mission street
Greg and Tricia were out of town, so after my (slightly caveat-ed) wonderful experience at Theology on Tap last Tuesday at the Anglican church downtown, I thought I’d actually attend a Sunday morning service, just to check it out.
First impression: It was packed. They have 3 services: 2 on Sunday, and 1 on Saturday, and the 2nd Sunday service I attended was just full to overflowing. If I had to hazard a guess as to why, it’s because people are just so hungry for something of substance, something grounded, and yet spirit-filled and transcendent, and the blend of liturgy with contemporary elements in the service delivers that in spades.
The church is also located in a rougher neighborhood downtown, and heavily prioritizes mercy ministries in its budget, which is attractive also. People want to be a part of that—myself included. It felt a little strange, but also appropriate, to be driving by the county Family Services Center and all the unhoused folks out front on the way to church. There was a man handing out pizzas from the back of a pickup truck after church; he was getting a lot of attention.
Other thoughts: The worship team is very proficient and artistic, and we sang “Not I, But Through Christ in Me,” which is a favorite. The later parts of the worship got a little mantra-ish, which bugs me somewhat; shades of the charismatic church I used to attend back in NC. I really like the fact that there are women in senior positions on the ministry team (read: pastors), and I liked all the call-and-response participation in the service. No simple spectating. I was bothered by the communion process, specifically the fact that everyone is compelled to come forward, and indicate whether or not they feel prepared to receive the elements by either holding out their hands if so, or crossing them over their chest (and receiving prayer) if not. The service is SO packed, that there wouldn’t have been room to scoot around someone who decided to remain seated, so I get it, but even so, I would have felt very exposed, if I hadn’t felt worthy, but stood in line and crossed my arms for everyone to see when I reached the front of the line. There were four lines, but still… I wonder if that’s a general Anglican thing, or whether it was just informed by the logistics of this particular church?
It’s tough. I feel a strong sense of loyalty to Greg and his church, but it’s so small, and there’s a much greater likelihood of me finding a community where I feel fed at the Anglican church. Also, the PCA is still against women in ministry leadership roles, and that bothers me more and more. There’s the possibility I could attend the Saturday service downtown, then Sunday morning at Greg’s church, but that’s a lot, and anyway, not until L is driving himself back from work. I think I’ll stay the course for now, but open a dialogue with the Anglican church to see what their small group situation is like. I can’t express how much I enjoyed the ToT lecture, and the prospect of finding like-minded folk who also enjoy discussing and thinking about the topics covered is very tantalizing.