"Our weekend services are a casual environment featuring a mix of modern music, dramatic presentations, multimedia, and a speaker with a message that’s relevant and applicable"
We have been attending a very liberal and modern non-denominational church here in Bellingham. Being raised Catholic ("Catholic is not Christian, they worship statues") I find the service a bit liberal, but the message is good and the music is fine and the fellowship is very nice. Knowing that Clepson has been living in an orphanage that is run by Christians who consider their mission to be largely non-denominational, I hoped that Clepson wouldn't feel our chosen church was too far from what he was used to. Clepson has missed the daily worship that occurs at the Love a Child orphanage. He has missed the fellowship of the other children and his "parents" Sherry and Bob.
Clepson's first few visits to our church seemed to go well. He surprised me by talking to my nephew when the pastor was giving his sermon, but I attributed that to being excited and 12 years old (not saying that he didn't get a "flick" to the head along with the nephew for being inattentive!) I thought things were going well.
Last weekend I made a trip to Kansas for a good friends' engagement party. Terry was in charge of getting the kids to church and gave them the option of going to the kids "sunday school" or attending the service. Clepson scoffed at the kids program (heavy on activities and fairly light on scripture) and chose to go to the service with Terry and Noah. I am not clear on what passage of scripture the service focused, but they gave communion by passing out Krispy Kreme donuts.... OK.... This IS A BIT MUCH... but I am sure it was relevant to the message..... In some way.... Clepson burst out with "There is no God HERE" This is not worship.... and on it went... I wish I had been there to remind Clepson that it is for God to judge, not Clepson. The american in me wants to influence Clepson and make him understand that all folks don't worship like he does in Haiti, that makes their prayers no less valuable to God! I broke down and had a long talk with him today... I explained that different was not bad and was not for him to judge.... I don't want to rock the boat for him, but I don't want him judging others unfairly, I hope to return him to Haiti with an appreciation that different is not necessarily evil.
4 comments:
Be open to differences, but I am proud of you, Clepson, for call them out and standing for what you believe it...You are a Good Man!
We love you!
They didn't give communion as donuts!!! The donuts were just a part of the message- they had nothing to do with communion. That was Clepsons own thoughts.
Clepson is welcome to come to church with us if he'd like this Sunday. There are no Crispy Cremes, but it will be an outdoor service with lunch served afterwards. A bit different from the norm. Let me know.
Having worked in Haiti for many years. I understand what Clepson felt. For them they have a foot washing the night before communion and if you do not attend you do not partake of communion. So for Clepson communion is a part of church which demands much respect from the people. For him to see Krispy Kreme donuts served for communion was beyond his understanding. We worked in Haiti with Bobby & Sherry at Love A Chi8ld and Clepson is not a rude young man so I know that was not his intent. We would like you to tell Clepson we said hello. Randy & Roberta Arnold
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