Easter Sunday

They say confession is good for the soul...so I feel like I should confess something: I almost didn't go to church Sunday morning. "What!?! It's Easter Sunday? You thought about not going to church on Easter Sunday?" Yes, I did.

My Excuse: -We are very busy at work, last week I clocked in 54 hours. It was the first of 3 "Forced 6th weeks" It means all cast members with regular "full time" hours are working and extra 6th day in addition to their regulars 5. I, just by chance* didn't have to be in Sunday until 3:15 and while when I first got my schedule I thought, "Sweet, I'll be able to go to church." the past couple of days (when I've been going in around 10-12 and staying til 11-1) had been thinking "Maybe I'll just sleep in."

But I went anyway. And am so very glad I did. I would have missed out on a huge blessing if I had not.

Something that really concerns me these days is the way the Church as a whole relates to the world. I'm afraid that we've been cooped up inside our buildings so long discussing carpet, the music, and how Jesus came for those sinners outside our walls that we may have lost touch with the fact that we ARE those sinners and the ones who are actually outside our walls don't see anything different in us than in themselves. I am seeing an effort to change in lots of different places, and I'm really excited about that.

I really enjoy attending First Baptist Orlando, for that reason. I see so many things in that worship service and just the attitude of the whole church and the pastor that I agree with, and that reminds me of things my home church is looking to do. Last Sunday David Uth (the pastor at FBOrlando) said something to the "regular attendees" at the end of the service that I had to smile at because I'm pretty sure he stole it from my dad. He said, "Look forward to next Sunday. It's gonna be different than what you are used to. We are gonna be changing up the service because there are gonna be a lot of people here that we only get one shot to reach."

I loved the way they handled the Easter service. They began it, after a short video and choir special was just like a pretty tradition church service. The kind of thing that someone who hasn't been inside a church since last Sunday would expect. It wasn't boring (in fact there was such a feeling of excitement and celebration, largely due to the beginning video, that I immediately was glad I had decided to go) it was just traditional. Then the service progressed into a very contemporary service. David delivered a great message of hope (He's got the Keys) in short 5-15 min excerpts in between special music and congregational singing that got progressively more "now" if you will. Including, a team of ballet dancers (yes I said dancers in a Baptist Church) who did a dance routine on stage during one of the next to last songs. It was beautiful.

As I was sitting/standing there participating I remembered what David (and my father) had said about seeing lots of people on Easter, that you really only get one shot with. Surveying the progression of the worship service it was as if they began it traditionally to set people at ease, then slowly brought it along to show what it could be. I loved it. I'm so glad I went, it was so refreshing and I would have missed out on a huge blessing if I had chose not to go.



*I, in absolutely no way, actually believe that this was "just by chance".