Ecumenical Services…

Josh and I spent last weekend at his mom and step-dad’s ranch. It was a lot of fun. We went to the county fair, which, if you have never been to a rural county fair, was incredible! It was reasonable to look at all of the displays and ask questions like: “Did so and so peel the crabapples before making the jelly?” (Turns out, yes.)

Bill is getting more serious about his wine making and has expanded his repertoire to… well, I’m not sure if I can count them all. He seems to be more of a fan of choke cherry, beet, apple, and raspberry and combinations thereof then his original rhubarb and strawberry. He also made a wheat wine and a carrot wine.

One nice thing about county fairs is the ecumenical worship service. As with most ecumenical services, even in a rural area, things can be, well, interesting. For example, when Josh and I were last in town, the Good Friday message was on racism in the Jim Crow south. This time, however, the local Priest had control. So, there were no heresies and nothing inappropriate was said. But, Josh and I did end up going to the late service at a nearby LCMS church.

I have really come to miss confessing my abundance of sins and receiving absolution every week, and when I don’t get that, I don’t feel as if I have really worshiped. That’s the one thing really missing from the ecumenical service… one would think, or at least I would hope, if you are asked to preach at such an event, one would take the opportunity to deliver the gospel.

But, on a different note… small town worship services… ever notice how everyone knows their assigned part (alto, soprano, etc.) without music? Furthermore, it’s the same alto part regardless of which church you go to? Makes things easy for this alto. Grant it, we sang, “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Just a Closer Walk.” My polite recommendation for those in P and W combos is: print the alto line with the melody line and don’t leave harmony to whatever artistic interpretation feels right at the moment. Your altos will thank you and have an enhanced worship experience. (Difference between congregational worship and pre-service/offering/postlude is when artistic interpretation distracts from the congregational participation.) (By the way, I did learn at the LCMS service there are more then one “assigned harmonies” to “Seek Ye First” and I didn’t know the right one.)