Comfortable. Caring. Loving. Real. : Central Christain Church

    As I sit down to blog this evening about our journey to Central Christian Church this past Sunday, my heart is heavy and my thoughts are clouded with news of a loved one who went on to be with Jesus just a short hour ago. She was a woman of strength and character, a leader in her church, and pillar of her community. She led the singing in her church for as long as I can remember, and she did so as she did everything: with fierceness and enthusiasm and a will that urged others to sing out, do better, reach higher, achieve more. Whenever and wherever we came in contact, she made me feel at home; comfortable and cared for and loved. She was real. She was Joy. (And she will be desperately missed by her family and friends until that day we join her in glory!)

     Comfortable. Caring. Loving. Real. These are the same words that come to mind when I think back on our visit to Central Christian Church in Fairview.

      Running a few minutes late (Oh, when will I learn?), we rushed in just as the acolytes were returning down the aisle. We slipped into a pew near the back, and when I finally got everyone situated and sat back with a sigh of relief my first thought was, "Oh, my word! What a beautiful sanctuary!" (I remember because that's exactly what I wrote in my notebook.) I had no idea that such a gorgeous, awe-inspiring, sacred place was behind the walls of this church that I've driven past a kajillion times and never taken the opportunity to enter. From the outside, the building is beautiful if a bit unusual with an a-frame and interestingly different "bell" tower and steeple, but the inside is just simply lovely. As we settled back and looked upwards at the crossing wooden braces, my youngest whispered in awe, "How'd they do that?" And I wondered the same.

Sadly, this picture doesn't do the room justice. I guess I need to take up photography to really show the beauty of the churches we visit. I wish you could see the glory of the stained glassed windows, but, alas, it cannot be.




 

        Fortunately, we arrived in time for the opening hymn and enjoyed the old fashioned comfort of holding a hymnal as we sang along. The service ran very similarly to the Methodist services we had grown up with, and we felt very much at ease as we joined in on the Lord's Prayer, Gloria Patri, and The Doxology. Unlike many churches, the Christian Church (aka Disciples of Christ) partake of Holy Communion on a weekly basis and invite all who believe in Jesus Christ as the resurrected Son of God to take part. This particular church does so (at least on this particular Sunday)
 by passing the plate of sacraments from pew to pew rather than having believers come forward to the alter.

      Soon, the children were called forward for the Children's Sermon; a time in which parents everywhere hold there breath and pray like crazy that their child doesn't say or do anything embarrassing in front of the entire congregation. (Does everyone feel this way or just those of us with loud mouthed children who are entirely lacking in shyness....and filters?) Fortunately my girls were on pretty good behavior this Sunday, and we were able to continue through the rest of the service without sneaking out with our faces covered before the service ended. After the children's service, the little ones were dismissed for Children's Church, and Reverend Ronnie Hopkins began the sermon.

 

Oldest daughter is not pictured as she is  now 11 and thinks she no longer qualifies as a child. (Insert eye roll here.)

 

      Moments into the scripture reading (done by three youth members who did a fantastic job), I was wishing that our middle daughter was still sitting beside me because once again I was in the midst of a God- moment, and I wanted her to be a part of it too. Just that morning as I was curling her hair, she was prattling on, as only an 8 year old girl can do, about the Veggie Tales movie she had been watching while waiting for her turn to get her hair fixed. It was a video we'd seen several times, but she felt the need to give me a scene by scene synopsis, and honestly, for the most part, I was just nodding and uh-huh-ing along and not really paying attention. It was the one, she informed me, where King George (But she new it was really King David) wanted all the rubber duckies in the Kingdom, and he wants another boy's duck (But she new in the Bible he really slept with another man's wife....wait, had we talked about this?! Now I was paying attention!), and not in this movie, but in the Bible, he has a son and his name is Solomon and when he grows up God gives him anything he wants and he asks for wisdom, and because he made a good choice, God gave him riches and fame too. (I was really listening now because I had forgotten about the riches and fame part and I was really impressed with all she knew.) So, when the scripture reading that morning came from 1 Kings and was the exact story of Solomon my 8 year old had told me that morning, I couldn't help but smile up at God and think, "Yes, Lord, I'm listening now. I'm really listening." (I just love when He does that!)

 

 

      Following the sermon entitled, "The King Who Had It All," the service ended with a hymn and  an invitation to come forward to accept Jesus or join the church and a recessional which was sung to the tune of a song from The Sound of Music (Which was another God-incidence, as I'd been singing Sound of Music songs all morning while getting ready.), and we gathered in the adjoining fellowship hall for snacks and a chance to visit with friends old and new. The congregation members were all so welcoming, and we really enjoyed visiting and learning more about the church and it's members before departing.

 

Our oldest daughter with our friend Rev. Ronnie Hopkins (aka Mayor Shinn).

 

 

      It came to me during this week's Steeple Chase, that as different as our experiences have been, they have also been so very similar as well. I realized how truly fortunate we are to have so many different congregations in so many different places in so many parts of the world who essentially are doing the same thing week after week, day after day. They are worshiping God and caring for one another, praying for each other, and extending friendship and love. Our churches are here to support and challenge and fight for God's people with strength and compassion and encouragement and Joy! I praise God tonight for the lessons He's teaching me through this Steeple Chase and through the life of a beautiful woman of God who will continue to be my role model as we each continue our journeys....mine into the body of Christ and hers into the home of the Bridegroom.  God bless you, my friends, and thank you for being a part of this journey as well. 

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