I’m having my coffee right now and reflecting on “The Church Experience!” We attend Grace Calvary Church in St. Joseph MO. Let me explain exactly what “church” is…a typical Sunday.
Almost to the door of church, “Oh Russ, we left our bags of groceries in the car for the food drive”. He immediately turns around and gets them and puts all on the long tables inside the foyer with everyone else’s groceries to donate to the Food Kitchen.
Going thru the door to where we sit we see our friends; good hugs, and smiles and TEARS. Jim has to have chemo, we have to pray and will continue praying…extra hugs! We see our Dr. and his lovely wife and give them the cooler we brought JUST for them with elk meat .
Let the music begin! We have the best drummers in the world leading the beat to the guitars, the keyboard, the best singers and the extra delight when one man makes his way up the stage to play the guitar and his guide dog sleeps peacefully along side of him.
And it’s time for Josh Blevins, for his sermon. We love him. EVERYONE loves him. We are eager for the message.
So the last Sunday of the month we partake of communion. A most solemn time. “Do this in Remembrance of Me”.
Time to leave…grab an empty baby milk bottle on the way out. We will fill them with loose change and bills and bring them back for PRC, Pregnancy Resource Clinic for women who decide NOT to have that abortion, but have their babies and once a year, Grace donates baby bottles full of coins and LOTS of diapers!
So all this sounds boring? To get up on Sunday morning when you can sleep in? NOW LET ME TELL YOU THE TRUTH about what we really do at church…
This is not about us. This is about obedience. “Do not forsake gathering together.”
Did you know when you give unto others that God blesses YOU. Do you know the deep satisfaction you have when you help others?
Have you experienced people praying over you when LIFE HAPPENS? To have friends, to walk thru hell with them so they are not alone?
We go to church to experience God. When the music starts and we sing….”God inhabits our praises” We go to PRAISE GOD. And the Holy Spirit rains down on us and we are convicted of things on our hearts we have prayed about. Sometimes I can’t sing because I’m crying. And I have my answer.
And the sermon is for us to hear from God. This past Sunday I got my specific answer to my prayer thru the sermon, because I went EXPECTING to hear…
God tells us to have communion. We have to ask forgiveness for our sins and when I take that wafer and juice, I know that I know that I am washed white by the Blood of the Lamb and I have a 2nd chance to try again. A clean slate.
It gets better. Now as a church we are working on the next way we can help with our bottle drive for babies. Just more blessings coming our way! It’s a good life. It will even be better in Heaven. You don’t want to miss the ark/ excuse me, did I say boat?
