Have you ever considered changing Gods? Perhaps it's more contemporary to ask change religions? Leaving your lifelong church for what's next door.
Mrs T and I attended our grandson's holiday choir concert this week, which was held in a local Methodist Church. The kids were backed by the church's adult choir and organist along with a holiday brass band. If what was presented is indicative of what takes place on Sunday, I'd reconsider.
The program opened with a bagpipe. Verily, one need be Scots to face an unexpected piper on a cold winter's night, yet in honor of Pearl Harbor Day piper George Gerules set the holiday mood with a stirring rendition of Amazing Grace. Later in the program, George had the crowd on its feet with his performance of Highland Cathedral.
The church choir was magnificent. Not unexpectedly, the men were graybeards, the women younger, yet they were led by a master who knew how to get the sound he wanted. The quality of the music,as well as the church acoustics were a world above the Romish churches of my youth. As strangers, we could feel that God dwelt in that house. The kids did a great job too.
Toad
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Having been raised to fear fire and brimstone, I have still managed to be present in a variety of Holy Places for worship. As a teen, I was voted Chaplin for my local Key Club. I made it my job to visit the church of every brother in membership. I thought we should all see how each one’s God made himself known to the flock.
I still can hear the discussions at each of our Key Club meetings the week following our visits. Discussions were mostly about how long the service was or rather or not communion was given. What would you expect from a bunch of 16-18 year old boys? However, what I took from this life experiment was that it doesn’t matter really where you worship as long as you have that personal communion with your God.
I have learned later in life that it really does not matter if you dance or sit too close to that girl or boy in church. All that matters is that you love everyone else like you want to be loved in return. I have a saying that I tell all my evangelical friends. When we all finally get to Heaven, Saint Peter will stand at the gate and look upon us all and say, “It was so simple, how could each of your “religions” get it so wrong? How did you miss the simple message?”
Toad, go where your heart tells you to go and engulf yourself in that true feeling. You will know when you’re where you are supposed to be.
TWJ
A great many lapsed Catholics find their way to the Methodist church. My friend, a Midwestern Lutheran like me, is married to one such who explained that it is somehow easier than going Lutheran or Presbyterian because the Methodists, although called a Protestant denomination, came to be through the Anglican church and therefore wasn't much associated with the actual reformation in Europe. Since all through parochial school her husband had learned about bad Martin Luther, following Anglo-Catholic priest John Wesley seemed less like giving up everything. And, as I said, it's a low threshold denomination. You believe in God? You're in.
Well said, TWJ!
Glad you enjoyed the concert, Toad.
No incense? Forget it.
Just this afternoon I had the pleasure of hearing a bunch of angelic Episcopalian children singing carols and found myself thinking about how much I dislike the Pope.
Ho ho ho,
Colleen
We can sing!
Just not what the Church passes off as Liturgical Music. Music in the Catholic went down hill with the first "guitar" mass. A lot of good came about with Vatican II, but one of them was not the music.
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