A Little Something Different

Things have been going better at the church since September. Attendance has slightly increased. The youth became active again. Those of us who met at the last women's meeting all had the same realization: Monday night bible study (for all) at the church wasn't working, we ought to start having bible study in people's homes. So I pulled out my calendar and church directory to ask whose house first and when we were going to start. We started last Monday; one of my lay speakers led the study since I couldn't go. Praise God for lay leadership!

This past Sunday we celebrated Christ the King Sunday (in accordance with the Revised Common Lectionary) and Thanksgiving, with a big meal after the service. The service was my longest one ever, two hours. When that was pointed out to me, I pointed out that they'd still be going with the previous pastor - the services he led averaged two and a half hours!

Part of why the service went long was because I began my sermon a little differently. I asked how it was with their soul and how their spiritual life was. I asked if they felt ready and excited to celebrate the kingship of Christ or if they felt a little down. Then I asked the congregation to take 5 minutes and break up in pairs and share with each other how it was with their soul, how they were really doing, with no lies or glossing over. I reminded them that we are a family (somos familia), that we are trustworthy (somos de confianza), and that we don't gossip about each other (no contamos chismes). Most folks paired up although there were a couple groups of three. I have no idea how long we shared with each other. There is no clock in the sanctuary and I don't wear a watch. I have no idea if all groups stayed on topic; I didn't check up on the groups. But after my group was mostly done, I called time and asked folks to move back to their seats. And then I asked if folks now felt more ready to celebrate Christ the King and Thanksgiving. The answer: YES!

Too Many Halloween Hats

As the sole pastor and only employed person at Unidos por Cristo, I've gotten used to wearing different hats: pastor, preacher, pray-er, cleaner, driver, youth pastor, children's ministry consultant, minister of visitation, worship planner, administrative assistant, and more. However, usually each role happens one at a time. I'm either writing a sermon OR I'm visiting a family. I'm taking out the trash OR I'm wandering a corn maze with the youth. However, on Halloween Sunday, all these roles collided.

It was already a busy Sunday. The youth were selling food to raise funds to go to Pilgrimage. We had gone shopping the previous day to get supplies. I got to the church early. The youth got to the church early (the bigger surprise). Others helped the youth in the kitchen preparing the food so that the youth could help direct the service (read the Scriptures, lead prayers, etc.). Three volunteers never made it to the service they were so busy getting things ready for the meal after the service. My husband was grill-master. The youth sold all the food they made. It went well.

After people had started to leave after eating their hamburgers, fries, and cupcakes (the menu the youth chose), the praise band wanted me to practice with them for the two bilingual songs they'd be playing for the charge conference worship service. They felt comfortable with the songs, just hesitant about their English pronunciation. So we start. Then the leadership team chair comes in to ask a couple questions and I leave practice to put on my administrative hat. I return to practice. Then my husband comes in to tell me goodbye. He gets a quick kiss; my wife hat didn't stay on very long. I go back to singing with the praise band. Then one of the youth comes in to say goodbye but I need to talk to him so I go with him to my office to get the Pilgrimage permission form for him and explain next week's plans. Youth pastor hat. And then back to the temporary musician hat. Again.

The good news is that the charge conference worship service went very well this past Sunday afternoon. It was a cluster charge conference, meaning that it was Unidos por Cristo and about ten other churches for worship, then we split up for our separate business meetings. Since Unidos por Cristo is a mission church and not chartered, we didn't have to have a business meeting. So I don't know how those went but I know that worship was wonderful!