"Excuse me, is the service over?"It was too early and too hot to be greeted with rock music. I stepped over three people in order to sit exactly where I wanted, my warm smile for them stemming from smug amusement at the latecomers' breakneck driving into the parking lot.
"Uh-huh. The next one begins at 11."1
A 10 o'clock service is just beginning across the street ... at Queenship of Mary.
"They act as if they'll miss something."
A quartet lead us in Rain Down (video), a program kick-off familiar from my visit 3 years ago. "Has time stood still here?" The lead singer then read from the NIV:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.The worship tempo slowed with You Alone Are God2, before an offering prayer laden with conversational encouragement to give sacrificially.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.'"
"Where's the fire and brimstone? How can God let this place stand?!"
For their next number, an original, the high school rock band told us to just listen since we didn't know the words anyway. There was applause after each song and, in introducing the band-members as they exited stage left, I discovered that the bass player is son of my Bible study leader.
The senior pastor came on with the buildup of a main event, prop in hand. A soccer ball. Oh, and a Bible. Two props.
He talked through the historical narrative of the Tanakh, beginning with Abraham through the kings of the united kingdom before returning to discuss his favorite, Joseph. In my other study, we are just about to begin Joseph's story, so I knew where to flip in my Bible ... the black ribbon was marking the chapter before.
Pastor Boyd gestured accordingly as he paraphrased Joseph's dreams from Scripture then, starting at verse 12, concluded with the brothers' plot: "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." I looked up from the leather-bound book in my lap and saw those same words fade from the overhead screens.
The sermon specified sensitivity to others' dreams. If not encouraging, at least not casting dreamers into cisterns. Not killing dreamers. The pastor recalled the tradition of laying on hands and asked those with dreams to stand as church elders and staff (i.e., parish secretaries) prayed over them. Well-aware of my interloper status, I easily resisted the temptation to stand and receive prayer.
Not even the proverbially Catholic "second collection" - for their mission trip to Mexico - made me feel at home. 'Though I was struck by the pastor's3 audacity in asking specifically for fifty dollar bills, to reach their goal of $60,000 across this weekend's services. More than once, I considered discreetly drawing out the rosary from my pocket and praying it like some old Irishwoman during a Latin Mass - the proceedings were that inane.
Not a word about sin and salvation.4 Wow. Just ... wow.
1 At 10:30.
2 This video is almost enough to make me an ad orientem advocate.
3 The pastor announced this morning, with the vice president of the church board alongside him on stage, that he'll take eight weeks sabbatical this summer to finish his doctoral dissertation, I presume at Princeton. Sounds very reasonable; the church ought to be behind that effort.
4 Jim once asked me whether a Catholic could attend a UU church. I replied, "Probably, but attendance there wouldn't make anyone Catholic who wasn't one already." I see the same thing here: a Christian can attend this church, but attending this church won't lead someone to become a Christian. They'd have to hear the gospel somewhere else.
13 comments:
What is a UU Church? Unitarian Univeralist? I don't think they are Christian are they?
From the website:
"Unitarian Universalists are a caring, open-minded religious community that encourages you to seek your own spiritual path. Our congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities—and the world—a better place."
In other words its a free for all? Just come sit and smile? Hrm...
I don't think they are Christian are they?
Not exclusively.
Ah! Come to think of it I was in a Unitarian place once for a piano concert given by my piano professor in college. I was with a Baptist friend of mine (I was effectively non-practicing at the time) and we took a look at the bookshelf and saw everything from The Bible to the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf. We were sufficiently freaked out. Taking a look around we walked over to the chapel area which looked like any other protestant church except there were zero religious symbols anywhere accept a flame on the podium. We had no idea what was going on. My professor was a Unitarian.
But they had a really nice piano. Probably because he was a member.
I was in a Unitarian place once
I've never had the inclination. I bet you saw a lot of places that way. Music is a wonderful bridge.
I'm vaguely recalling some wisdom from a Rush song ... either (1) "The spaces in between leave room for you and I to grow" or (2) "I thought we might get closer -- But I'm ready to make a deal" ... or some combination.
I'm not smart enough to be a UU ... perhaps a blessing in disguise.
It's been a while since I visited PAC. I'd very much like to attend their service when they have their "Lord's Supper" or whatever it is they call it there, just to witness it.
I'm sure I've told you I've attended their mens' Bible studies before. I've also gone to their services a couple times. It's a "good show".
Thanks for your comment.
I've attended their mens' Bible studies before
Yeah, and I think you said a Catholic friend of yours led a study there? I find that remarkable, in spite of how welcoming they are.
Is there ever a service at PAC that they don't have rock music?
I had hoped to catch a more "traditional" service, i.e., a more "liturgical" service. No such luck.
My Baptist friend whose BIL is youth pastor there is pretty tight-lipped about the church as if he doesn't approve of its Willow Creek character.
Pastor Boyd is phenomenal, there's no doubt ... I just would have appreciated some words about, oh, - in no particular order - sin, grace, repentance, mercy, forgiveness, redemption.
You know, gospel things.
Yeah, and I think you said a Catholic friend of yours led a study there? I find that remarkable, in spite of how welcoming they are.
Yeah, Kirk Loury. I'm not sure if the others know he's Catholic. The reason I suggest this is because, just before last summer, his study was going to look at different religions and cults to see how they measure up to the Bible. One person suggested examining "Roman Catholicism" to which Kirk replied that he considered that another Christian faith tradition and not a separate religion or cult. It was an uncomfortable moment (for me, at least) but it passed quickly.
Is there ever a service at PAC that they don't have rock music?
I've been to two services, one with the teen band and one with older adults. Both used contemporary Christian radio music, so both were essentially "rock" services.
I had hoped to catch a more "traditional" service, i.e., a more "liturgical" service. No such luck.
I don't think they have "liturgy"; they start with songs, move to a Scripture reading and sermon, have a collection, and do more singing.
Pastor Boyd is phenomenal, there's no doubt ... I just would have appreciated some words about, oh, - in no particular order - sin, grace, repentance, mercy, forgiveness, redemption. You know, gospel things.
I don't remember what I've heard in their sermons... I'll have to go back and take more notes.
One person suggested examining "Roman Catholicism"
LOL.
The ladies there know I'm Catholic. And I am by now very accustomed to hearing the occasional, stray comment about Roman Catholicism ... so much so that I don't even sit up straight anymore.
And, hey, who knows, I might be a Christian, right? After all ... please God.
PS: I sent a blogger who was interested in the Latin Mass at Mater Ecclesiae your way, that is, to your blog. Oh, I just checked the comments and see he's found you. Cool.
Not trying to pry or anything, but why do you go to the UU Church at all?
I assume there is a community aspect there that is not present at the local RC Church, which is unfortunate. They probably have lots of programs there during the week too the RC doesn't have, like the Bible study. But just curious, is it beneficial to your faith to attend the non-Catholic non-Christian denomination with frequency?
I'm not being judgmental, just asking! :-)
"Why?" I expected that question to be first!
Why? In this specific case: good, old-fashioned Catholic guilt. :-)
I still get butterflies in my stomach whenever I enter a non-Catholic church, even just for Bible study. If I'm away too long, I might not get back. So I force myself every few months to go someplace "other."
is it beneficial to your faith to attend the non-Catholic non-Christian denomination
Not in this instance!
But I had an extraordinary time at a Baptist church a few months back.
This all reminds me that I have to get back to the Byzantine church - it's been years.
japhy, i believe you just responded to my question on the Catholic Answers Forums..regarding the Leonine Prayers. Either you or someone using the same MO. Small world this internet eh?
Moonshadow, I didn't ask "why" first because I know you go all extra-ecclesia for Bible Study. It seems almost necessary to have a Bible study of any worth you need to do that. I think most of the Bible study that goes on in Catholic circles (from the looks of it, I have yet to seek one out) is ground level basic learning the Bible and not the in depth sort of thing I experienced as a Protestant.
Yeah, matt, it's me. The only other people on the Internet who use the handle "japhy" (and there's only a couple I've found) are fans of Kerouac and his book "The Dharma Bums", the principal character of which is named Japhy Ryder.
My moniker comes from an entirely unrelated source.
About UU services... I have a friend who's UU, and he invited me to a service once. It was very... humanitarian. I'm not sure exactly where the spiritual fits in to UU conversation.
As for your comment about Bible studies, I agree; most Catholic studies feel a bit like "so you've decided to try reading the Bible", whereas most Protestant studies are multifaceted and deep. I'd like to see a Protestant Bible study infused with Church Father commentary.
I led a young adult Catholic Bible Study from September through March; first we looked at the next Sunday's readings, then in Lent we looked at a handful of the Psalms, and during Paschaltide we looked at parables. I always try to provide Church Father commentary, but I think sometimes I'm trying to provide meat when milk is required.
Small world this internet eh?
japhy's omnipresent, didn't you know? :-)
I just want to clear up an apparent misunderstanding: PAC is not a UU church, not officially. It has drifted "emergent," imo, in the time since my last visit roughly three years ago.
most Catholic studies feel a bit like "so you've decided to try reading the Bible"
I've attended Catholic Bible studies where we never opened the Book! We talked about the Bible.
Now, I don't want to get all down on Catholic piety vis-a-vis the Bible, because in some respects, our quaint deference reflects a proper reverence.
Yet, I have a desire to actually read the Bible ... outside mass. I tried to satisfy this desire studying New Testament at (Catholic) grad school and now the desire is worse than before! :-)
I don't know of any Catholic Bible studies that provide child care. I pay at least $5 / child / week at both PAC and Princeton Presbyterian. I'm happy to pay for the convenience!
I split my time between Catholic and Protestant Bible studies. And I don't discriminate among study aids, authors, commentaries, study Bible footnotes - that last one's for you, Matt! While I'm not interested in compromising the Catholic perspective, I don't want either to neglect the Protestant approach to Scripture.
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