My Turn...'s blog

Friday Church is a place…

·         Where you don’t have to be fake or pretend to have it all together all of the time.  It’s okay to be real there.  And when life is hard, it’s okay to just tell the truth and say so.  And telling the truth like that sets us free, a little bit at a time.

·         Where every week we sing that we are trading our sorrows and our shame and our sickness and pain for the joy of the Lord.  Sometimes some of us practically shout the words because we really need them to be so.

·         Where people reading the Scripture passage introduce it and themselves by saying, “Hi, my name is so and so and I’m an alcoholic (or addict)”.  And everyone says “Hi” back and then the person starts to read.  And there just could not be a more humble or fitting way to introduce God’s Healing Word.

·         Where the passing of the peace takes a long time, but it’s okay because it involves lots of hugging and smiles and laughing.  And nobody is left out.  And even I don’t want it to end.

Our advent book, Child of the Light, spoke to my aching heart with a reading about "One Who Comforts Us -- Israel's strength and consolation". I truly needed it, for I returned home from a funeral visitation heavy with sorrow.

Recently a young African American man was shot and killed on the streets of Louisville; was it #66 or 67?  The number itself doesn't matter but the fact that there is even one does. His name is Joseph and he was just 21 years old.