Amen

Yes, Sunday has come and gone and I survived the experience. The kids were wonderful. They really stepped up at the last minute and did their assorted readings, chalice lightnings, chime dings and hymns with grace and good humor. Although, I did feel vaguely as if we were a smaller version of the Van Trapp Family Singers as all 5 of us stood on the alter together as the last hymn was sung.

The sermon was a hit. Even though I had been awake since 4am, I remembered to speak slowly, project my voice and use inflection. I had read it so many times aloud that I was able to use the written copy as a reference just part of the time and look at the congregation the rest of the time. Although, not all of the congregation. I never looked to my left. That was were my family was sitting....with my friend. My Mom started crying as soon as I stood up to start the service and did not stop. She had tears still running down her face as she hugged me in the receiving line! If I had looked to the left I would have been lost. I would have either burst out laughing or started sobbing. As it was, I looked at a friend of mine in the 4th row. She just smiled and nodded with the occasional thumbs up. When I was done it seemed as if everyone was wiping their eyes....not my intent at all. But then I announced that it was nap time by my watch and they all started to laugh again.

Yesterday we broke a Summer Service attendance record.

My friend was a hit. I was pleased that he came considering that he is still sick with a virus. It has settled into his ears and he has been having trouble with dizziness. But he still came. And he wore my favorite yellow shirt. One I had only seen him wear once, 3 months ago and which I had made an off hand comment about looking nice. Love his memory.

The reason he was a hit, besides the fact that he is cute and nice, was that when my sister's 10 month old son crawled out of the box pew and down the side aisle, he got down on his hands and knees and followed him. He ended up playing peek-a-boo with a pew door for almost the entire sermon so that my sister could listen. He had, of course, already read it and was probably just as happy as he did not want to cry in front of my family. He told me later that he kept worrying that I would look over and think that he had left, not knowing that he was on the floor. No problem....I never, even once, looked their way. Good thing. I would have really started laughing if I had seen him crawling around on the floor with my nephew.

As the postlude was being played, the kids and I waited by the Parish House door to greet people as they went into coffee hour. The kids kept gesturing for my friend to come over and say hello which he finally did, before the music was done. He shook hands with the kids and then I pulled him to the Parish House, away from curious eyes, and went in for a big hug. I was shaking pretty badly at that point from the adrenaline crash. That hug was such a blessing.

One of the congregants, after expressing his thanks, went on to ask if I would be doing any more services in the future. What? Another one? Are you kidding, I thought to myself.

They say that everyone has one good sermon in them....I'm done.

My Church