Moment
of Reflection
Gretchen
Anderson
I was asked to ask take a moment to describe
what it was that brought me to this church and why I
continue to come here.
Several years ago I was shopping around for a
church and eventually I came to this one. Of course
the first thing that impressed me was the beauty of
the sanctuary. However, I’ve been to
a lot a beautiful churches and that alone is not enough
to keep me coming back. So a few months passed before this church came up again on my rounds.
After the service I went through the receiving line
and shook the pastor’s hand. He asked me if
everything was all right. Could he help? I thought, Wow! To remember me, a stranger, and have the sensitivity to ask if I needed help, was an excellent sign of the support and personal attention I might expect from this church. So I came back later to check out his sermons.
Ron has a vast store of Biblical knowledge, and
he’s visited many Biblically historical spots in the
Middle
East
. In his sermons, Ron would describe
the lay of the land, the culture and the expectations
of the time. From his descriptions, you could visualize
how it was, and you could understand how Jesus made
such an impact 2000 years ago. Ron would also occasionally talk about commentaries
and different interpretations of biblical passages.
I realized that
there was a lot of depth here. So I kept coming back.
I came to realize that this church is a place for
steady, slow, spiritual growth. The people are sincere
and non-judgmental. I have never felt that I was measured
on some piety scale. People give me my personal space.
I have never been pressured into taking on anything
beyond my talents or interests.
Well, except that I was
recruited tenaciously for bell choir! However, it turned
out to be a really good thing for me. Whereas Brian
Bartusch taught me everything
I know about bells, Brian and Walter Ginter
together taught me new things about the role of music
in the Church. One example is a time when Brian, I,
and Walter were playing a piece during worship service.
I was praying that I would get through this piece without
screwing up. It turned out that was the wrong prayer.
While I as praying, Brian and Walter were taking the
music to a new level; a spiritual level that I was unfamiliar
with, and they dragged me along with them. Suddenly,
while we’re playing, a conduit opened up between
us and God and you, and between you, and God, and us.
It was thrilling. But I couldn’t bask in the moment
because I had to focus on my notes so I could get to
the end of the piece!
I think this speaks to the quality of the music
program at this church. I’ve felt this many, many
times. Not so often that it is mundane and expected,
but when it happens, it is moving. For example, last
week, the choir sang an a capella spiritual that was so
beautiful, it gave me shivers. I know I wasn’t
the only one affected because I could feel the goosebumps
rippling through the congregation.
At Easter. Brian pulls out all the stops (that’s a pun…).
The choir, the children’s choirs, the bell choirs,
the brass, and everything else fill the sanctuary with
sound. It moves you. It uplifts you. You feel the Glory
of God surrounding you.
And you’re humbled.
And you’re grateful.
And you know peace.
That’s why I keep coming to this church.
