Chuch Experiences

Becky, Corinna, Barrett and I made our way over to Portrero Hill to attend a Church called Sojourners. It is a community of people that redefine what "family" means. Most of them live in several houses together and meet for dinner and worship every Sunday evening in the living room of one of the houses. We found out about it because one of our speakers for the Urban program lives in this community and is the pastor. He is homosexual and has chosen to live a celibate life, making this community a good option for his life. It was incredible to be welcomed into this diverse setting. So many people of different age, gender, social standing-it really was beautiful to see them all under one roof in genuine acceptance and love of one another and their troubles they bring. One thing I took away from the service was the principle of affirmation. There was time set aside to affirm each other within the community. It is a regular thing that they do, meaning it didn't have to be this big one-time production. It was very simple and personal, like "I enjoyed spending time with you doing this activity last week." It was a really refreshing form of affirmation that is a good reminder to what it does or doesn't have to be. This last Sunday, Barrett and I attended a service at a church called St. Gregory Episcopal, which is very rooted in the arts. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced in a church service. The round ceiling of the room was lined with about 100 different painted "saints", including figures like Lady Godiva, Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth, Gandhi, William Butler Yeats, all surrounding Jesus in the center. I appreciated that they recognized these figures in society in a way, but am not entirely sure exactly how I feel about representing them as saints. Anyway, at the end of the service, we gathered in a circle and danced around as we sang the final song-very different experience. One thing that was done in both of these churches that I'd never done before was passing communion. I've always had to come up to the front and there are two decided people standing there to give you communion. Both Sojourners and St. Gregory's pass the bread and cup around the room, requiring the act to be more participatory, as you give it to your neighbor as you have just received it. I really enjoyed this personal aspect that was added to the ceremony by doing it this way.