Worship: Coffee and Gays Welcome.
I've been a guest visitor at a church here in town where two of my friends frequent and another is the site pastor. The first time I went with them, I felt immediately out of place in the cozy, warm church seeing folks smiling, laughing, talking to those around them, and drinking coffee. What? Coffee? Folks drink coffee in church? This is news to me! I've been back a couple times since that first visit and I am still amazed at the coffee drinkers. But I've yet to do it myself. Having been raised Catholic, the notion of eating or drinking in church save the whole communion thing is foreign.
Aside from the coffee drinking though, the service is drastically different from my Catholic upbringing. The Gathering is a Methodist church and while I greatly enjoyed the praise and worship music over the more often than not ghastly music in the Masses I've been to, having a giant video screen come down and the sermon projected from the home site (also in town) made me feel like I was at home on a Sunday morning seeing Billy Graham on PBS. Only this time, I could not simply change the channel. I left after that first visit not thinking I'd go back anytime soon. But then this funny thing happened. I found myself ALL WEEK reflecting on the sermon. Yes, I had actually paid attention, reflected on what was said, and found it applicable to my life. That RARELY (if ever) happened when I attended Mass. In fact, most weeks I couldn't even tell you what the homily had been about 10 minutes after Mass ended. Whoops.
But my buddy Matt has kept encouraging me (no pressure) to return and after going a few weeks ago, I returned yesterday for a special series called "The Birds, the Bees, and Scripture." Yes, boys and girls, the church was talking about how Scripture informs our understanding of sexual relationships. And the topic of the day, same sex relationships. I had no idea what to expect and after sitting through the close to 45 minute sermon, I can say that I have never heard a more affirming or welcoming message from a church regarding not only gay and lesbian people but their relationships. The sermon explored five passages in the Bible where same sex relationships are mentioned, unpacked the historical and social context of the passages, and outlined how we should be reading and interpreting those passages. The whole, "love the sinner, hate the sin" message that is promulgated in most christian churches and especially in the Catholic church? Not only was it not preached as what our motto should be; rather it was stated as a message that only further alienates, isolates, and devalues gay and lesbian persons.
Whether you're a member of the LGBT community or not, or whether you support same sex relationships or not, the sermon was applicable to all and left me feeling very affirmed, supported, and most importantly, loved. Hearing that message in a church was as foreign to me as the coffee drinkers. I'm grateful that I attended yesterday, grateful to have found a friend in Matt, grateful that for once, my faith and my sexuality are not in conflict, and hopeful that more churches will preach similar messages. It's a message that not only is important for all persons to hear but is critical for gay and lesbian youth to hear.
If you're curious, the sermon should be posted on the site in a few days...
Cheers.
Aside from the coffee drinking though, the service is drastically different from my Catholic upbringing. The Gathering is a Methodist church and while I greatly enjoyed the praise and worship music over the more often than not ghastly music in the Masses I've been to, having a giant video screen come down and the sermon projected from the home site (also in town) made me feel like I was at home on a Sunday morning seeing Billy Graham on PBS. Only this time, I could not simply change the channel. I left after that first visit not thinking I'd go back anytime soon. But then this funny thing happened. I found myself ALL WEEK reflecting on the sermon. Yes, I had actually paid attention, reflected on what was said, and found it applicable to my life. That RARELY (if ever) happened when I attended Mass. In fact, most weeks I couldn't even tell you what the homily had been about 10 minutes after Mass ended. Whoops.
But my buddy Matt has kept encouraging me (no pressure) to return and after going a few weeks ago, I returned yesterday for a special series called "The Birds, the Bees, and Scripture." Yes, boys and girls, the church was talking about how Scripture informs our understanding of sexual relationships. And the topic of the day, same sex relationships. I had no idea what to expect and after sitting through the close to 45 minute sermon, I can say that I have never heard a more affirming or welcoming message from a church regarding not only gay and lesbian people but their relationships. The sermon explored five passages in the Bible where same sex relationships are mentioned, unpacked the historical and social context of the passages, and outlined how we should be reading and interpreting those passages. The whole, "love the sinner, hate the sin" message that is promulgated in most christian churches and especially in the Catholic church? Not only was it not preached as what our motto should be; rather it was stated as a message that only further alienates, isolates, and devalues gay and lesbian persons.
Whether you're a member of the LGBT community or not, or whether you support same sex relationships or not, the sermon was applicable to all and left me feeling very affirmed, supported, and most importantly, loved. Hearing that message in a church was as foreign to me as the coffee drinkers. I'm grateful that I attended yesterday, grateful to have found a friend in Matt, grateful that for once, my faith and my sexuality are not in conflict, and hopeful that more churches will preach similar messages. It's a message that not only is important for all persons to hear but is critical for gay and lesbian youth to hear.
If you're curious, the sermon should be posted on the site in a few days...
Cheers.
Comments