So our family arrives at Church at 08:20 and we get swamped by welcomes. Of course they know who we are – the kilt I am wearing is a dead giveaway. We meet the staff that make things happen, worship leaders, sound and projection engineers, the Associate minister and their new 3rd pastor who is there for his 1st Sunday too.
The main sanctuary is not unlike ours back home in layout – but it has just been repainted and re-carpeted. It is tasteful and the sense of sacred is clear.
Of course it is all new to us, but then we meet a couple who heard me preach in Wyoming two years ago. The connections remain in Christian family.
The two services go quick – nearly no time between them. One with really modern Hymns and traditional ones we know well. The 3 vocalists all retired folk – but they sing beautifully, the drummer too is mature, but the beat and sensitivity really adds something worthwhile, the guitarist is in his early 30s led the team.
In the 2nd service it is all round more traditional, more formal and the seats seem to be all taken.
God’s word is very well received, many folks are grateful and quite a number are asking questions to enable them to apply it to their situations. That continues as we go out for dinner later with 3 generations of the same family. A good meal, fine conversations and we learn about Irlen syndrome - something alien to many of us.
Day 6 begins early as usual – I am still in an alien land, in an alien time zone and as I am about to discover, in an alien altitude.
I spent some months losing 14lb of weight before arriving, but I have already put some back on. So I decide to join Gail and Josh on their morning run, before it gets too warm. I knew I had lost a lot of fitness in recent years, but my lungs are being crushed after only a few minutes uphill at several thousand feet. I am not cut out for this, but I know that if I endure, in a few weeks I will be acclimatised.
We later visit a Mesa and discover how the Conquistadors brought Christianity with violence to the alien culture of the Acoma Indians. Their traditions may still be passed on, but the compromise is that they are all mainly living in today’s US culture, just dipping into their heritage part time. From there we travelled 6 hours into the heart of Colorado. (What a local called the “armpit.”) Before my birthday cake was fully digested I was on my way to the hospital. I am on crutches, my cartilage has given up on me. It is alien to me to be so debilitated.
We meet up with friends and head out for a Mexican meal and I am praying I can join the others for the White water rafting trip the next day. After a nights rest my knee is pretty much the same – I cannot put weight on it to walk, but it bends fine. We all get kitted out for the trip and I get to join them. The journey includes 6ft waves breaking over the raft and several of us are flung out our seats many times. The kids have all been overboard and again it is an alien world we are being tossed to and fro, though the adventure and thrill is great.
6 hours drive and we make it back to base. Sermon finished for Sunday and I ponder these last few days of “rest” with all the strange circumstances life has thrown at us.
Jesus speaks in John’s gospel saying,
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”. John 17:16 speaking of true disciples.
Peter later on says,
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11
This world has temptations and thrills, but it also is quick to bite you, just like the mosquitos here. The bit of the week which could have been most stressful – preaching in an alien Church, was the bit of the week that has been the least stressful and made us feel the most at home - a taste of heaven indeed.
We journey in this world for our “four score years and ten”. Psalm 90:10 or there about, but are we citizens of heaven? I pray for many in or outside the Church – some who have bought this world's propaganda, some who have a tainted view of real Christianity, some who try and have their cake and eat it, some who think it is all about being kind or charitable.
My Saviour meets with me each day, wherever I am at – but on Sundays He wafts all around the congregation, and I get to be there with Him. He is looking for hearts, ears and eyes that will open to Him for grace and assurance that they too are not of this world, but are indeed heirs to heaven. He grows faith, He deepens our understanding, He blesses with grace and truth.
Faith in Christ Jesus conquers all – those great examples of the faith in Hebrews really got it -
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. Hebrews 11:13
Hope all who read this get it too, and help many others to?
The main sanctuary is not unlike ours back home in layout – but it has just been repainted and re-carpeted. It is tasteful and the sense of sacred is clear.
Of course it is all new to us, but then we meet a couple who heard me preach in Wyoming two years ago. The connections remain in Christian family.
The two services go quick – nearly no time between them. One with really modern Hymns and traditional ones we know well. The 3 vocalists all retired folk – but they sing beautifully, the drummer too is mature, but the beat and sensitivity really adds something worthwhile, the guitarist is in his early 30s led the team.
In the 2nd service it is all round more traditional, more formal and the seats seem to be all taken.
God’s word is very well received, many folks are grateful and quite a number are asking questions to enable them to apply it to their situations. That continues as we go out for dinner later with 3 generations of the same family. A good meal, fine conversations and we learn about Irlen syndrome - something alien to many of us.
Day 6 begins early as usual – I am still in an alien land, in an alien time zone and as I am about to discover, in an alien altitude.
I spent some months losing 14lb of weight before arriving, but I have already put some back on. So I decide to join Gail and Josh on their morning run, before it gets too warm. I knew I had lost a lot of fitness in recent years, but my lungs are being crushed after only a few minutes uphill at several thousand feet. I am not cut out for this, but I know that if I endure, in a few weeks I will be acclimatised.
We later visit a Mesa and discover how the Conquistadors brought Christianity with violence to the alien culture of the Acoma Indians. Their traditions may still be passed on, but the compromise is that they are all mainly living in today’s US culture, just dipping into their heritage part time. From there we travelled 6 hours into the heart of Colorado. (What a local called the “armpit.”) Before my birthday cake was fully digested I was on my way to the hospital. I am on crutches, my cartilage has given up on me. It is alien to me to be so debilitated.
We meet up with friends and head out for a Mexican meal and I am praying I can join the others for the White water rafting trip the next day. After a nights rest my knee is pretty much the same – I cannot put weight on it to walk, but it bends fine. We all get kitted out for the trip and I get to join them. The journey includes 6ft waves breaking over the raft and several of us are flung out our seats many times. The kids have all been overboard and again it is an alien world we are being tossed to and fro, though the adventure and thrill is great.
6 hours drive and we make it back to base. Sermon finished for Sunday and I ponder these last few days of “rest” with all the strange circumstances life has thrown at us.
Jesus speaks in John’s gospel saying,
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”. John 17:16 speaking of true disciples.
Peter later on says,
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11
This world has temptations and thrills, but it also is quick to bite you, just like the mosquitos here. The bit of the week which could have been most stressful – preaching in an alien Church, was the bit of the week that has been the least stressful and made us feel the most at home - a taste of heaven indeed.
We journey in this world for our “four score years and ten”. Psalm 90:10 or there about, but are we citizens of heaven? I pray for many in or outside the Church – some who have bought this world's propaganda, some who have a tainted view of real Christianity, some who try and have their cake and eat it, some who think it is all about being kind or charitable.
My Saviour meets with me each day, wherever I am at – but on Sundays He wafts all around the congregation, and I get to be there with Him. He is looking for hearts, ears and eyes that will open to Him for grace and assurance that they too are not of this world, but are indeed heirs to heaven. He grows faith, He deepens our understanding, He blesses with grace and truth.
Faith in Christ Jesus conquers all – those great examples of the faith in Hebrews really got it -
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. Hebrews 11:13
Hope all who read this get it too, and help many others to?
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