courts presented. I think that she really needs a Friend who wants to be with her as a Friend.

 I am sure that people would have a problem with becoming a Friend to her, but think about it. If you were in her shoes, wouldn't you want a friend that will not prejudge you based on your past, but will accept you for you? How many people do you have that you call friends, would you no longer would have as a friend is you found out that may have done something bad in their past? 

 Now it's bad enough in many cases when people blame their upbringing when they do something wrong now. I know someone who will blame their upbringing when they do something wrong, but after a certain point in ones life to do that really means that they still aren't an adult, but are a child. If one really looks around, they will find someone who was brought up in worse conditions, but yet managed to do great things. When they do something wrong, they don't blame their upbringing, but will take responsibility for their actions and apologize, as that is something that an adult does.

 But we already know that another case will come along and people will get upset about the verdict in that the person will be found Not Guilty, and people will take to the streets. But before you hit the streets to protest, ask yourself how sinless you are in your life? Ask yourself what had verdict you would of come up with if all that you had was the evidence that was put into front of the jury, heard only the testimony that the jury heard, and their was no outside influence to take into your judgement? 

 Ask yourself how many kids will die in this world because instead of sending money to a relief agency to feed them, you went out to an expensive dinner because the place was a cool place to be and you didn't want to cook a simple meal at home?Heck, many of them would of loved to of just had some rice to eat. Aren't you just as guilty as that person that you are accusing of being a murderer that the jury found Not Guilty?

 Can you honestly say that if you had been at the well you would of been able to pick up a stone and thrown it at the woman after hearing what Jesus said?

Gay Scientists Isolate Christian Gene

My Pastor's daughter came across this. It's 4 years old, has over a million views, and is simply funny...

A Cool "Flash Mob"

 I think that this would be fun to do....

Redefining Success with You in Mind

This is a video of a seminar that a woman named Bryn Drescher did. I watched it and it had me rethinking things when it comes to Success and other things. I will post a blog about my thoughts soon on my other blog, but I think that it is worth watching. It’s about an hour long, and open you mind as you watch, as it could make you a better person.

You can find out more about Bryn at her website http://mylifegps.com/

After watching this video, please click on this link and rate it... http://speakerrate.com/bryndrescher

15 Signs That A Church Is In Trouble

I found this on another website and just had to share it here....

15 Signs That A Church Is In Trouble November 4, 2009

#1 – When excuses are made about the way things are instead of embracing a willingness to roll up the sleeves and fix the problem.

#2 – When the church becomes content with merely receiving people that come rather than actually going out and finding them…in other words, they lose their passion for evangelism!

#3 – The focus of the church is to build a great church (complete with the pastors picture…and his wife’s…on everything) and not the Kingdom of God.

#4 – The leadership begins to settle for the natural rather than rely on the supernatural.

#5 – The church begins to view success/failure in regards to how they are viewed in the church world rather than whether or not they are actually fulfilling the Great Commission!

#6 – The leaders within the church cease to be coachable.

#7 – There is a loss of a sense of urgency!  (Hell is no longer hot, sin is no longer wrong and the cross is no longer important!)

#8 – Scripture isn’t central in every decision that is made!

#9 – The church is reactive rather than proactive.

#10 – The people in the church lose sight of the next generation and refuse to fund ministry simply because they don’t understand “those young people.”

#11 – The goal of the church is to simply maintain the way things are…to NOT rock the boat and/or upset anyone…especially the big givers!

#12 – The church is no longer willing to take steps of faith because “there is just too much to lose.”

#13 – The church simply does not care about the obvious and immediate needs that exist in the community.

#14 – The people learn how to depend on one man to minister to everyone rather than everyone embracing their role in the body, thus allowing the body to care for itself.

#15 – When the leaders/staff refuse to go the extra mile in leading and serving because of how “inconvenient” doing so would be.