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Last Sunday, our little ones were all sick. So, we stayed home and had worship. I love worshipping and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters at the church building, but I also love Sunday mornings like this, gathering together as a family to worship, sing, read Scripture, pray, and share Communion. There is no structure, we all just take turns picking songs, reading Scriptures, praying, and fielding questions from the youngest member of the family. "Mommy, why are we eating this tortilla?" "This tortilla is the Body of Christ?" “Can you heat mine up?” "Can you put some grape juice in my Dora cup?" "Can we use a straw?" Normally, we would use one cup for such an event, but since three of our members had colds, we went with many cups! No, we did not replace the grape juice with grape cough medicine! It was a hilarious and wonderful morning.I love the pure and simple faith of children, and the excitement that they have for serving. They are overjoyed with the opportunity to gather around a table to pray, to sing songs, to read Scripture, and to talk about God. Tim and I are very thankful for our children, and for the challenging opportunity to make disciples that comes with them. We are thankful for the blessing of gathering around a table together, and building relationships with one another, and with our Host.
Speaking of tables, one glance around our Thanksgiving Day table reminded us once again, that we are blessed. We sat around a table loaded with family, friends, and food. We are very thankful for them all. What are you thankful for?
“30When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.” Luke 24
10 comments:
Oops. I just asked on a comment in my comment section "when are you going to write a new post?" Here it is. Nine hours old, already.
Sorry. I did not think you would be up doing this late last night.
I like the fact that you did not miss church when your family stayed home. Grape cough medicine was a good suggestion, though you did not use it. Funny.
Jim
Thankful for you and your blog Cheryl!
Sometimes I think that we miss the intimacy of communion when we make a religious church service of it.. seems that you may have shared a communion of sorts when you shared Thanksgiving dinner.
Blessings, Bob
There is something to be said for simple church. What you did on Sunday is what many christians have done throughout the centuries. Visiting and worship in each others homes.
A Rabbi was once asked why the home has become the central point in Judaisum. The answer was simple. They can distroy a temple but they cannot detroy every home.
We missed you in our assembly, but it sounds like yours was good too. What I miss in Passover Seders without little kids is the questions. Not just the "four questions" but the real questions that make for discussion. We adults sometimes get away from talking to each other, and lose the "encouraging" aspect of the assembly (Heb 10:24-25)
i like the image of your family's table - i hope you found blessings in the Thanksgiving holiday that you didn't know you had
Cheryl,
Do you think the house church offers a more authentic way of living out our faith? just wanted your opinion after this home service.
Jim - Thanks. I mostly write at night, when everyone else is sleeping!
Bob - Thank you for that! You are right, we knew that Jesus was the Host of both tables.
Tim - Thanks for your comment! I am still hoping we get to attend one of the Seders that you host. I love the encouraging aspect of our assemblies as well.
Sojourner - Thanks and I hope you also had a blessed time in Thanksgiving!
Mike - Hello! Actually, a home church was the first church that I attended, and eventually became a member of once I started exploring churches outside of Catholicism. I loved it. It was a very intimate setting and a great environment for someone who was searching and new to Bible study. I found this setting to be very comfortable and safe for my constant questions. It felt like family, very non-threatening. It was a great place to learn about and get to know Christ.
I really enjoy small group settings for discipleship. We had a great discussion about having a heart fully devoted to God at ours on Sunday night. Some great insights and confessions were shared within the safety of this small and intimate group.
I do think that home churches can offer a degree of authenticity due to their intimacy. But, when I stop and think about the people in my life whom I consider authentic in their faith, I think of those who love God with all their heart, soul, and mind. They are the ones in my life who I see have a relationship with Christ that comes from faith and obedience. Some of them go to mega-churches, some go to smaller churches, and some are part of a home church.
That said, I really do love a home church, it seems more like what we read about in Acts! ;)
What do you think?
I really connect with the house church too. I like the idea of participating together. It is also a place where everyone shares in each others joys and pain.
I remember countless Sundays growing up gathering around my Grams bed in the living room and having church with my family. I truly appreciate the times we were able to sing and pray together throughout my childhood. (I think this was my favorite when I was younger because I got to take communion at Grams house, unlike at church, and my Auntie's homemade communion bread was SO good!).
This year on Thanksgiving, our family was together for the first time since last Christmas. We were all so thankful for that. We walked into 2008 not sure we would ever be all together again.
Hello! I was so excited to see your post on my blog! You're right - the last time we saw you I was pregnant with child number 1. Man, alot has happened since then.
Tell Tim hello for both of us! So nice to hear from you.
Hope ya'll had a great Christmas and that God continues to bless you in 2009!
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