HE IS RISEN! Alleluia!

HE is risen indeed! Alleluia!

What better time to talk about churches we have attended than during Easter Week. We usually try to find a church that is ELCA, but sometimes there aren't any in the area and we attend another synod or a Catholic church. And believe me when I tell you that each church has its own personality...

Gloria De Cristo Lutheran Church is in Yuma, AZ and it is where we attended Holy Week services this year. The minister greeted us with a firm handshake at the entranch each time and each time, he was dressed in shorts - later he did put on his vestments for service - I guess you need to consider that it has been 85 - 90 degrees around here lately.

The style of the church reflected the area and the music would make any church proud. The congregation was friendly - we were greeted by all we encountered and when we went for Easter Breakfast, we were made to feel welcome at a table (The fellow had been a fulltime RVer for 13 years with "the first wife".)

Last year at Easter, we were in Ramona,California (a much smaller area) for Holy Week and it was a very different experience. The pastor asked Mike, who was suffering from allergies, "are you sure you want to be here?" and was almost too friendly - went out of his way each time we were in church to "stop and chat" for several minutes. The church was so small (and gossipy) that on Easter Sunday, Mike was asked by one of the lady greeters if his allergies were better... obviously we had been the topic of conversation.

When we were in Cottonwood, AZ, we attended an ELCA mission church. They were holding services in the Seven Day Adventist Church until they had the money to build. There were probably only 50 members and they welcomed us in a very friendly and sincere manner - hoping for new members I think. The pastor believed in a multimedia approach and the announcements were projected on a screen behind the altar before the service. During her sermon, appropriate photographs were shown to help illustrate her point. I liked it, but for the fact that the minister had a very annoying habit of speaking to the ceiling - she did not make eye contact at all while delivering the message... very personable after service...

One church we were in this winter (can't remember where) had "done away with" hand shaking during the cold and flu months and you were asked to just "verbally greet your neighbor". But, yet another, was a "Huggy Place" - everyone wanted to hug you when you came in - didn't matter if they knew you or not! There is a church we go to in Federal Dam, MN that is a hugging congregation as well - they actually have a method to it and during the "sign of peace", they go in lines from the pews and everyone hugs everyone - gotta remember the total attendance is around 25 - we were there once when the previous week had been 31 - yes, they post it!

We attended a Catholic service in a casino once and the dealers and cocktail waittresses came in for communion - remember this Jim and Monica? In Branson a few years back we decided to go to a service in "The Mel Tillis Theater". Now, that was an experience. When we left two and a half hours later, we had sung songs I had never heard, seen what could only be described as "laying on of hands" and been offered a chance to be "born again". All this with no Lord's Prayer and no formal communion - if you wanted it you came up to the front and took it after the service... very interesting!

Also in Branson, we experienced the most unfriendly church we have ever been in - it was a regular lutheran church out a ways in the country and we attended Good Friday services there one year. It was a very meaningful service but we literally got "the look" from fellow worshipers and no one spoke to us!

Last year in Benson, AZ, we attended a Catholic church where many people were being welcomed as new members. The priest was a retired (very very retired) fellow who was just filling in and when an older couple came up to be welcomed as new members to the church he says, "At your age you want to join the church?"

When we were on the east coast a couple of years back, we saw the world's smallest church. There was a broom outside and a sign saying that if you felt like you wanted to, you could clean a little - I did. At Christmas this year, we were in one of the largest churches - Crystal Cathedral in Annaheim. What we find in all churches, no matter the size, is God's peace and the hope that comes with knowing Jesus died for our sins and that He is Risen!

I hope all our family and friends know this feeling of peace and hope!

PS - Speaking of hope, we encountered this sign a few months ago and it is too good not to share.