Blogging quickly on Christmas Eve

Even though there are still presents to wrap and a house to straighten, I must say that after attending FOUR different worship services in FOUR different churches today, I can't help but blog a bit. The quality of this entry leaves something to be desired...but thought timeliness was important.

The morning saw me at Faith UMC in Grain Valley (but barely---you can see the Blue Springs city limits sign, I think, from their church.) The church held its first worship service in the new building and is that building beautiful. David Hackett, former school superintendent and now local pastor in the same area, has a spirit about him that is so thoroughly mature and spirit filled and he is giving marvelous leadership. Wow. I took no pictures---my batteries were still dead and I forgot my phone. Most memorable: Dave praying...and his line about how he arose at dawn this a.m., and turned toward the eastern sky to see if this was the day Jesus was coming to take us home...but he saw a beautiful sky, streaked with color and he praised God for the coming day.

At 3 pm, I attended worship at Platte Woods---the first of five services Christmas Eve services, while still having their regular schedule for the weekend, too. Megan Sly, one of our younger clergy and associate pastor there, led the service, which was shaped for children and families. Most memorable: The children's liturgical dance choir, seen below, moving to Hark the Herald Angels Sing. It was lovely.

Then it was off to the 5 pm at First: Kearney, which is the church that has most successfully gone from a small town down town church, to a church that had the vision to see that the area north of KC would be growing and they were courageous enough, with help from the conference , to build a beautiful new building. The building is below, though of course, that says little about the service itself. Fred Leist (father of Landon...see above) preached a very good sermon. Most memorable: the friendliness of the congregation, and the gentle sweetness of Spirit that I always sense there. One of the best things about smaller churches that are healthy is that gentle sweetness--and somehow this church, which had over 350 in worship this a.m., has been able to hold on to that.

Then, it was off to Jacob's Well...by the time I got there at 6:45 for the 7 oclock service, I could tell it was going to be a crowded service, from the numbers of cars outside. Greeted warmly with a brotherly hug from Mike King; then the same during the passing of the peace from Tim Keel; a sermon that was so heart- and mind-provoking, around Bethlehem meaning "house of bread"; the wilderness experience of the Hebrews, and the manna that lasted only a day, inviting them to rely on God day to day; the living bread; and then celebration of the sacrament (below is a pic of the altar after the service was over...) and lots of carol singing---there was a trumpet and a mandolin to supplement the regular keyboard, drums, bass and guitars. Most memorable: the very apparent occurance that many of the regular 20 something attenders had brought their parents with them....sort of a twist on the other services I was a part of today.

Jacob's Well is the place where I don't feel so much responsibility FOR, since it is not UMC---but I still feel responsibility TO.

Thank you, sweet Jesus, for each and every one of these worshiping communties today. And God bless them, every one.