VBS

Well, we survived Vacation Bible School. I'll admit to wondering at the point of the VBS exercise year after year. Each year from week to week, the very same kids (especially in smaller communities similar to the one I find myself in) trek from church to church for VBS. It often feels like what once began as an evangelistic exercise has now turned into a case of which church can entertain them the most. Yes, I admit I'm fairly cynical.

However, in some churches, it's more about what the experience does for the adults who take part, I suppose. It gets them into the habit (or at least gives them an experience) of welcoming the stranger, making room for children. In the case of my church, we had just has many adults as we did children, which was fantastic.

In the end, though, we told the stories of our faith, perhaps planting seeds of faith. Plus, the members of the church work together, giving them yet another experience of life together, telling others about their faith in God, which can never be a bad thing.

Here's to another 50.5 weeks until the next VBS!

Churches Together

Well, I attended my first Ministerial Alliance meeting today. Oh my. I found out there are about 15 churches in the ZIP code (population: about 3500). At this meeting, three churches were represented. There seems to be a general lack of interest in ecumenical relationships, which despite all my frustrations with it in England, I find it a real shame.

But it's ok, because we have our Labor Day picnic. This picnic, kind of like a one-day fair, pays for all the social programs the ministerial alliance (read: the Assembly of God church) does throughout the year. By social programs, I mean energy assistance, food pantry, help with rent, etc. Note that the churches don't put any money into this social fund, but it all comes from this picnic.

Apparently, this picnic used to be quite the drunken festival, with the Knights of Columbus inviting a beer wagon to the festivities. Sounds like a good time to me, but the ministerial alliance had other ideas. So they took over to keep the beer out of the park. Note that no beer is allowed, but they do invite the NRA! I probably stepped in it on my first meeting, but I spoke up and said if we aren't going to allow beer at a church-sponsored event, then we shouldn't allow guns, either. This idea was met with an awkward silence before somebody quickly changed the subject. Excellent.

Anyway, the ministerial alliance needs some work. Don't know if I'm the person to do it. We'll see. It's a bit early to make any of those decisions. We'll just wait and see what happens.

Vacation Bible School starts next week. Woo hoo!!

Funerals

When I thought I'd write about differences and similarities between I must admit, I didn't expect the first funeral to come this soon. When I arrived in England, I think my first funeral was at least 2-3 months into the job. Mine arrived on Saturday.

Notch that as difference number one. In England, once somebody dies, for the most part, you can count on about two weeks before the funeral takes place, especially if it's a cremation (a burial is usually about a one week turnaround). Here, the lady died on Thursday and the funeral was Saturday.

Secondly, visitation. I noticed this difference acutely when my grandpa died in February. Wakes have typically gone out of fashion in England; here, they're a social event. Visitation took place Friday night and lasted three hours! I was so tired when it was over. I don't know how the family coped. But there was a steady stream of people pretty much the whole time.

I shared this one. The deceased was last active in the 90s, really. So the family requested that the pastor from that time do the funeral. (He's now retired, living about 30 miles away.) I wasn't about to object at this point, so he took the sermon. The strangest thing, he asked me to visit the family. I didn't mind, but figured he would fill in details as he remembered her. Unfortunately, she barely got a mention. Instead, it was a salvation sermon. I hate those at a funeral. But he did, with a call to conversion at the end.

All in all, a funeral is a funeral. I just need to learn where to stand when. Hopefully, the funeral directors will be patient with me as I learn the choreography. Here's to not another one for a while, though.

I have arrived.

Well, here we are. Really don't know what else to say. Ministry has begun. I'm sure I felt more out of my depths when I arrived in England, but I don't think that feeling changes. There's so much to learn, being in a new place. Plus, it's been a long time since I've done anything in an American church, let alone one this small. It's yet another learning cliff.

It's an odd thing, I've decided, returning from living abroad. Things here have changed, but it's supposed to be home and stay exactly the same. At the same time, I've changed, too. A lot. It's weird. In England, it was easy to pick out why I felt different from everybody else, why I didn't fit in quite right. But now, over here, it doesn't feel quite right, either, but there' s no outward or obvious sign of my difference. I'd rather be blatantly different than subtly so, if that makes any sense.

But anyway, the reentry continues. I've got most of the furniture ordered. I bought a new car. The house is slowly getting into shape. I'll have pictures to post soon.

Hope you're well.