From page 87: “These moments–when we feel as if we are a part of something larger than ourselves and we sense our connection to God and our neighbor–these moments feed us. In our hunger, when we cannot grasp on to anything else at the end of our fingertips, we long for these rare spirit-filled times. They are the reason that younger generations go to church.”
Dorothy brought up tonight that she has now been at Dorchester for 3 years. That’s hard to believe. As I think back to August 2006, I can recall several of those “rare spirit-filled times” mentioned in chapter 5–those moments of community that do bring us closer to God and to neighbor. Carol Howard Merritt claims that these moments are what the younger generation so longs for. I think she’s right.
What comes to mind is oyster roasts, Riverdogs and Battery ballgames, a week spent in Pearlington, youth trips, work repairing a church in North Charleston, a night with our three guitar guys, Dorchester’s own talent show, dinner at Rural Mission, the Advent Festival and hymn sing, etc., etc., etc. The list could go on and on of all those times the past three years that, for us, we have felt as though we were part of something larger than ourselves.
Most Sunday mornings it’s a challenge to get Taylor into the car to get to church. She’s fine at home, thank you very much. But then we remind her of all the people she will get to see there. We list them by name; we remind her of the friends that make up the church. Her demeanor then changes, and she bolts for the door.
The paragraph quoted above from page 87 certainly rings true for me, as a young adult, but I’m curious if it also rings true for the rest of you. What are some of the moments you can recall where you experienced those “rare spirit-filled times” with your church family? What experiences have you had at Dorchester, with your friends, that motivate you to bolt for the door and get to church?
I believe everyone is filled in different ways. My spirit filled most memorable experience at DP is performing in a concert with Mike and Kevin… while awaiting a phone call telling me my mother has passed away during her operation. I remember looking at my phone which I silenced in order to sing, and dreading to get that call…
Somehow through God’s grace, I had peace enough to go on and then when she did pass away from cancer, the peace I had performing the song I had written for her… that was me being fed by God.
Now that is different than many; however I think that trips for children are good connectors, while adults are fed either by music, a good sermon or just seeing God through their children’s excitement doing church activities. This is a good question to ask all parishioners… because ultimately how you get fed… is where you will spend your Sundays.
By: Jimmy Waring on August 6, 2009
at 5:55 pm
What an interesting blessing…..God’s spirit filling you! I will just be sitting unaware of the circumstances around me and then I feel God’s touch….in the smiles of children, the the look of sincereity as Jimmy, Mike, Harvey and when other sing or play the harmonica, when Mt. Olivet Church comes, during sermons, during hymns of faith….in the look of despair in the homeless…in the young families that claim DPC their home. I long for God’s spirt to fill me but wonder where I might be asked to go or to do. I am thankful for our church and pray for us to move forward in proclaiming God’s love to our neigbors.
By: Mary D. Lee on August 8, 2009
at 11:54 am
I definitely had a “moment” eating and worshipping at the Rural Missions two weeks ago…that was a neat experience.
But most of my moments of awe and wonder come when in coversations with the youth of this church. Like when we sit around in the evenings at a youth conference and they talk about worship as their “high” for the day. Or how they can make us crazy one minute, but then all of a sudden we are in the midst of an amazing discussion, and we (the so-called adults) are being taught and transformed by the so-called youth whose insights on God, the church, and the world around them leave me inpsired to do, and be, more.
By: Dorothy on August 11, 2009
at 12:53 pm
My moment came from my very first service at DPC- The topic was on the unchurched and how many times there are people out there longing for a church home. The sermon seemed to speak to me- as if God had brought me to visit on that certain day so that he could speak to me b/c I was the unchurched.
I’ve also had a few other moments- there was a great sermon that spoke “It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming”- It was such a passionate sermon that it really inspired me
By: Kelly Howard on August 24, 2009
at 1:12 am