Week 08
of 52 - Cathedral of the Valley -
So far have traveled about 99,000,000 miles.
Thoughts
during the week:
In
The
Visit:
Cathedral
of the Valley -
On
entering the foyer, I was greeted with hugs!
They have graduated from hand-shaking, though some shyer ones still use that
format. They were warm and
enthusiastic.
They
served coffee and donuts there even before the meeting. $.50 and $.75 on a cart like you've seen in
front of the hospital and other places.
The
meeting began - "How many of you know that when you rejoice, it's a
choice?"
Then
the singing began - Choir 2/3 youth, 1/3 adults - clapping on the up-beats - -
"I
will rejoice, I will rejoice, for I made my choice
to
rejoice in the Lord."
-----
Small combo
continues with singing stopped - with spoken call for everyone who was not
singing to please join in.
Stage
singers were well-miked - and loud.
I
looked around at the congregation - all were rejoicing - many with big smiles.
(One
elderly lady (85?) was really getting into it.)
After
this song: "If we're not happy yet,
there's no hope for us!" Laughter. "When
Jesus gets praised, it doesn't get any better than that."
Words
were projected on both sides. Hymn books
appear to be going out of vogue among those who are caught up with
technology. (I'm glad I'm not using a
typewriter to make these reports - you would have many more misspelled words
and much more bad grammar.)
Next
song: "I Give You My All."
Less jazzy - but one of those very large - and very talented black lady
soloists added much emotion - again, the combo continued as a spoken message
was given. During this song, lots of
hands were held upward - Y-shaped.
Then
they sang, "Jesus the Very Thought of Thee." "No sweeter sound than Thy sweet name -" No clapping
during this more reverent song. The
words were still projected, but only a few of the congregation were
singing. If I sang on this one, I stuck
out a little, so I did. (I don’t mind
sticking out a little.)
They
took a moment to look around and hug the ones near by. I got a couple more hugs. I've always liked hugs. They seem sincere and without guile.
Then
"All in All, You Are My Strength."
It was
effective to start out with the jazzy, energetic hymns - and move to the more
reverent. I think this, however, is a
misuse of the word "reverent."
The jazzy ones brought obvious reverence also. Quietness is not a synonym for reverence -
love is closer. Sometimes love is quiet
- sometimes it opens its mouth big time.
Last song
was called, "Jesus, Lamb of God."
They separated after a verse or two - to have the men sing the chorus
while the ladies sang the verses. Sounded very pleasant.
Collection. The Big Black lady sang! Boy, oh boy, did she ever sing! She is good!
Big applause afterward. There was dancing in the congregation - you
know - bouncing and waving of arms.
The
main sermon was given by a young man who had just accepted a call to lead the
"Master's Commission." This appears
to be for college-aged youth - and takes from one to three years to
complete. The first year is for learning
and becoming committed. Then if the
youth continues, it's rather like our missions.
"We're
going to heaven. Many are not. We need to find these people and teach
them."
He told
us his history - dope using from eleven years old. A sports figure hero of his bore his
testimony back in
"Abram
had to get rid of
"I
wasn't much of anything growing up - Dad was just a 'good ole boy from Bama' - you know what that is. (Laughter). Then God found me - and I was something
now." He turned toward that black
lady that sang and said, "Lady - You Bad!!" (Big Laughter.) "When I get to heaven, I'm askin' God why He didn’t make me a black man."
"I
didn't know any Christians. I was the
first one I ever knew." (Big
Laughter)
This
whole meeting was inspirational to me - and then it took a turn - -
A slide
show and video presentation went up - in support of his talk. It began:
"28,000
Mormon missionaries give two years of their lives to a false religion."
"Why
couldn't 28,000 Christian missionaries do the same?"
It was
almost beginning to sound like the "Master's Commission was about copying
the Mormon missionaries. Getting up early - studying - dedicating seven days a week, twenty
four hours a day - to the truth, rather than to the false doctrine of
the Mormons.
The
meeting didn't last too much longer. I
had entered enthused and enjoying the meeting - and had ended up a little
dejected.
If I
were to give any advice from this, it would be to be positive about everything
we know little about - and negative in a caring way - only if we know what
we're talking about and have done our research responsibly. If you want to learn about the Mormons -
learn it from dedicated Mormons. If you
want to learn about Communism, learn it from dedicated Communists. If you want to learn about the Democrats -
don’t ask Republicans. (and visa versa.)
I went
up after and asked, "Tell me - how did you come to believe that the
Mormons are not Christians?" The
young man really didn’t have a clue, and I admitted to him that every single
word he said was positive. The negative
came only from the slide and video show.
He mentioned polygamy. I
explained some of that - men being murdered - wives and children fatherless,
etc. That 3% of men were asked to participate. I asked him if he could tell me that the
adultery rate in this church was under 3 percent. He laughed.
"So," I said, "even if polygamy were adultery -
that's the worst you could call it, it was at a lower rate than here in this
church - put this in perspective. And,
of course, the Mormons were doing what they believed God wanted them to do in
the light of horrible circumstances of the time. Those who practice polygamy now are not
really the Mormons, and there does not appear to be the need we had then."
I gave
him the same advice I just gave us: "Always be positive - unless you have
done your research and really understand how to effect good change. It's ok to be critical - but critical does
not mean negative." I judged he was
appreciative of it. I was impressed with
him as a young man. There are times I
could have used this advice myself. If I
had been willing to listen, perhaps I was given it a time or two. (Ok - or fifty.)
I told
them that this entire meeting was an upper - until that silly statement about
Mormons not being Christians. They could
have said instead, "You know - those 28,000 Mormon missionaries set a
wonderful example for us - why don’t we follow it?" And then this would probably have been my
favorite meeting of the eight so far.
The meeting at Emanuel Faith was more perfected - but this one was
special in a simpler way. Interestingly,
it was Emanuel Faith that I've been told is also strongly anti-Mormon. Is it our success that is threatening? Or is it that we say we're the only ones
whose ordinances are valid? Or perhaps a combination of these two?
Love,
Brother Chuck
Week 08
of 52 - Cathedral of the Valley -