The music was led by the pastor (who plays the guitar) and his wife. They have beautiful voices, and it seemed like every song they chose was one of our favorites. The worship music went on for quite a while which is absolutely perfect for me since I do my best worshiping and feel most connected with my heavenly Father through music. Some of the members alternated sitting and standing during this time, and it appeared to be a very open and relaxed congregation who weren't tied down by any societal expectations or constraints. It was nice to feel as if I could sit or stand or raise up my hands in worship and no one would be bothered.
After the music, a couple of congregational members came forward to make announcements. It was a relaxed and enjoyable time with some laughs intertwined with the business of the church. I have found through the year, that I really appreciate churches that have a variety of congregational participation, and it was nice to have different people reading scripture and sharing the week's events.
Tithes and offerings were taken in a different way than many of the churches we've attended. A basket was placed at the front of the church, and worshipers were asked to come forward to present their offerings to Christ. This took place at the same time as the greeting part of the service which gave everyone a chance to get out of their pews and make their way up and down the aisle and greet everyone in the process. We were greeted very enthusiastically with many of the members even hugging us in welcome. I'm really not a "huggy" person, and I grew up in a church where hand-shaking is the norm, but I'm finding that hugs at church, even from strangers, really do make me feel loved and welcomed.
After the tithing and greeting time, the pastor shared his message with us. It was very well thought out and delivered and timely. I enjoyed his comparison between the ingredients in our Thanksgiving dinners and our relationship with Christ as he urged us to really go after the bread of life. He encouraged us to make our relationship with Jesus good by spending time with him, so that we would begin to recognize God's voice and fall deeper in love with Christ.
The message was very good and would have completely the worship service well; however; what happened next, turned out to be the icing on the cake. Pastor Charlie invited members forward for prayer time, we watched as a number of people of all ages moved to the front of the church to share prayer requests and pray together as a family. We were able to witness a young lady accept Christ as she was surrounded by fellow believers praying for her and shedding tears on her behalf. Several members asked for prayers for health concerns, and when one of my sweet students went forward to ask for healing from the seizures she's plagued with, I couldn't help but go forward to pray with her and weep my way through our humble petitions for God to do a miracle in her life. It was a beautiful touching time together with the body of Christ and I could definitely feel the presence of the Lord in our midst.
When the prayer time ended, the service did also, and we had the opportunity to visit with the pastor as well as a few other members before time to depart. Pastor Charlie shared with me that they have recently completed a series called Launch, and that several of his members have been moved to begin ministry opportunities outside of the church building in the community and surrounding areas. He declared that though the church was small and had been established for generations, it is a church that is changing and moving forward and listening to God's calling on their lives. A calling to reach out to others, a calling to join with other Christians and unite in Christ, and a calling to show the love of God to others by loving them ourselves.
We feel so grateful to have been present at the Fairview First Assembly of God Church on our Steeple Chase this year. What a blessing to be a part of a community with so many Christ followers who truly love one another and care about the people of our community. It is incredible to think of all that we can accomplish for God when we unite in our faith and pour His love out on all we encounter.
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