From: blksheep67
Date: Sat Aug 27 14:50:17 MST 2005
Subject: August 21 2005

Whoops It was actually August 21st.....I have no concept of time at times This being the first time I have been to the Village in a long time I wanted to come open to the experience and see if God would have me here in community. These are my thoughts. In most churches the band and singers are up front which gives it an air of entertainment. Following the death of my sister in 1996 I visited an Eastern Orthodox church and was amazed at how they praised. They had a choir which lead in a balcony behind the people. As the liturgy and song lofted over my head I wasn't distracted by the group singing in front of me but could focus on the words. It was similar to this last Sunday night when from my vantage point I couldn't see the band but the words on the screen. and take in the praise. In 1st Corinthians Paul 12 says that the parts of the body that we think to be less presentable have greater honor. In my experience it is the Pastor and worship leaders that have more honor since they are the ones with the most visibility. However in the upside down Kingdom it is the last that will be first and the first that will be last. With the little girl handing out instruments it invited the people to join in the praise (I of course didn't take one as I lack the rhythm gene). As I listed to Rod on his message on 2nd Samuel I thought of my conflict with my father through the years as well as my conflict over David. This is my take on it: In 1st Samuel '13:14 God calls David 'a man after His own heart' but to me David is such a horrible father. After David's son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar in 2nd Samuel 13:14 the scriptures don't record anything that David does to right the situation which leads to the powderkeg of Absalom murdering Amnon in revenge in 2nd Samuel 13:32. There is no resolution to this as David allows Absalom to go into self banishment as he was comforted by the death of Amnon according to 2nd Samuel 13:39. In my opinion by allowing Absalom to come back with no punishment he appeared weak and Absalom lusting for power tried to take the kingsom from his father. Perhaps David thought in 2nd Samuel 12:10 that all this was part of his punishment for the adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah the Hittite. David is a great king and prophet but a lousy father. He let his sin interfere with his family and civil duties and brought pain on those around him. David is the greatest king in the history of Israel but to me he ranks as the third or fourth best king after Josiah, Hezekiah, but better than Soloman due to his wives which took him away from God whereas David never drifted from God. To recap: I really enjoyed the service and felt true community. I was drawn into the praise and worship, I liked how the service was not programmed and permitted people to serve God as the Spirit lead, the Lord's Supper/Communion/Eucharist was honoring to God and somber and a cloud of worship seemed to rest on the place. I'm probably forgetting somethings but this is the second document I've written about the experience and the first one weaved my Christian experience with the service and I didn't want to write War and Peace although I want to be open, authentic, real, and vulnerable. I want to be in community and tired of being alone. I may write another blog about my Christian experience so you may get to know me better. It's a good thing that I know some of you since you were telling me fibs like that as a first timer I needed to give 100% of my money to the offering bowl, that I needed to sit in the Sinner's Chair, that I needed to buy the pizza, and I needed to clean up the entire facility after the service. It's good to know the community has a good sense of humor but there are some Pinocchio's bordering on breaking the ninth Commandment (You shall not bear false witness). :) It was good to meet you and reconnect with old friends. In Christ, Robert

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