Vacation church

This is the problem with clergy visiting other churches. My tendency is still to assess the worship experience: What works, what doesn't. It doesn't matter that I mainly worship in the pew these days. I am on vacation, which means "vacation church." The bread was square. The wine tasted like grape juice. My daughter told me it was wine. If so, it was a grape juicy wine. It was good to find out that children are still children here.

We sat in the back row of church

In Black Mountain.

The music was lovely,

Even supplemental.

There was a massive Jesus window

Behind the altar

One arm to the sky

One arm down

So we could tell

He identified as both God and man

But He was still

Very white.

The bottom of the window

Held mountains.

The young boy

At the end of our pew

Crawled under the pew in front,

Then back,

Then under again.

People laughed.

A good sign.

That massive Jesus

One arm up

One arm down

Will stick with me

For a while.

Advent 1

We almost overslept the 10:30 service this morning.  Thankfully... we didn*t.  Turns out the number of clergy in the pews outnumbered the clergy at the altar. Six of us in the pew, four up front.  Once again I realize I am not alone.  Possibilities of new beginnings (in line with season of Advent), new endings (again in line with Advent) and somewheres in between (somehow, Advent again).  Possibilities stream forth.

Church brought

The usual

Clump of clergy

Behind the altar;

More than the usual

Clergy spread out,

Standing in pews,

Incognito.

The celebrant in Advent blue,

The priests in matching stoles,

A beautiful sight.

The rest of us figuring where to stand

And sit

And kneel.

Raise our hands to the sky

Or not.

Remember new beginnings

New endings

New somewheres

In between.

Graduation

Finally.  Finally.  I have graduated to the pew.  It took a full six years... but here I am.  Finally.  I do not need to do a thing to justify my pew-sitting.  No excuses necessary or called for.  Amazing, really.  Stunning.

I have graduated

To the pew.

It took me long enough.

Today at coffee hour

I straight-pinned green paper wads

As leaves

To brown styrofoam trees

For summer Vacation Bible School.

My beloved and I

Sat in the library

During the third service,

Waved to the people

Who slipped through the side door

Late.

We noted the man who filched the cream

From the kitcheonette refrigerator;

Perused the Sunday paper.

I have graduated to the pew,

The library,

To the edges

Of coffee hour.

I am no longer incognito clergy.

I am a regular.

I have graduated

Fully

Simply

To the pew.