Another Sinker

The sky was a beautiful, slight overcast. One would say it was shaping up to be a rather nice, warm, mostly sunny day. Driving through the city streets, if one can call Winslow a city being that she is only 3 miles wide and but a mile deep. Yet this Sunday morning, the streets were normally vacant. (This is but a topic for another post. Remind me.) At thie church building, I pull up into the shade of the elm that over hangs the sidewalk. Why not? If it were to be a warm day, then I would want my truck to be rather cool to sit in at the end of the Worship Service.

Sunday School teacher was a bore today. I nearly fell asleep during the discussion-less lecture. I hate when the Sunday School teacher lectures us. Reminded me of sitting through a few of those dry lectures in Bible College. Class ended on time, thankfully. I wasn't sure I could endure a moment more. (Yet this is another topic for another blog. But you all gotta remind me.)

As typical of my duties preparing for the start of the worship service, I jump up to the stage, fire up my old Pentium 1 computer. (Yeah, it still works, and works well with the projector.) It was time to start the power point. Once I had the first of the slides for the morning displaying, it was time to head to the fellowship room.

The people who prepare the fellowship time do a good job at providing rather questionably healthy snacks. (OK so they aren't healthy at all.) I do enjoy them. Today was a Turkish pastry type with raspberry jelly rolled up inside, and nice sugar crystals coating the outside. I quickly downed 4 of them while looking for the new couple.

I missed them last week. They took the holiday and explored Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon. They had a successful fishing trip. Of course all of this was still not known to me. For I did not see them. They usually stop by the Fellowship Room as they enter the building. It was almost time to start. Where could they be?

I decided that since I was needed up front, I would just poke my head out. Excellent. Their 4Runner was parked across the street from me. Still a mostly clear day, but they snuck in. I called them on it. We enjoyed talking about their trip, their fish fry and their relaxation.

Then all of a sudden I hear our guitarist beckon me from the stage. We were now running late in our starting time. Carol already had the boys situated in the pews. So I bound up, accidentally turning my wireless mic on in front of the speaker. Now all who were put to sleep by the Sunday School teacher are full awake. (Note to self...wait until you are at the pulpit to turn the mic on, or ask the local audiologist for a referral fee.)

Being late, and usually being the one waiting for the worship team, I was flustered. I apologized for the late start. "I was busy fellowshipping down below." Did I just say that? Should I clarify? 10 seconds that lasted 10 minutes... Panic started to set in.

"I mean down off the stage." Maybe I should have kept my size 13 mouth shut. The congregation erupted in laughter at the connotation of my original statement.


BOOM! RUMBLE. RUMBLE, BOOM!


Wait! Where did that thunder come from? While I talked, it thundered. People were reminding me of the sanctity of the pulpit. Were they enjoying the timing of God's thunder? Were they talking tongue in cheek? Were they serious? Was God serious?

We began our song service. After the initial set of songs, it was time to greet one another. During this time, I take our chair bound lad next door for Children's Church. It was raining quite hard at this time. (20 minutes ago, it was mostly sunny, remember.) I lay my glasses aside so they would not get soaked as I took the kids next door. That went without much incident. My suit is charcoal grey so it was hard to see how wet it got. That is a blessing.

As I was walking back the the Sanctuary Building, I looked. Across the street, it was sunny. Across the other street, it was sunny too. Across the alley was also sunny. Oh the Baptist church next door was sunny too. But it was sure raining hard, and thundering over our church. Hmm.

The rest of the song service was going well. Then it was time for the sermon. Today we are looking at judgment from 1 Corinthians 4. 1-5. The sermon was not the usual 3 point. At least not how I planned it. There was only 2 points. The only judgment that we need to be concerned with is God's. And His judgment is sure. (2nd coming from 1 Corinthians 1.8 from a couple of weeks ago.)

I had good passion. I do like the letters to the Corinthians. They are a church not much different from the typical American church today. Then as I built the transition from point 2 to the application, I advanced on the slide. There was point 3, the one I deleted on Friday. Originally the 3rd point was all other judgment is distraction. I had decided that the point was distracting so I tucked it away in point 1. And there it is on the screen.

Talk about a fumble. Another peel of thunder followed by the pelting of hail stones. Father forgive me for such a delivery today.

Afterward I was surrounded and encouraged. It was a good day. I pray that it did bring glory to the Father. I pray that this note brought a smile to your face.

For me, next time I see have to hear a Sunday School lecture... Well I am not sure what I will do. Maybe grit my teeth and bear it. God bless, and thank you for reading. --smh