The Body of Christ

In the last two weeks I've attended three different churches. It's been such a unique experience, I thought I should share it briefly.

Last week I had the privilege of sharing about my mission trip at the Caledonia Presbyterian Church. Even though I had never been there before and only knew one couple that attends regularly, I felt welcomed almost immediately. It is a small congregation which is very different from what I am used to, but nice all the same. We sang songs that members of the congregation selected during the service.

Today I went to Blackhawk Evangelical Free Church in Madison. It is probably 100 times larger than the church I was at last week. Despite the somewhat overwhelming size, I really enjoy going there. They do a great job of making college students feel at home and valued, which is so important in a university community. Every week I am challenged by the sermons and connect with worship. Even though it is bigger than my high school, I am fortunate enough to know enough people at the church that I see a least one person I recognize at whatever service (of the 4 options plus 3 venues) I choose to attend. This week's message brought me to tears. It was on one of my favorite passages in Scripture, Ephesians 3:14-21. I have it memorized, but this gave me a chance to take a fresh look at it.

After lunch, I went to the Spanish service at Bethel Lutheran near the Capitol. I have been meaning to attend a Spanish church service ever since my freshman year at UW. Finally, I set my mind to going without letting anything stop me. There are several options to choose from. Yay for diversity. I hope to visit a couple more in the weeks ahead.

Some people have asked me about my Spanish language skills in light of me going to Argentina. Sure, I majored in it, but what does that mean as far as my proficiency is concerned? Right now I'm rusty, but I was able to understand probably 80% of the sermon. Admittedly, it helped having a bulletin to follow along with. Speaking the language is another story. I definitely need more practice. Knowledge and use are very different things. I have no doubt that I will pick it up quickly in Argentina, if nothing else out of necessity.

Anyway, I was out of my comfort zone being unfamiliar with many of the traditions of that particular denomination, but I am glad I went because it was a great experience. It is fun to see the Body of Christ meeting in different forms. It is refreshing to engage in multiple modes of worship, from classic hymns to modern to music with a Latin beat. I like to think this was just a taste of what is to come.