So I'm sitting in the sound booth where RUMC's contemporary worship meets. Its a gym, but not just any gym. In it you'll find basketball goals, speakers, volleyball equipment, altar rails, computers, drums, tables and chairs galore. But today you find a very interesting piece of equipment - a voting machine!!!
Thats right, RUMC hosts a polling station for Riverchase community. Isn't it great? Thats right - the separation of Church and State is alive and well in Hoover, Alabama. Nevermind all the crosses (this is a church, after all) or the logos everywhere. The coolest thing to me is that someone has old gospel music booming out in the PA system. Beautiful.
I realized as I walked in here just how the Methodist church does get it right sometimes. In Dadeville, and apparently here in B'ham (is it true across the entire southeast?) Methodist churches are always alive with activity. And not just with Church functions - but crazy stuff! Basketball camp here in a few weeks, dancing, voting, blood drives, civic clubs, middle school programs...there is not a day on the calendar (rarely) where some community organization needs facilities and RUMC obliges. It makes me smile to know some churches are willing to open up to those, regardless of who they are voting for. It might sound crazy for it to be any other way - but I hear about churches that are closed off. And in this society, religion has been relegated to its own private sphere. Once upon a time being a pastor meant being a figurehead of the community. Now it is more akin to being "that guy" that couldn't do anything else in life so he decided to be a methodist minister. Because, hey, they'll take anybody.
Which leads me to the next big extravaganza of methodism - Annual Conference is coming up. Sadly, this might be my last post for several weeks. June 8th-13th I'll be at Camp Sumatanga for Elementary camp. I might sneak another post in later. But between wedding stuff, Conference stuff, and camp stuff, I might not find time.
You know, I always thought folks were kidding around when they said it took a lot to prepare for a wedding. I'll never poo-poo their comments again.
Thats right, RUMC hosts a polling station for Riverchase community. Isn't it great? Thats right - the separation of Church and State is alive and well in Hoover, Alabama. Nevermind all the crosses (this is a church, after all) or the logos everywhere. The coolest thing to me is that someone has old gospel music booming out in the PA system. Beautiful.
I realized as I walked in here just how the Methodist church does get it right sometimes. In Dadeville, and apparently here in B'ham (is it true across the entire southeast?) Methodist churches are always alive with activity. And not just with Church functions - but crazy stuff! Basketball camp here in a few weeks, dancing, voting, blood drives, civic clubs, middle school programs...there is not a day on the calendar (rarely) where some community organization needs facilities and RUMC obliges. It makes me smile to know some churches are willing to open up to those, regardless of who they are voting for. It might sound crazy for it to be any other way - but I hear about churches that are closed off. And in this society, religion has been relegated to its own private sphere. Once upon a time being a pastor meant being a figurehead of the community. Now it is more akin to being "that guy" that couldn't do anything else in life so he decided to be a methodist minister. Because, hey, they'll take anybody.
Which leads me to the next big extravaganza of methodism - Annual Conference is coming up. Sadly, this might be my last post for several weeks. June 8th-13th I'll be at Camp Sumatanga for Elementary camp. I might sneak another post in later. But between wedding stuff, Conference stuff, and camp stuff, I might not find time.
You know, I always thought folks were kidding around when they said it took a lot to prepare for a wedding. I'll never poo-poo their comments again.
Last week, visiting Jacksonville, Florida, two churches really got my attention.
ReplyDeleteOne was a Catholic church. Its school, rectory, food bank, cemetery, chapel, sanctuary, conference centers, convent, and other outbuildings took up several blocks on both sides of a busy thouroughfare. Huge grounds, gardens, stucco buildings, lots of expansive lawns and playground equipment and palm trees and flowers.
The other one was a tiny non-denominational church with a privacy fence.
Ah, to be a child of God!