Sunday Morning Observations

I love sitting in front of television on an icy, sleety, snowy Sunday morning when they are telling everyone to stay in because the roads are just too treacherous to attempt. I curl up with those Sunday morning news shows, booing, hissing, and only occasionally atta-boying the guests of honor of the misguided panelists. At the same time I am keeping one eye on the closings list scrolling across the bottom of the screen. I have learned that Baptist churches are the first to close and even during the Christmas Eve blizzard, the Catholic ones remained open…probably because the priest lives in the house next door and just has to walk across the lawn or parking lot, instead of driving across town.

I love watching the names of churches scroll by. Arise Ministries International. Smack dab in a very modest working class, almost redneck neighborhood, I wonder where the international fits in, because I know it's no where in the surrounding several miles. Church of the Harvest unfortunately makes me think of Children of the Corn. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Madhani Alem. OK, now that’s a church worth investigating. It evokes richly ethnic sounds, smells, and visions, similar to a bazaar scene out of an Indiana Jones movie. I see a church where people are completely involved in the faith and the community rather than, ‘it’s Sunday, get dressed, we gotta go to church.’

So many churches let you know exactly where they are: Blue Ridge Boulevard United Methodist, Independence Boulevard Christian, Rosedale Congregational, Welborn Community United Church of Christ, Pittman Road Church of God. Their names tell you not only the denomination but thanks to the location, a lot about the people who go there, much like the nickname my sister-in-law gives her own church....Our Lady of Mercedes. Other churches let you know what they offer: Shower of Blessings, Miracle Temple, Redemption Ministries, Atonement Lutheran, Works of Faith Ministries, Full Faith Church of Love in Jesus Christ, Mercy Church, River of Love Church, A Place of Praise, Celebration Community Fellowship, I Can Ministries, New Beginnings, and Refuge of Hope. I can practically see the congregation for each one.

I am confused by the many types of Baptist churches: Baptist, ABA, American, Cooperative Fellowship, Free Will, GARBC, General, Independent, Independent Fundamental, Missionary, National, North American, Primitive, Regular, Southern, and Sovereign Grace, and I want to shout, can't you all just get along? LOL

There are churches for everyone looking for a mainstream religion - Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Congregational, Catholic, Orthodox, Buddhist, Gospel, Assembly of God, Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal, Zion, Charismatic, Seventh Day Adventist, Latter Day Saints, Nazarene, Evangelical, Mennonite, Jehovah’s Witness, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Christian Scientist, not to mention the small, non-denominational ones like the Refreshing Waters Worship Center.

And today, thanks to ice, sleet, and snow, they’re all closed unless the pastor or priest lives next door. Feel free to give thanks in the privacy of your own home.