Like the Michael Jackson song says...

Yes, I am ashamed to be using Michael to introduce this writing. But I couldn't think about a more interesting way to chat about, as the song goes, "If you're black or white".

One of the things I appreciate about both my churches, though probably moreso the newer one, is the willingness to have anybody and everybody come in. I think it goes pretty evenly for both churches, but since Quest is bigger, you get a broader spectrum. In my home church, I have a black man married to a caucasian and they have a little dark skinned youngin. I think he's quite cute. And I'm thrilled that nobody minds in the least. (Why some would find it offensive, I'd rather not get into. But I know there are people out there that do.)

In church on Sunday, I took up my usual chair in my new church. I sat where I always sit; the middle of the middle. Around the second or third song, up came a couple who plopped down next to me. He was Korean, she was caucasian, and none of us really seemed to care. They were both perfectly friendly and delightful, and they seem happy together. What more do I need to know?

Over in a nearby section was someone who had a distictive lesbian vibe to her, and my understanding is that there are about twelve homosexuals that attend. Okay. God loves everybody, right? Do I need to follow a stricter guideline than God's? I don't think so.

Be different. Form interesting couples. Add some flavor. I'm quite the character myself and I slap the "Christian" label on my forehead. Works just fine for me, so who am I to tell others to do otherwise?

A little change o' pace

Sometimes my favorite church services have been a completely unplanned mess. Sometimes ya just gotta chuck the sermon to the wind and let God work in God's own strange ways.

In my home church, if the pastor feels like they aren't supposed to give a message, they won't. Both the current pastor of the church and the one before that. If God tells them to sit down and shut up (which I'm sure God does in a kindlier, less offensive manner), then they do. Maybe we'll end up singing songs out of the hymnal. Maybe we'll all just listen to what's been going on in other people's lives a bit more than usual; hear how God is working in their daily walks. Suits me just fine. Sermon, no sermon, it works.

This Sunday was a bit like that, and it was a nice change of pace. Sang some songs, had some announcements, and then a fellow (Trace Bruno? I think?) who was in town and is having a concert next month came up and played a song on his guitar. Watching a guitar player is always more fun that simply listening to one. He was moving his little wooden clamps, slapping the paneling and the strings, he clearly has his own style and has spent quite a few years on it.

Then they called up some gals from The Sold Project (www.thesoldproject.org). They tried to show a video... let's just say this newer church of mine has some difficulty getting their AV act in synch. They callled up the two gals, and we got a quick little lesson on the international slave trade, and how The Sold Project was created to confront the problem through helping people in Thailand and educating folks about what was going on. The DVD played, and we heard a little bit more about it.

Following that was a brief sermon about the disciples who cured the slave girl of her prophecy gift, and upset the masters because they had been deprived of their income. It referenced the scripture a little, but mostly it built upon the importance of being aware of slavery.

Then we sang some more, Trace played some more, and there was that grand ol' communion. I don't think we focused on any one aspect of church for more than ten minutes in a row. It would probably be a bit too fragmented for my tastes to do it on a regular basis. For this one time though, it was a nice break from the norm. Got an education on all sorts of things. All focused around God. Not too shabby.