Did you know?

Did you know that pews are a fairly recent addition to a church sanctuary or nave? And what is the church narthex and where is it found? What's the difference between a pulpit, lecturn, or ambo? Ambo? What on earth is an ambo? Where is the chancel?

From the top:

Originally, Christians stood for worship and in eastern churches, they still do. Placing the long, backed bench in the sanctuary (or nave) was an innovation of western medieval Christianity and Protestants borrowed the idea from the Roman Catholic Church.

In today's usage, both sanctuary and nave are terms for the area where the congregation is seated. The chancel is the area in front of the church, usually up three steps from the nave, where the pulpit, lecturn, altar and often the choir are located.

The narthex is the entryway or foyer of the church.

Some churches have two speakers stands in the front. One, usually on the left, is the pulpit where the minister stands to deliver the sermon and (historically) read the gospel lesson. The second, on the right, is called the lecturn. It is used by lay people to read the scripture lessons (but not the gospel), make announcements, or lead prayers. If there is only one speaker's stand and it is placed in the center, in front of the altar, it is called the ambo.

Strange but true:

The wall of the church behind the altar is always called the east wall, no matter which direction it is actually in. Grace Church's "east wall" is actually in the south! In the past, all churches faced east.

Every Church, Every Methodist

An important word in the United Methodist vocabulary is "connection".   We work and worship in connection with other United Methodists in surrounding communities and the region.

Our bishop, Grant Hagiya of Seattle has called all churches in our Pacific Northwest Conference to join together in a major initiative of mission outreach.  This mission is not to some far away place, it is to our brothers and sisters in the communities where we live.  The Pacific Northwest is one of the most un-churched regions of our country.  The problem is not that people are un-churched, the concern is that people have not had an opportunity to hear the message of Christ and respond in a life changing way.

We begin this initiative today, with a devotional Bible study program, continue with a special meeting of our Conference in March,  and live into plan in the coming years.  It is a really big deal for our United Methodist connection.  This Bible study, called Every Church, Every Methodist will grow us in our understanding of our missional call.  Please join together in the coming days as we prepare to do something big and new.

Some Things are Forever

Reading local newspapers from a century ago gives insights into the everyday life of our grandparents. The ads sell food and clothes and cars and remedies. The news tells of war in Europe and on the Mexican border. The entertainment is a mixture of home parties, lodge meetings, vaudeville and silent movies, with chautauquas, revivals and patriotic gatherings thrown in.

One thing that hasn't changed is the presence of Walla Walla's churches. Many Christian denominations were serving the Valley 100 years ago in the same location as they are today. Grace Methodist Episcopal church, now Grace United Methodist church, is among them. The hymns, special services and messages of faith printed in the newspapers of 95 years ago forge a link between our ancestors and us.

We find continuity and comfort in knowing that, even as our world changes, our church is still here and just like Christ's promise of redemption, remains steadfast.

 Thanks to newspaperarchive.com for the December 28, 1948 Walla Walla Union Bulletin.

Pass the Salt!

Jesus told his disciples that they were salty. Well, maybe he didn't use those exact words; what you'll find in the Bible is this: "You are the salt of the earth." Think of it! People who follow Jesus are seasoning the world with Jesus and everything he taught and demonstrated including peace, hope, love, justice, kindness, honesty and joy. Just a quick glance at the newspaper shows us how badly our world needs some of the seasoning Jesus' followers can offer. So pass the salt, sprinkle some hope, spread some joy, flavor someone you meet with kindness. Be salty today!

Hope in Hard Times

Tucson, Arizona has been in the news this week. A terrible act of violence has shattered the lives of an entire community and has affected our nation. We are filled with grief and left with questions. Many people will be living with the consequences of this violence for a long, long time: the friends and families of those who died, the survivors and their loved ones, the people at the scene, the first responders, the shooter himself.

At Grace Church, we pray God's healing and comfort for all the victims of this violence. We give thanks to God for the stories of courage and selflessness that have surfaced, reminding us that even when situations are absolutely dreadful, there are glimmers of goodness. We also ask for wisdom and insight: is there anything we can do to keep this from happening again?

There are no easy answers or quick fixes to the situation in Tucson. As the story continues to unfold, let's remember that God's grace is poured out on all people at all times and that the love of Jesus cannot be extinguished. Jesus is the Light of the World and no evil of any kind can overcome it. This is our hope in hard times.

"We Three Kings of Orient are bearing gifts we traverse afar..." Though this is a Christmas carol, we will be singing it on Sunday, January 2. The magi, or wise men, as they are sometimes called, followed a bright light which led them to the child Jesus.

At Grace Church we celebrate God's gift of Jesus, the Light of the World, not only on Christmas or for the 12 days afterward, but all year round. As we sail into a new year, we pray that the Light will shine upon you and lead you to joy and peace.

Looking for a place to bask in the Light? Find your place at Grace!

Christmas Traditions

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Today after worship we celebrated an "Old Fashioned Christmas" with traditional activities like caroling and decorating cookies.  Most people have traditions at Christmas, perhaps a special meal or a favorite activity. Traditions give structure and predictability to our lives. They can even give meaning if they draw us back to core relationships and values.

Psalm 80 is a prayer of people desperate for the hand of God in their lives.  It has a verse that repeats over and over:
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Repetition in the words of the psalm give moments of pause that let us absorb the message of a people crying out to their God. 

Our very best traditions bring us back time and again to the place where we can feel God's face shining upon us.  We come back to a place where we love and are loved, back to a place where we give generously and receive graciously.

The most important tradition of Christmas time is not a food or an activity, it is that once-a-year moment when we open ourselves to the gift of the Christ child in a manger. It is the time when this heartfelt prayer is answered:  
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Now is the season of Christmas carols.  One of my favorites is Do You Hear What I Hear? (listen). The lyrics and theme of the carol carry a message of waiting, listening and searching.

courtesy of flickr/tycha

      Do you hear what I hear?

      A song, a song, high above the trees.

      With a voice as big as the sea.

Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) is a time of preparation and anticipation.  In the super-saturation of commercial Christmas messages it is refreshing to be quiet. take time and dwell for a moment in silence and waiting.

We have lit two Advent candles so far. They were the candles of Hope and Love. This Sunday we will light the third candle, the one traditionally associated with Joy.  Amidst the serious spiritual preparation of Advent we need to keep joy in our hearts.  

Keep heart and hope in this Advent season. Search the skies for the star that glows brightest of all. Listen intently for the voice that brings the perfect message. Remember, we are all anticipating the promise of the last verse of the carol.

      Listen to what I say!

      The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night.

      He will bring us goodness and light.

Growing in Mission

We talked at a meeting today about the strengths of Grace Church and the need to apply those strengths in a mission that serves the community.  Healthy churches (big and small) actively find needs in the community and reach out in service.

Jesus is our model for service. Teaching and healing marked his time in Galilee.  In Jerusalem he washed the feet of his disciples as a lesson in humble service.

Our choir has led by example by going on after-practice serenades to the home bound.  Their service has grown out of the strength of their voices and a love of singing.

Early this year we grieved together at the loss of several long time members of our church family.  Out of this apparent weakness grew a grief support group where strength is found in sharing.

We need to constantly seek to match strengths to needs.  Just as with our bodies, exercising our church strengths helps us to grow and be stronger still.

Dancing Lessons

After a long summer's drought, the catalogs are filling my mailbox once again. Browsing through them is fun and then they go into the recycle bin. Once in a while, though, something catches my eye, stops me in my tracks, and makes me think about my approach to life. Here's a quote from one of the latest offerings:

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass....its about learning to dance in the rain."

The Bible is full of dancing lessons and we don't have to dance alone. With God as our partner and help from family and friends, we can dance our way through any storm. We may not be able to control or avoid the storms of life, we may have to slow dance for a while, or even stop to catch our breath. And then God is inviting us to resume dancing, even though it may still be raining.  (photo courtesy of flickr/HDC Photography)

No Thunks Allowed

Today after worship many of us gathered and packed boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Over the last few years we have packed and sent hundreds and hundreds of gift boxes to children around the world.

We walked past a long set of tables filled with school supplies, toys, candy and hygiene items. Each of us started with an empty shoe box at one end of the tables and had a full box by the end.  Then we would get an empty box and start again.

I am grateful for the people of our church who have filled the supply tables so well that I can adopt a "no thunk rule" of box packing.  By the time I reach the last table, my shoe box is packed so full that even the hardest shake will not yield a single thunk.

Most of us live in  a world where God has followed a "no thunk rule" on our behalf.  We have shelter, clothing and food to spare.  Our homes overflow with possessions and comforts. Operation Christmas Child boxes remind us that there are children in this world who are delighted and grateful to receive even the smallest of gifts.

Operation Christmas Child is a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the coming season.  We can look beyond our day to day wants and see with the eyes of simple child.

Something on My Mind

Overheard at church: "There's something on my mind, but I don't know what it is."

We've all felt that way sometimes. In the noise of every day life it is easy to lose track of some critical detail. There is a whole school of time management called Getting Things Done that sets out to solve this problem through a set of carefully organized lists. The act of getting details out on paper helps essential ideas rise to the creative surface.

Our spiritual life is even more prone to dilution by busy-ness. That gentle voice within can tug at our heart and mind for days. If only we could find a way to let go the distractions and finally hear.

We could make a spiritual list, or we could just look to Genesis 2:2. "And on the seventh day He rested". Sundays are a very good day to reduce the mental clutter and let a persistent light shine through. It is hard to imagine a better place to bring a full mind than to Sunday worship. At last we can take a deep breath among friends and make room for small voices.

Please drop in next Sunday and join in the search for what's been on your mind. We'll be there searching as well. (photo courtesy of flickr/dolmansaxlil)

Saints Among Us

Today is All Saints Day, the day we remember the people who have shared life with us and taught by example the real possibility of a Christ-led life. Each of us can, with a little effort, think of a handful of people we have seen as saints.

Vernon was a saint in my life. He was joyful and generous. His heart and hands were always ready to help a neighbor in need. Like all saints among us, Vernon would be puzzled that anyone might consider him saintly in any way. Humility and simplicity are common traits of everyday saints.

Naming the saints in our lives is a powerful way to consider how we can day by day shape our lives to walk in a similar path. Mary and Marvel, Jeff and Jim. These are names that come to my mind. Some are gone. Some are still with us. Today is a day remember, be grateful and follow their examples.

Flossing No Longer Required

A friend loaned me a book by Anne Lamott (Plan B Further Thoughts on Faith) and it's a good read. Anne says that it's easy to stay on God's good side.

"It's not hard, " she writes, "God has extremely low standards. Pray, take care of people, be actively grateful for your blessings, give away your money." If you do these things, she continues, "You're cool. You're in. Nice room in heaven, flossing no longer required." (Apparently she does NOT like to floss!)

These extremely low standards are not that easy to meet. Often we are too busy to pray, would rather be cared for than to care for others, and are sometimes fearful of letting go our financial resources. We even forget to say "Thank you" for the many blessings we receive.

Anne's words are a friendly reminder to all of us. Want to be cool and on God's good side?
Live by His standards.

First Impressions Matter to Church Guests

Here is a thought provoking piece from Rev. Sheila Fiorella, United Methodist News Service

The people who come through the doors of our church have expectations. They're making decisions as consumers at first. Whether they return rests on their entire experience with our community. Those people leave asking the same questions they ask of businesses throughout the week: "Was this worth my time? Do the people care about me? Am I valued here?"

How will our guests answer these questions? How do you answer those questions? We're up against a competitor that is fierce, and I'm not talking about Satan or other churches. The other churches in town are on our team. They're leading and loving for the same reason we are.

Our competition, the rival that will keep people away from our church, is any business, service or experience our guests have encountered recently. That includes restaurants, malls, golf courses and amusement parks. First Bank (not First Church), United Parcel (not United Methodist) and Grace Medical (not Grace Community) set the bar for service.