Alex
Some thing Wonderful Happen in Church today
Posted on: 08/23/2009 15:12
I arrived a few minutes late to church. I had miss placed my iPod touch, and was looking for it before I left. (As I use it to follow along the church service).and I have been having trouble sleeping all week, so I woke up late. The church was fuller then it had been all summer (or any church service I had been to in the summer), so we had run out of Church Bulletins by the time I arrived.
However when we started the first song Draw the Circle Wide, it was obvious the spirit was amongst us. In fact the music for the whole service was great, even though we did not have the choir up front leading us, and I did not have my Ipod touch to use to follow along. God provided me with the words. By the time we sang the last hymn “Over My Head” people were clapping and dancing, waving their hands over their heads, and many even started to dance in the aisle, including myself.
We shared communion, even if it was not our regular time of the month to do so as we were celebrating the last day of our student intern, Cindy Bourgeois. Cindy had been with us for 8 months and is returning to Toronto to do her last year of her Master of Divinity.
She gave a wonderful sermon again, and we were lifted up by her words. We laughed and some even cried in joy.
One of the readings was from the Bible was the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Among other things that she touched upon in her sermon, her reflections on this story was very enlightening. For you see Cindy is to become next year the first openly transgendered women to become ordained in the UCC. God and the United Church willing.
Part of the reason for the large turnout might have been due to the fact that she had made a significantly positive impact on our church and our members, (including me). And everyone was grateful for her presence, of which was closely connect to The Spirit.
Whatever congregation is lucky enough to get her will be blessed in many different ways.
Comments
seeler
Posted on: 08/23/2009 17:32
Hey Alex, that truly is wonderful. Such enthusiasm. Beautiful pictures of the congregation singing, and enjoying, two of my favourite hymns.
Your student intern sounds like she is just the person we are looking for to fill our vacancy. But probably she has to go to settlement for the next while.
The church where I led worship this morning also had an interesting (and I hope uplifting) service - unexpectedly by candlelight due to a power outage we'll blame on Hurrican Bill. I've posted about it over in social on somegirl's thread.
Mate
Posted on: 08/23/2009 18:03
Alex
Sounds wonderful. Amen.
Shalom
Mate
crazyheart
Posted on: 08/23/2009 18:49
You were very blessed to be with this congregation this morning, Alex.
jon71
Posted on: 08/24/2009 04:06
I'm sure GOD will bless Cindy in her ministry. You're lucky to have been there.
graeme
Posted on: 08/24/2009 08:42
Well, Alex, dancing in the aisle in a United Church? I shall have to report this to the proper authorities.
Sounds great, though.
blackbelt
Posted on: 08/25/2009 10:13
fantastic, I love when the Spirit manafiests Himself, so many blessings when Holy Spirit shows up,
1) He unites
2) He Blesses
3) He restores
4) He Builds up
5) He convicts
6) He witnesses
7) He teaches
I dont think the congeration is luck, i do believe there blesses :)
RitaTG
Posted on: 11/06/2009 09:37
How wonderful!!!!!
Thank you for this encouraging report.
Soon I will be visiting a local United Church and finally worshipping with others as the proper me.
I am under no illusion that it will be all hearts and flowers ...... I do expect to meet those that may be uncomfortable with me. That doesn't matter ..... I shall love them anyways!
Just the privilage of being allowed in to worship as myself will be more than enough!
Wait till they get to know me! ..... person to person ..... just like the example Jesus set!
Again ... thank you! ..... I read this at a very good point in time.
Sincere Regards
Rita
waterfall
Posted on: 11/06/2009 11:24
I must have missed this thread.
Alex I could feel the energy right through the videos. Amazing how music connects us, cleanses our heart and prepares us to recieve the message. I'm sure many were touched that day.
Alex
Posted on: 06/07/2010 21:31
Cindy was ordained as a minister in a United Church of Canada a week ago yesterday. I did not think of this discussion thread until today.
Praises to Cindy, as well as the the UCC and God.
Her new church is very lucky to have her.
Birthstone
Posted on: 06/07/2010 21:40
I think I know who you mean, I've met her. She seemed a well respected, amusing and confident person. Good idea to bump this for her.
DKS
Posted on: 06/07/2010 21:59
Cindy was ordained as a minister in a United Church of Canada a week ago yesterday. I did not think of this discussion thread until today.
Praises to Cindy, as well as the the UCC and God.
Her new church is very lucky to have her.
Cindy was settled in London Conference and ordained in Toronto Conference last week.