Week Five; Lava Community Church
"Let all that you do be done with love."
~I Cor 16:14
LCC sets the record for small; twenty people eventually sat for the service today. QG and I sat in the third row, probably taking someone's seat.
The service seemed scattered; Sing a song with the words on the overhead accompanied by recorded music, sing with the piano accompaniment, and sing with the pastor plying the guitar along with the piano. Some of the overheads displayed Power Point videos and some didn't.
After the worship (with announcements breaking that in half), Pastor Krue read a scripture and told us that would apply to the sermon. Then we had the offering. A missionary upday followed, with the offering, and finally a sermon.
Pastor Kruse- or Pastor Donnie, or Donnie- preached on the Sower and the Seed. Very good. And I never considered myself as the sower, but always thought I was the seed. How about that!
Last, another song, and he invited everyone downstairs for fellowship.
A qualifier here; I come from a really big church. This week we had over 5,700 people attend. A church with twenty feels to me like a remnant that is just 'hanging on.' That may or may not be true. It's a small town, but really, where are the people? Some say we're in a post- Christian era, and it seems true here. Riding through town, we found three churches; one converted to a bed and breakfast, a Catholic church with one service on Saturday night, and this one. They've lost a third of their churches already!
Yet the Gospel they preach is real, everyone loves each other, and there are even a few young people attending.
While I love many (lots!) of the old songs, one of the words in a song today was 'fein'. The music and the people just felt dated.
Shouldn't church be one of the best times of your week? I have a friend that attends AA meetings and I can tell it's when he comes alive. Shouldn't church be like that too? Perhaps it is for some or most or all of them, and it's just my taste.
In fact, one woman told us she spent most of her life in Reno and led a pretty crazy life. She moved to Lava and got connected to this church, committed her life to the Lord and is so excited to be living here and in this community.
That's really cool.
LCC takes the lead for most friendly too. Martha met us before the service, Adam (who just graduated) struck up a conversation, and others greeted us warmly. Good job Lava Community Church! Now get out to the community and sow those seeds!
3 comments:
Sounds as if service didn't 'flow' very well in Lava. Perhaps Pastor Donnie needs to start preachin' more fire and brimstone.
In colorado, I once attended a church service of 6 and of 9 and oh my goodness those folks loved the Lord and well...they did notice me and welcome me. In a service like we have at crcc...you can go 100 times and never be noticed cuz if ya want to sneak out...in a crowd you can be invisible.
praying for safe wheels on the rest of your journey.
Yes, I've mentioned that before. Shows how important it is to be friendly to people when you're in a big church.
Thanks for following.
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