One thing I enjoy about traveling is visiting a local church.
When I was in Titusville, FL for the NASA social I visited Indian River City United Methodist Church. I attended the contemporary service on a warm, sunny Sunday after drinking my coffee at a park by the river. Imagine my delight when I rounded the corner behind the church, heading back to the building where the service would be held and I found this coffee serving gazebo in the courtyard -- their Welcome Center. Genius, right? A welcome center in a gazebo outdoors! Just perfect.
The next thing I loved was the music.....
Typical contemporary service music -- guitars, drums, singers -- I realized how much I've missed this type of praise music. Our church stopped the contemporary service a year or two ago and I really, really miss the music. I also really liked that the singers included teenagers as well as adults.
Pastor Bill Corristan preached while I was there, a sermon in the series called "Compelled to Greater Things." Listen Here. Highlights:
- If we're going to do greater, we have to quit with the lesser.
- Bring Jesus to the people and the people to Jesus.
- In the beginning of life and the ending of life we realize how much we need each other. It's in the middle that we often forget.
- There's a difference between volunteers and servants. Volunteers are about their wants, servants do what the master wants.
This church is equipping -- providing tools -- for it's people to share Jesus, to meet needs. I could feel the energy and passion, the heart and soul. I could just curl up and hug this church like a blankie!
As the service concluded, we all jumped as sirens began screaming and a blue light started flashing. I was a little nervous until a ripple of laughter spread among the crowd as two men in black came down the aisle, aviator glasses, dark suits, silver badges. They handcuffed the pastor and announced the church would have to pay bail for his release. It was his birthday and they were collecting money to send him and his wife on a trip.
My goodness I love this church!
Other great churches:
No comments:
Post a Comment