Potluck and Potpourri

On Thursday evening at the church there is a dinner and a program. It is a potluck dinner, and after a while, one learns what to expect at a potluck dinner. Mostly pasta-like casseroles and desserts. A couple of weeks ago, there were very few desserts, and so the next week, there were tons of desserts, and fewer main dishes. Usually there are not many vegetables, though there may be one salad, which runs out quickly. You can always count on at least one gelatin dish, and never any bread.

But the programs have been fascinating. It is impressive to me that they end exactly on time, because half the people then go to choir practice. Tonight's presentation was by one of the 'treasures' of the church. She is a ninety three year old lady whose husband was the pediatrician in town for many years. She is apparently a graduate of Cornell University's College of Architecture and Art. She gave a fascinating presentation on renaissance art! She stayed right on topic, used interesting slides projected on screen, told her stories with a great deal of humor to a great deal of laughter, and ended five minutes early!

Last week's presentation was on the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester. Next week's is on interesting tools of the nineteenth century.

The potluck is the food, the potpourri is the program.

We go with small plates and open minds!

Insights and Visions

(Writer’s Note: I had an insight this morning. I have realized this before, but always seem to forget. This insight came from a women’s bible study, focusing on the book of Isaiah. Since Isaiah is known for his visions and his poetry, I think I’ll try to write this insight in the form of a poem and a vision)

An angel of the Lord appeared to me and said,
“How dare you! How dare you put yourself down!
Do you not remember that pride leads to destruction?”

I pondered for a moment how my negative
self thoughts might make me proud.
And I did not understand at all.
The angel said again, “Pride goes before the fall.”

I wanted to ask how that could be, but before I spoke,
The angel spoke again to me.
“Pride dethrones God and puts you at the center of the universe.
Putting yourself down is a twisted form of pride.”

Aha, I thought,

Being humble means not putting ourselves at the center,
Whether we denounce ourselves, or think we are the winner.
Either one is arrogance.

Then, it is utter arrogance to label ourselves a failure,
for any reason. That is cruel judgment.
We only fail for a season. (Or maybe even less.)
That is not who we are.
God desires for us blessings and success.

(I’m glad I still have insights;
Some, better late than never!)

A Sense of History

I had a little tour of the Archives Room today. The chief archivist said: 'Here at this church we have a strong sense of our history.' That's an understatement! I could not believe what I encountered! Since 1899, there are bound copies of each year's bulletins, and also newsletters. I've never even seen such a thing. Equally as amazing, there was a file folder full of articles, pictures, sermons, etc. of each pastor who has served the church!

At the very first church I served in 1989, I dug out a room to use as my office. It was a small rural church, which had been yoked with other churches for many years, served by countless pastors serving multiple charges. I discovered quickly that the "historical record" did not exist in the church. There were several membership books, but not all, and none of the minutes of the official meetings could be found. I was told that most of those books were probably in the homes of the various people who had held office over the years. At each church where I was appointed, I always wondered who the previous pastors were. No record anywhere! Where I am now, there is not only a file folder, but also a photo gallery in the hallway.

Different denomination. Downtown influential church. (Perhaps that's why??? Or resources?)

History is and always has been important. I am discovering at this time of my life that the older one gets, the more important it is. The same thing probably applies to churches! After all, history is the story.

It is always helpful to know our story. Everyone has a story. And we should own it!

Four Hands, Four Feet

Yesterday afternoon I attended a duo organ concert. I went primarily because it was part of an art series at the church, open to the community. I went primarily out of duty and responsibility, not expecting to be highly entertained and totally enthralled. But I was! From the first moment to the last!

It was such an amazing event. The huge pipe organ is overhead, in the balcony, so in order for the audience to see, a videographer filmed their hands and feet, and it was projected onto a large screen on the chancel. It was unique, amazing, incredible music, two women using their hands and feet. To have four hands and four feet working the three level keyboard and the foot pedals is a challenging thing to begin with. It requires careful attention to whose hands are where at what times.

Just after the break, when they did a number played only on the foot pedals, they had added brightly colored socks to their feet, decorated with musical notes on them; one set was yellow, one pink. For another lively number, they wore light bulb earrings, which blinked on and off.

Perhaps most surprising of all, the church was completely full. It must hold many hundred. My best guess would be that there were five hundred people there! Who would have thought it? Not me; not even the organists. You just never know. You never know!