When the Homily is about Immunology

Last Sunday Part Duex

Wrapping up our presence on the eastside. Our last Divine Liturgy at St. Paul's was nice, Fr. James presented us with an icon of St. Paul during coffee hour and we had a number of people come and express their well wishes. It was pretty laid back - no tears and no gnashing of teeth over my blogging controversies.

It seems all the more obvious to me that the Church is indeed people, and my heart confirms this to me as I reflect back on my time at St. Paul's. I will not so much miss her building, her icons, her programs, her well orchestrated music, and yes I won't even miss cleaning her bathrooms. But I will miss many of the people who have become dear to me. Those who would see you enter the Nave and smile, those who are just plain happy to see you. Those who will notice and miss you when you are not there.

An old dear friend of mine once told me he believed the Church ought to be like "Cheers", a place where oddballs gather, everybody knows your name, they are always glad you came, and anyone is welcome. It ought to be a place where not just "sometimes" but ALL the time you want to go. Too often we screw Church up...gossip is a great way to do that. Judging others is another. Love and forgiveness...sometimes a bar can do a better job than the Church. Anyway, I've always appreciated the notion of Church being like "Cheers" and if we take the analogy too far (as many of you will) I would a cross between Norm and Cliff: a beer in one hand while lecturing on a chalkboard about how Islam has inherent problems with violence.

LOL...Lord love my friends who endure me. That's what Church should be like. Not seeing those same faces each Sunday will be the hard part for me. I can do without much, but the missing smiles of old friends is troublesome.

But I do not want to turn this into a downer post. Balancing the negative is our joy at pursuing our dream, becoming a part of the OCA (not so much because of my previous complaints, but because I feel a little like I am joining many of my family who are Orthodox), becoming part of a growing Mission and helping it (as humbly and feably as we may) to continue to grow, becoming educated about all manner of liturgics in a Reader's class, meeting new friends who will have to learn to endure me, being closer to at least one old friend, and having Rade camping in our front yard! It has the makings of a new sitcom.

I may not post much over the next few days, so I expect I will see you on the otherside!