More and Different Surreality

Last night I left a friend in charge of choir practice and headed downtown. (She's a fantastic choir director. Me? As far as choir directors go, I'm a pretty good guitarist...)

I had been invited to be part of the Prayer and Worship Team for a project called Together for Lincoln--a one day service project involving about 20 churches. On the last Sunday in September, our church will briefly meet around the Table, then we'll leave to build wheelchair ramps, replace shingles, install storm-windows, visit the sick and lonely, etc. That evening many churches will come together to worship at the local college chapel.

The goal is NOT for this to be a one time deal, but to be a catalyst for ongoing service--a chance for inward looking churches to start seeing each other and the desperately needy world around us: A loving effort to serve in Christ's name without any sectarian marketing campaigns.

Count me in.

The surreality? I found myself writing prayers with a nun, a Catholic laywoman, and the preaching minister from what we Jeff Street folks call the Downtown Church.

If you'd told me three years ago I'd be doing this sort of thing, I'd've thought you were wacky. Not that I would have thought it was a bad idea--it's just been a long time since I've seen this kind of non-jealous, non-threatened ecumenicalism. As a matter of fact, I've never seen this broad of a spirit of co-operation: Catholics and Protestants; mainliners and storefronters.

So I'm encouraged--and I hope you are, too.