So, apparently once you get one they keep coming.
I got a letter from Westminster United Church, where apparently I also remembered to sign the guest book. This one was considerably less detailed but far more personal - handwritten by one of their outreach members, inviting me back to both the service and a lunch afterwards. Kinda nifty! Mail makes me happy.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Response: First Unitarian Universalist
So
Whenever I go to a church, generally I try to sign the guestbook at the end. Sometimes I forget, sometimes (rarely) there isn't one, sometimes I'm running off so fast afterwards I don't have time.
Apparently at First Unitarian Universalist I signed the book, as a few days ago they sent me a lovely (hand signed!) letter. The letter gave some background info about their beliefs and their congregation, as well as info about their website. They invited me to join them again another Sunday and gave me contact info for members of their Outreach Committee, in case I had further questions.
Very cool and very nice. I hope I get a few more of these; it's great that churches are taking the time to get back to people who showed even a one-time interest.
Whenever I go to a church, generally I try to sign the guestbook at the end. Sometimes I forget, sometimes (rarely) there isn't one, sometimes I'm running off so fast afterwards I don't have time.
Apparently at First Unitarian Universalist I signed the book, as a few days ago they sent me a lovely (hand signed!) letter. The letter gave some background info about their beliefs and their congregation, as well as info about their website. They invited me to join them again another Sunday and gave me contact info for members of their Outreach Committee, in case I had further questions.
Very cool and very nice. I hope I get a few more of these; it's great that churches are taking the time to get back to people who showed even a one-time interest.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Westminster Church
November 23, 2008 10:30 am
Westminster United Church, 745 Westminster Ave. Winnipeg
Reverend Robert Campbell
I've wanted for a long time to visit Westminster United. I've performed inside on many occasions but never actually been there for a service. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a huge stone building built to the good 'ol traditional specifications. Huge inside, a wall of pipe organ and a balcony. It's really a great building.
This visit was also interesting for me because I'm from the United Church, so I was curious to see how this service compared. It was also my first time in a United Church since I started this project. I headed in, was welcomed by a greeter and joined about 200 people in the sanctuary. By my estimate the average age was probably sixty. Far be it from me to sound cynical (okay, maybe a little), but it's beyond me why the United Church can't seem to hang onto its youth population. Same problem at my old church. Same problem everywhere, it seems.
The service started with a skillful organ prelude performed beautifully by Don Menzies. The service itself was no-frills and fairly nondescript; I didn't need the bulletin to know what was coming next. The choir was excellent; tenor Martin Wilson sang a great solo from Mendelssohn's Elijah and the rest of the choir was equally excellent.
Then there was the sermon. Ah, the sermon. I don't know why, but I seem to have a nose for heading to churches on their "we need money" days. Same thing happened at St. Margaret's in October. The United Church calls it "Stewardship Sunday." As far as the money sermon goes, there's a pretty general format that most preachers follow. It seemed as though Rev. Campbell was deviating from the norm a bit, exploring themes of ownership in our lives and comparing the big scale to the small. Then the word "tithing" showed up and it all went downhill...
Sorry. I'm a tad cynical when it comes to cash.
Anyhow. After the service I was warmly invited into the back of the (did I mention it's huge?) church, but naturally I had to race off to work. Grrr. I would definitely go back to Westminster, particularly on a non-"Stewardship Sunday" day. The people I did meet were nice, but seriously, if this church wants to survive it needs to attract some younger folk.
http://www.westminsterchurchwinnipeg.ca/index.htm
Westminster United Church, 745 Westminster Ave. Winnipeg
Reverend Robert Campbell
I've wanted for a long time to visit Westminster United. I've performed inside on many occasions but never actually been there for a service. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a huge stone building built to the good 'ol traditional specifications. Huge inside, a wall of pipe organ and a balcony. It's really a great building.
This visit was also interesting for me because I'm from the United Church, so I was curious to see how this service compared. It was also my first time in a United Church since I started this project. I headed in, was welcomed by a greeter and joined about 200 people in the sanctuary. By my estimate the average age was probably sixty. Far be it from me to sound cynical (okay, maybe a little), but it's beyond me why the United Church can't seem to hang onto its youth population. Same problem at my old church. Same problem everywhere, it seems.
The service started with a skillful organ prelude performed beautifully by Don Menzies. The service itself was no-frills and fairly nondescript; I didn't need the bulletin to know what was coming next. The choir was excellent; tenor Martin Wilson sang a great solo from Mendelssohn's Elijah and the rest of the choir was equally excellent.
Then there was the sermon. Ah, the sermon. I don't know why, but I seem to have a nose for heading to churches on their "we need money" days. Same thing happened at St. Margaret's in October. The United Church calls it "Stewardship Sunday." As far as the money sermon goes, there's a pretty general format that most preachers follow. It seemed as though Rev. Campbell was deviating from the norm a bit, exploring themes of ownership in our lives and comparing the big scale to the small. Then the word "tithing" showed up and it all went downhill...
Sorry. I'm a tad cynical when it comes to cash.
Anyhow. After the service I was warmly invited into the back of the (did I mention it's huge?) church, but naturally I had to race off to work. Grrr. I would definitely go back to Westminster, particularly on a non-"Stewardship Sunday" day. The people I did meet were nice, but seriously, if this church wants to survive it needs to attract some younger folk.
http://www.westminsterchurchwinnipeg.ca/index.htm
Sunday, November 9, 2008
St. John Brebeuf Parish
November 9, 2008 9:30 am
St John Brebeuf Parish (Roman Catholic), 1707 John Brebeuf Pl. Winnipeg
Pastor Monsignor David Ward Jamieson (?)
The last time I attended a Roman Catholic service was at St. Ignatius, in Winnipeg, probably close to four years ago. Nonetheless, I went into this service with an idea of what to expect. By the time I walked out all of my predispositions had been tossed right out the window.
I always like to talk a bit about the building first, and it would be a shame to deviate given what an architectural masterpiece this church is. To put it simply, it's... round. Circular. Attractive brick, interesting 'swirl' layout, great alcoves and a really nice, roomy, modern feel. Also cool, there are artful stone plaques decorating one wall symbolizing the stations of the cross. I was impressed and excited from the moment I walked in.
You must forgive me for my (now, obviously unfair) bias, but I was genuinely surprised to see a band in a Roman Catholic church. Two guitars, hand drums, keyboards and a small chorus prominently and ably led the musical portion of the worship. Not a whole lot of participation from the audience.
As for the service itself, it was no deviation from any worship format with scripture readings and a sermon relating Jesus' "temple" allegory to materialism, presented decently by a man whom I assume was Pastor Jamieson. A small but significant (for me) note, Pastor Jamieson was careful to welcome any visitors to the service. Made me feel good. The service was music-heavy, which was fine with me! And the kneeling blocks were padded, though seldom used (compared to the Anglican Church last time).
St. John Brebeuf's service really had the feel of contemporary mixed with traditional, old mixed with new. This is a format that many more churches should be looking into. I don't mean replacing every choir with a band; I love choirs! I just mean exploring different means of getting God's message across, some little deviation from the norm. In this case it's evidently working. The 9:30 service was packed with a great mix of young and old, lots of families and youngsters but also a healthy older population, and there was still an 11:00 service to come.
I was very disappointed that I had to rush off right afterwards, as I'd been hoping to chat with some of the parishoners. Regardless, this was certainly an experience, and I would be very interested to go back over the course of a few weeks and really get a feel for what is certainly and interesting church.
http://www.sjbcommunity.ca/index.html
St John Brebeuf Parish (Roman Catholic), 1707 John Brebeuf Pl. Winnipeg
Pastor Monsignor David Ward Jamieson (?)
The last time I attended a Roman Catholic service was at St. Ignatius, in Winnipeg, probably close to four years ago. Nonetheless, I went into this service with an idea of what to expect. By the time I walked out all of my predispositions had been tossed right out the window.
I always like to talk a bit about the building first, and it would be a shame to deviate given what an architectural masterpiece this church is. To put it simply, it's... round. Circular. Attractive brick, interesting 'swirl' layout, great alcoves and a really nice, roomy, modern feel. Also cool, there are artful stone plaques decorating one wall symbolizing the stations of the cross. I was impressed and excited from the moment I walked in.
You must forgive me for my (now, obviously unfair) bias, but I was genuinely surprised to see a band in a Roman Catholic church. Two guitars, hand drums, keyboards and a small chorus prominently and ably led the musical portion of the worship. Not a whole lot of participation from the audience.
As for the service itself, it was no deviation from any worship format with scripture readings and a sermon relating Jesus' "temple" allegory to materialism, presented decently by a man whom I assume was Pastor Jamieson. A small but significant (for me) note, Pastor Jamieson was careful to welcome any visitors to the service. Made me feel good. The service was music-heavy, which was fine with me! And the kneeling blocks were padded, though seldom used (compared to the Anglican Church last time).
St. John Brebeuf's service really had the feel of contemporary mixed with traditional, old mixed with new. This is a format that many more churches should be looking into. I don't mean replacing every choir with a band; I love choirs! I just mean exploring different means of getting God's message across, some little deviation from the norm. In this case it's evidently working. The 9:30 service was packed with a great mix of young and old, lots of families and youngsters but also a healthy older population, and there was still an 11:00 service to come.
I was very disappointed that I had to rush off right afterwards, as I'd been hoping to chat with some of the parishoners. Regardless, this was certainly an experience, and I would be very interested to go back over the course of a few weeks and really get a feel for what is certainly and interesting church.
http://www.sjbcommunity.ca/index.html
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saint Margaret's Anglican Church
October 26, 2008 10:30 am
Saint Margaret's Anglican Church, 160 Ethelbert St. Winnipeg (at Westminster)
Rev. Tony Harwood Jones, Rev. Dr. David Widdicombe
So! First Anglican service, checked off the list. Located in the heart of Wolseley, St. Margaret's Church boasts the finest interior I've yet seen. Architecture reminiscent of centuries-old European Churches coupled with artistic stained glass windows had me "in the mood" from the moment I walked in. I arrived at about 10:15 to find the place pretty empty; in retrospect I'm thinking there must have been a lobby/reception downstairs that I managed to miss. The building filled up remarkably fast to the point where a head count was beyond me; I'd guesstimate two or three hundred.
I've got to say something for the diversity of the church. I saw a quintessential hippie sitting beside an old grandpa in a suit sitting beside a pretty haggard fellow who could easily have been without a home (though to make those kinds of judgements based on appearance is, I realize, completely unfair). Point I'm trying to make is, there was EVERYONE there. The young/old ratio was surprisingly even, with plenty of young couples and plenty of older people as well. The choir sat in a large alcove at the front of the church where the altar was and the ...get this... seven priests (read: people in robes) stood.
The service begun with a hymn, led tastefully by the choir as the clergy "team" led the way up to the front. I'll admit with only minimal embarassment that it took me by surprise when suddenly the backs of the pews came down to form little kneeling blocks; the woman sitting beside me probably thought I was nuts: as she pulled our block down I went "whoa!" I'm sure I'm not the first, nor will I be the last, to say that those things are damned uncomfortable.
Something that really interested me personally was the musical contrast in the service. Hymns out of the hymnal were sung often in four part harmony. However, there were also sections in the bulletin where the congregation sang from a triple-line block notation apparently inspired by the tradition of Gregorian Chant. It was strange for me to go from four-part to pedantic chant.
The sermon was offered by visiting Rev. Tony Harwood Jones. Rev. Jones was a great speaker who preached with an air of authority, yet also friendliness. He talked about the two "great" commandments proclaimed by Jesus (love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, might and love your neighbor as yourself), and how they compared both to the original ten commandments and to our modern life. He did a great job of making all of the commandments relevant to us in our day and age, and all of the sudden BAM out of left field he started relating it all to the commandment to tithe!
Apparently (and unbeknownst to me) I visited on what's called in the Anglican Church "Consecration Sunday," or the Sunday on which matters of money and giving to the church and to God are discussed in detail. It's apparently fairly common practice to devote a service to cash once per year, though I don't think my home church ever had a name with it. I do understand it as a necessary (though often unnecessarily distasteful) part of church life: churches need cash to run. However, they made no concessions for the fact that there might me guests in attendance. I don't need to hear about giving 10% of my income to their church, cause I don't go there regularly, yet I was handed a little pledge card along with everyone else.
My ranting aside, I wish I'd picked a different day to go because matters of money in any context always leave me with a sour taste, and Rev. Jones did do a great job of speaking. After the offertory came the "prayers of the church," which by my watch lasted a full ten minutes. I think the lady speaking must have prayed for every member in the building, by name, as well as every high-ranking member of the Anglican clergy in Canada, also my name. The service ended with more singing and Communion, which involved 6 of the 7 robed individuals onstage, the closest I've come to guessing why all of them were up there.
After the service I had a brief chat with Rev. Dr. Widdicombe (I think). We chatted about my little church project and he invited me downstairs for lunch, but I had to decline. This definitely has my current record for longest service, clocking in at 1 hr. 55 min. I was almost late for work.
I'm feeling a bit shell-shocked now, comparing this church to last week's. Total polar opposites. St. Margaret's Anglican is definitely a tradition-based church, and I would love to go back to see what the service (and sermon) is like sans "Consecration Sunday." It really seemed like this was a fascinating community that I wasn't quite sure how to read.
http://www.saintmargarets.ca/
Saint Margaret's Anglican Church, 160 Ethelbert St. Winnipeg (at Westminster)
Rev. Tony Harwood Jones, Rev. Dr. David Widdicombe
So! First Anglican service, checked off the list. Located in the heart of Wolseley, St. Margaret's Church boasts the finest interior I've yet seen. Architecture reminiscent of centuries-old European Churches coupled with artistic stained glass windows had me "in the mood" from the moment I walked in. I arrived at about 10:15 to find the place pretty empty; in retrospect I'm thinking there must have been a lobby/reception downstairs that I managed to miss. The building filled up remarkably fast to the point where a head count was beyond me; I'd guesstimate two or three hundred.
I've got to say something for the diversity of the church. I saw a quintessential hippie sitting beside an old grandpa in a suit sitting beside a pretty haggard fellow who could easily have been without a home (though to make those kinds of judgements based on appearance is, I realize, completely unfair). Point I'm trying to make is, there was EVERYONE there. The young/old ratio was surprisingly even, with plenty of young couples and plenty of older people as well. The choir sat in a large alcove at the front of the church where the altar was and the ...get this... seven priests (read: people in robes) stood.
The service begun with a hymn, led tastefully by the choir as the clergy "team" led the way up to the front. I'll admit with only minimal embarassment that it took me by surprise when suddenly the backs of the pews came down to form little kneeling blocks; the woman sitting beside me probably thought I was nuts: as she pulled our block down I went "whoa!" I'm sure I'm not the first, nor will I be the last, to say that those things are damned uncomfortable.
Something that really interested me personally was the musical contrast in the service. Hymns out of the hymnal were sung often in four part harmony. However, there were also sections in the bulletin where the congregation sang from a triple-line block notation apparently inspired by the tradition of Gregorian Chant. It was strange for me to go from four-part to pedantic chant.
The sermon was offered by visiting Rev. Tony Harwood Jones. Rev. Jones was a great speaker who preached with an air of authority, yet also friendliness. He talked about the two "great" commandments proclaimed by Jesus (love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, might and love your neighbor as yourself), and how they compared both to the original ten commandments and to our modern life. He did a great job of making all of the commandments relevant to us in our day and age, and all of the sudden BAM out of left field he started relating it all to the commandment to tithe!
Apparently (and unbeknownst to me) I visited on what's called in the Anglican Church "Consecration Sunday," or the Sunday on which matters of money and giving to the church and to God are discussed in detail. It's apparently fairly common practice to devote a service to cash once per year, though I don't think my home church ever had a name with it. I do understand it as a necessary (though often unnecessarily distasteful) part of church life: churches need cash to run. However, they made no concessions for the fact that there might me guests in attendance. I don't need to hear about giving 10% of my income to their church, cause I don't go there regularly, yet I was handed a little pledge card along with everyone else.
My ranting aside, I wish I'd picked a different day to go because matters of money in any context always leave me with a sour taste, and Rev. Jones did do a great job of speaking. After the offertory came the "prayers of the church," which by my watch lasted a full ten minutes. I think the lady speaking must have prayed for every member in the building, by name, as well as every high-ranking member of the Anglican clergy in Canada, also my name. The service ended with more singing and Communion, which involved 6 of the 7 robed individuals onstage, the closest I've come to guessing why all of them were up there.
After the service I had a brief chat with Rev. Dr. Widdicombe (I think). We chatted about my little church project and he invited me downstairs for lunch, but I had to decline. This definitely has my current record for longest service, clocking in at 1 hr. 55 min. I was almost late for work.
I'm feeling a bit shell-shocked now, comparing this church to last week's. Total polar opposites. St. Margaret's Anglican is definitely a tradition-based church, and I would love to go back to see what the service (and sermon) is like sans "Consecration Sunday." It really seemed like this was a fascinating community that I wasn't quite sure how to read.
http://www.saintmargarets.ca/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Grant Memorial Baptist Church
October 19, 2008 11:00 am
Grant Memorial Baptist Church, 877 Wilkes ave. Winnipeg
Pastor Tom Castor
After a brief hiatus to extract teeth from my head, I'm back on schedule. Today's church was Grant Memorial Baptist Church, a huge church just off of Waverley. Once again it was my first time experiencing a Baptist service, and I must say it was extremely interesting. There was a 9:30 service that I slept through so I attended the later 11:00 service.
Upon walking in I was greeted immediately by a "Host" and proceeded to spend several minutes walking around looking lost. There were probably two hundred people milling about in the foyer, so it's no wonder that despite several wandering "Hosts" (or ushers), I was wanting of a conversation.
To put it lightly, the sanctuary was FULL. My guesstimate was about 600 people, maybe more because I didn't count the balcony. It was a pleasant, open space with a large wooden cross in the center and, inexplicably, a huge purple gorilla in the far left corner across from the pine tree. A band (bass, sax, drums, piano, voice) did the prelude remarkably well and we were off.
This was a baptismal service which was particularly exciting for me as it was my first time witnessing a full-submersion (immersion?) baptism. Three people were baptized, and we watched their videotaped confessions of faith on two large monitors. One by one they were immersed in the hottub-sized pool at the front, after a single "i do" style question from Joe Welty (who apparently wasn't Pastor Castor, whose name rolls off the tongue almost too nicely).
The singing was great; a bit too pop for my tastes, but well done. The woman leading singing had a huge voice disproportionate to her small stature, and at times I wished that she would throw in a few less flashy vocal ornaments, which just served to make it harder to sing along. She did have a great voice though.
Pastor Castor's sermon was interesting if a bit too much of a history lesson: he spoke (apparently continuing a series) about King David and the early days of his reign when he made the decision to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem. Pastor Castor compared these events to everything from the Canadian election to our own personal faith journeys and while he was a decent speaker, I wasn't compelled to follow along as I would have liked to be.
I guess my general opinion of this church was that it has the most "pop" appeal of any church I've yet visited. The youth/young adult/young family demographic was HUGE; for the first time the forty and under population seemed to rule the roost. I liked Grant Memorial as an engaging and uplifting experience, but it seemed to lack the substance and the close-knit community that I would require from a home church.
http://www.grantmemorial.mb.ca/
Grant Memorial Baptist Church, 877 Wilkes ave. Winnipeg
Pastor Tom Castor
After a brief hiatus to extract teeth from my head, I'm back on schedule. Today's church was Grant Memorial Baptist Church, a huge church just off of Waverley. Once again it was my first time experiencing a Baptist service, and I must say it was extremely interesting. There was a 9:30 service that I slept through so I attended the later 11:00 service.
Upon walking in I was greeted immediately by a "Host" and proceeded to spend several minutes walking around looking lost. There were probably two hundred people milling about in the foyer, so it's no wonder that despite several wandering "Hosts" (or ushers), I was wanting of a conversation.
To put it lightly, the sanctuary was FULL. My guesstimate was about 600 people, maybe more because I didn't count the balcony. It was a pleasant, open space with a large wooden cross in the center and, inexplicably, a huge purple gorilla in the far left corner across from the pine tree. A band (bass, sax, drums, piano, voice) did the prelude remarkably well and we were off.
This was a baptismal service which was particularly exciting for me as it was my first time witnessing a full-submersion (immersion?) baptism. Three people were baptized, and we watched their videotaped confessions of faith on two large monitors. One by one they were immersed in the hottub-sized pool at the front, after a single "i do" style question from Joe Welty (who apparently wasn't Pastor Castor, whose name rolls off the tongue almost too nicely).
The singing was great; a bit too pop for my tastes, but well done. The woman leading singing had a huge voice disproportionate to her small stature, and at times I wished that she would throw in a few less flashy vocal ornaments, which just served to make it harder to sing along. She did have a great voice though.
Pastor Castor's sermon was interesting if a bit too much of a history lesson: he spoke (apparently continuing a series) about King David and the early days of his reign when he made the decision to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem. Pastor Castor compared these events to everything from the Canadian election to our own personal faith journeys and while he was a decent speaker, I wasn't compelled to follow along as I would have liked to be.
I guess my general opinion of this church was that it has the most "pop" appeal of any church I've yet visited. The youth/young adult/young family demographic was HUGE; for the first time the forty and under population seemed to rule the roost. I liked Grant Memorial as an engaging and uplifting experience, but it seemed to lack the substance and the close-knit community that I would require from a home church.
http://www.grantmemorial.mb.ca/
Monday, September 29, 2008
First Unitarian Universalist
September 28, 2008 10:30 am
First Unitarian Universalist, 608 Wellington Cresc. Winnipeg
Reverend Frances Dearman
Hokay, so third church in and I'm already branching away from the mainstream Christian churches. For those of you who don't know, Unitarian Universalists are a liberal, 'non-credal' (nobody is expected to follow any particular creed) religion that is open to basically anyone. There are Christian Unitarians just as there are atheist Unitarians. They believe that every person has inherent worth and dignity and has the freedom to search for their own personal truth in whatever manner they chose.
I was welcomed on my way in by a greeter who invited me to sign the guest book and gave me a name-tag, which hasn't happened before. I said 'hi' to a few more people on my way in. The sanctuary is smaller in terms of floor space but big on ceiling, which does their extremely capable choir well. There are stackable (yet comfortable) chairs in lieu of pews. The church is built onto the side of a period home, which is used for offices, youth rooms, meeting rooms and lounges.
An African-sounding tune was played through the speakers to signify the beginning of the service, after which there were announcements. One particularly tall youth made a cheerful, funny announcement about an upcoming young adult group. There was a bit of confusion between the choir, chalice-lighter and Reverend but it all got sorted out lightheartedly. The service was fairly traditional; I would liken it heavily to worship in my home United Church except for the fact that I don't remember hearing the word "God" once. The service was heavily themed on togetherness, peace and harmony with life.
I found Reverend Fran Dearman's sermon a bit confusing. She spoke very well, but basically it was the story of arctic birds and their migratory patterns (every time she said "migratory birds" the Monty Python crew started dancing in my head). She attempted a few times to tie the story of the birds into our own personal migrations but I didn't really get where she was going. She ended with a heartfelt plea to aid in the restoration of wetland ecosystems. A nicely spoken sermon, but I think I somehow missed the point.
After the service a fair portion of the chairs were cleared away and coffee (fair trade) and snacks were served. By my estimate about two-thirds of the 200-some congretation present stayed for coffee. I managed to speak to quite a few people (though I personally know a number of people at this church). I definitely enjoyed myself at the Unitarian Universalist Church, and I certainly agree with the vast majority of their beliefs. It wouldn't meet my Christian worship needs as a regular church, but I would certainly go back if I'm ever in the mood for an uplifting, supportive service.
http://uuwinnipeg.mb.ca/index.shtml
First Unitarian Universalist, 608 Wellington Cresc. Winnipeg
Reverend Frances Dearman
Hokay, so third church in and I'm already branching away from the mainstream Christian churches. For those of you who don't know, Unitarian Universalists are a liberal, 'non-credal' (nobody is expected to follow any particular creed) religion that is open to basically anyone. There are Christian Unitarians just as there are atheist Unitarians. They believe that every person has inherent worth and dignity and has the freedom to search for their own personal truth in whatever manner they chose.
I was welcomed on my way in by a greeter who invited me to sign the guest book and gave me a name-tag, which hasn't happened before. I said 'hi' to a few more people on my way in. The sanctuary is smaller in terms of floor space but big on ceiling, which does their extremely capable choir well. There are stackable (yet comfortable) chairs in lieu of pews. The church is built onto the side of a period home, which is used for offices, youth rooms, meeting rooms and lounges.
An African-sounding tune was played through the speakers to signify the beginning of the service, after which there were announcements. One particularly tall youth made a cheerful, funny announcement about an upcoming young adult group. There was a bit of confusion between the choir, chalice-lighter and Reverend but it all got sorted out lightheartedly. The service was fairly traditional; I would liken it heavily to worship in my home United Church except for the fact that I don't remember hearing the word "God" once. The service was heavily themed on togetherness, peace and harmony with life.
I found Reverend Fran Dearman's sermon a bit confusing. She spoke very well, but basically it was the story of arctic birds and their migratory patterns (every time she said "migratory birds" the Monty Python crew started dancing in my head). She attempted a few times to tie the story of the birds into our own personal migrations but I didn't really get where she was going. She ended with a heartfelt plea to aid in the restoration of wetland ecosystems. A nicely spoken sermon, but I think I somehow missed the point.
After the service a fair portion of the chairs were cleared away and coffee (fair trade) and snacks were served. By my estimate about two-thirds of the 200-some congretation present stayed for coffee. I managed to speak to quite a few people (though I personally know a number of people at this church). I definitely enjoyed myself at the Unitarian Universalist Church, and I certainly agree with the vast majority of their beliefs. It wouldn't meet my Christian worship needs as a regular church, but I would certainly go back if I'm ever in the mood for an uplifting, supportive service.
http://uuwinnipeg.mb.ca/index.shtml
Sunday, September 21, 2008
St. James Lutheran
September 21, 2008 11:00 am
St. James Lutheran, 871 Cavalier Dr. Winnipeg
Reverend Rod Buck
This one was literally a pick out of a hat. I wanted to go to a church in St. James, and this one looked neat. I'd never been to a Lutheran church before and wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The building is situated nicely in a picturesque residential area, with a nice big parking lot. It's fairly small inside, capacity at around 300 people. I'd estimate there was just under half that in attendance. The sanctuary had candles already burning, the names of the apostles hanging from the rafters and standard-issue wooden pews. There was a pair of greeters at the door who introduced themselves, which was nice. A small (primarily elderly) choir was singing in the rear loft prior to the service, accompanied by a proficient organist.
The service followed a setting in the hymnal, with lots of songs and call/response readings. Reverend Rod Buck was a large, jolly-looking man with a most excellent mustache and a big, friendly smile. His voice projected great, however there were lots (about 6) of really, really noisy kids who seemed intent on drowning him and the scripture readers out with crinkling, squealing and screaming. If there was a single thing I had to complain about, it was the kids. Sure, kids are great in a church service. But when it gets to the point where I can't hear the Reverend who is speaking into a MICROPHONE, it's a sign that things are a bit out of hand.
Reverend Buck delivered one of the best sermons I've ever heard. He's an animated, engaging and passionate speaker. The sermon was about the concept of fairness in the Bible, particularly as taught by Jesus in Matthew 20:1-16. He spoke about how God isn't necessarily "fair," but is rather just and loving and above all, gracious. Many people in our society feel that God "owes them," but in fact the opposite is true, says Rev. Buck. Everyone is equal in God's eyes, whether they've been going to church for decades or turn to God minutes before death. As Rev. Buck put it, "there's room in heaven for everyone. Everyone!" It was the first sermon in a while where I actually found myself hanging off of the speaker's words.
There was communion during the service, and a note in the bulletin requesting that those who aren't Lutheran or aren't sure if they agree with the beliefs of the church should not come forwards for communion. Not a situation I'm familiar with (the United Church allows anybody to take communion), but each to their own. I took no offense, especially since it seemed like a very solemn ritual in this Lutheran church.
After the service there was a glut getting out of the church, because it seemed like it was expected that you greet Rev. Buck and share a few words. I thought this was great and chatted with the Rev. (he asked me to come back anytime, I thanked him for the great service), but it made mulling about and chatting in the lobby rather difficult because that meant waiting for everybody to get out of the sanctuary.
All in all I had an extremely positive experience at St. James Lutheran Church, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back and worship there again. Whether you're Lutheran or not, if you're looking for a great sermon-speaker head on over and check Rev. Buck out.
Till next time,
-Brock
http://members.shaw.ca/sjlc/
St. James Lutheran, 871 Cavalier Dr. Winnipeg
Reverend Rod Buck
This one was literally a pick out of a hat. I wanted to go to a church in St. James, and this one looked neat. I'd never been to a Lutheran church before and wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The building is situated nicely in a picturesque residential area, with a nice big parking lot. It's fairly small inside, capacity at around 300 people. I'd estimate there was just under half that in attendance. The sanctuary had candles already burning, the names of the apostles hanging from the rafters and standard-issue wooden pews. There was a pair of greeters at the door who introduced themselves, which was nice. A small (primarily elderly) choir was singing in the rear loft prior to the service, accompanied by a proficient organist.
The service followed a setting in the hymnal, with lots of songs and call/response readings. Reverend Rod Buck was a large, jolly-looking man with a most excellent mustache and a big, friendly smile. His voice projected great, however there were lots (about 6) of really, really noisy kids who seemed intent on drowning him and the scripture readers out with crinkling, squealing and screaming. If there was a single thing I had to complain about, it was the kids. Sure, kids are great in a church service. But when it gets to the point where I can't hear the Reverend who is speaking into a MICROPHONE, it's a sign that things are a bit out of hand.
Reverend Buck delivered one of the best sermons I've ever heard. He's an animated, engaging and passionate speaker. The sermon was about the concept of fairness in the Bible, particularly as taught by Jesus in Matthew 20:1-16. He spoke about how God isn't necessarily "fair," but is rather just and loving and above all, gracious. Many people in our society feel that God "owes them," but in fact the opposite is true, says Rev. Buck. Everyone is equal in God's eyes, whether they've been going to church for decades or turn to God minutes before death. As Rev. Buck put it, "there's room in heaven for everyone. Everyone!" It was the first sermon in a while where I actually found myself hanging off of the speaker's words.
There was communion during the service, and a note in the bulletin requesting that those who aren't Lutheran or aren't sure if they agree with the beliefs of the church should not come forwards for communion. Not a situation I'm familiar with (the United Church allows anybody to take communion), but each to their own. I took no offense, especially since it seemed like a very solemn ritual in this Lutheran church.
After the service there was a glut getting out of the church, because it seemed like it was expected that you greet Rev. Buck and share a few words. I thought this was great and chatted with the Rev. (he asked me to come back anytime, I thanked him for the great service), but it made mulling about and chatting in the lobby rather difficult because that meant waiting for everybody to get out of the sanctuary.
All in all I had an extremely positive experience at St. James Lutheran Church, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back and worship there again. Whether you're Lutheran or not, if you're looking for a great sermon-speaker head on over and check Rev. Buck out.
Till next time,
-Brock
http://members.shaw.ca/sjlc/
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Bethesda Church
September 7 2008 10:00 a.m.
Bethesda Chuch 1350 Grant Ave. Winnipeg
"Nondenominational Evangelical"
Pastor Mark Wilcoxson
So my little project is off and running with this first (rather successful) church visit! Bethesda is a little Church in River Heights, known for the often quirky messages on its sign. What was remarkable from the get-go was how friendly everybody was! I literally had three introductions before I was through the (tiny) lobby, and once inside the sanctuary I found myself embroiled in a number of full-fledged conversations. I have never experienced such a warm welcome to a church, and I certainly hope to go back sometime.
The service itself was quite nice. The sanctuary was about 3/4 full with a pleasant mix of older and younger people. Their musical offering consisted of a pianist, guitarist and two singers, all aided by lyrics projected onto the front of the sanctuary. The music certainly wasn't traditional hymns but was still meaningful and beautifully done. There was a presentation in the middle about an "Experiencing God" study which flew completely over my head, but soon afterward Pastor Mark took the stage and brought things back on track.
Pastor Mark was an engaging, active speaker. The sermon was about knowing a "real and personal" God, and how the God of the Old Testament can be connected to Jesus. Pastor Mark spoke for quite awhile but he kept it very interesting and the pace was breakneck. He had a way with his inflection that drew you in and really brought you to a happy, warm conclusion as he finished a point.
After the service I met many more people, had a conversation about other churches to visit (and tennis) and was invited by three different people to join them for lunch downstairs (I really wanted to, but I had to go). Pastor Mark cordially shook my hand as I left and implored me to come back sometime - what a friendly guy!
All in all this was a wonderful "first church" experience. I was particularly excited because of the contrast between this and my old church: the point of my little experiment is, after all, to have new church experiences. I would certainly go back to Bethesda church, if not simply because the people there are fantastic.
Hope you tune in next time!
Best,
-Brock
LINK: http://www.bethesdachurch.ca/
Bethesda Chuch 1350 Grant Ave. Winnipeg
"Nondenominational Evangelical"
Pastor Mark Wilcoxson
So my little project is off and running with this first (rather successful) church visit! Bethesda is a little Church in River Heights, known for the often quirky messages on its sign. What was remarkable from the get-go was how friendly everybody was! I literally had three introductions before I was through the (tiny) lobby, and once inside the sanctuary I found myself embroiled in a number of full-fledged conversations. I have never experienced such a warm welcome to a church, and I certainly hope to go back sometime.
The service itself was quite nice. The sanctuary was about 3/4 full with a pleasant mix of older and younger people. Their musical offering consisted of a pianist, guitarist and two singers, all aided by lyrics projected onto the front of the sanctuary. The music certainly wasn't traditional hymns but was still meaningful and beautifully done. There was a presentation in the middle about an "Experiencing God" study which flew completely over my head, but soon afterward Pastor Mark took the stage and brought things back on track.
Pastor Mark was an engaging, active speaker. The sermon was about knowing a "real and personal" God, and how the God of the Old Testament can be connected to Jesus. Pastor Mark spoke for quite awhile but he kept it very interesting and the pace was breakneck. He had a way with his inflection that drew you in and really brought you to a happy, warm conclusion as he finished a point.
After the service I met many more people, had a conversation about other churches to visit (and tennis) and was invited by three different people to join them for lunch downstairs (I really wanted to, but I had to go). Pastor Mark cordially shook my hand as I left and implored me to come back sometime - what a friendly guy!
All in all this was a wonderful "first church" experience. I was particularly excited because of the contrast between this and my old church: the point of my little experiment is, after all, to have new church experiences. I would certainly go back to Bethesda church, if not simply because the people there are fantastic.
Hope you tune in next time!
Best,
-Brock
LINK: http://www.bethesdachurch.ca/
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Welcome!
Hello, everyone!
I'm a youth from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I've been attending the same church for years. It's a wonderful church and I love it, but I figure it's time to see what else is out there. New experiences are important!
So I've made it my mission for the school year of 2008/2009 to visit a different church each Sunday, and maybe even attend some services of different religions. First I'll be hitting as many different Christian denominations as possible, in no particular order or preference. Basically I'll make up a list and pick churches out of the proverbial hat.
I think this is going to be exciting, and to make it a more complete experience I'm going to blog about it. I'll include a post every time I visit a new church, with a link to the website and maybe a photo or two. I'll offer my impressions of the service, the facility, and the congregation, and I'll try to make my "reviews" as amusing as they are informative.
So please stay tuned! I'll post a list of potential churches to visit. Advice is appreciated!
I'm a youth from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I've been attending the same church for years. It's a wonderful church and I love it, but I figure it's time to see what else is out there. New experiences are important!
So I've made it my mission for the school year of 2008/2009 to visit a different church each Sunday, and maybe even attend some services of different religions. First I'll be hitting as many different Christian denominations as possible, in no particular order or preference. Basically I'll make up a list and pick churches out of the proverbial hat.
I think this is going to be exciting, and to make it a more complete experience I'm going to blog about it. I'll include a post every time I visit a new church, with a link to the website and maybe a photo or two. I'll offer my impressions of the service, the facility, and the congregation, and I'll try to make my "reviews" as amusing as they are informative.
So please stay tuned! I'll post a list of potential churches to visit. Advice is appreciated!
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