My wife and I visited 52 churches in a year. Then we attended a bunch more. Here is what we learned.
We know nothing about this minority church besides their name, location, and service time. When the service begins, words are displayed overhead while we sing along with recorded music. Many people raise their arms in praise to God. The worship occurs organically, so naturally that I don’t realize there isn’t a song leader. As we […]
The church for this Sunday meets in a school, just like church #16. They don’t have their own church building. Their service time is later than most, starting at eleven, likely to allow time for setup. We arrive at the school and see a temporary church sign by the road, confirming we’re at the right […]
The church we visited on Sunday is a mostly older congregation. The worship team, however, is comprised of teens. What a pleasant surprise. Three play guitars, with one on percussion. Offstage is a pianist, the church’s worship leader and the only non-teen of the ensemble. There are several vocalists, with two who sing and play. […]
We attend a contemporary service at a Presbyterian church. Their interim minister gives a message on “Listening to God”; today is his first official day on the job. Their former minister of twelve years left a few weeks ago and they are in a time of transition. This interim cleric is their “in between pastor” […]
We arrive at the church to a bustle of activity. Only a few people are sitting; most mill about, socializing. Many make a point of introducing themselves, genuinely interested in meeting us. Names are important to them. They repeat ours, deliberate and intentional. When they share theirs, they pause, allowing time for us to truly […]
If you view church in a tradition manner, then we didn’t go this Sunday. However, if church is two or more people gathering in God’s presence, then we had a most significant time. The pastors begin by sounding the shofar (a trumpet made from an animal horn, as mentioned in the Old Testament) and we […]
There’s a Mandarin service followed by one in English;. We attend both. The worship team leads us. The words to the song are displayed in Mandarin and have the English translation underneath. They sing and I listen to voices of a different tongue. God’s presence engulfs me. When others raise their hands, I wonder if […]
We almost skip this church since efforts to contact them were unsuccessful. It took a Saturday evening drive to confirm they’re viable and learn their service time. On Sunday a small crowd gathers, mostly older. The service is traditional, but in an informal way. At times it seems evangelical and other times mainline, with periodic […]
The sanctuary of this Roman Catholic Church is grand without being ostentatious. Modern and airy, it seats several hundred, with pews arrayed in four sections, each group angled to face the front. Behind the platform is an impressive marble wall with a large crucifix at its center. To one side, at floor level, is a […]
The church has a contemporary service followed by a traditional one; we attend both. A Lutheran congregation, I expect a high-church experience (more formal and liturgical). However, their idea of contemporary is far different from mine. Their music is modern, yet shrouded in formality. Reading from the lectionary, we stand for the third passage, this […]