Decisions

And with that, it was done. On Earth as it is in Heaven.

This weekend I will step forward to officially begin the process of adding my name to the membership of City Of Refuge UCC, the amazing church founded by Bishop Yvette Flunder 20 years ago in San Francisco. I have written about my experiences there in earlier entries. My friends have told me that when I speak of my experiences there, my soul lights up... in Gina's words... like a Christmas Tree. I like that image.

I have committed to this as part of my religious education under the tutelage of "Comrade Jim" -- Reverend Elder Jim Mitulski. What a wonderful man he is. He's so... honest, loving, friendly, and actually gives a shit about my success. When a minister tells me to not join his church but to join another church instead since it will be better for my spiritual growth and my connection to God as I step forward in my vocation... well, it takes a special kind of person to set the ego aside like that, and I thank God for Comrade Jim.

One thing Jim emphasized strongly with me is that this is a true commitment. Honestly, I think I am a bit terrified of it. But that's OK because, as David Bowie once sang... "turn and face the strange." It's so strange to think that I live 500 feet from a UCC church and yet I am committing to a UCC church that requires a 30-minute train ride and a long walk to its front door. It's so strange to think that I am affiliating with a church that reflects a worship-tradition that is both intimately familiar and totally alien to me as a white man from the Southeastern USA. And Jim also opened a new line of thinking for me... I have been to the Taizé service at MCC-SF several times this summer... Jim was the leader of MCC-SF for 14 years... he mentioned that MCC-SF is a great place to do one's fieldwork... mmh... veeeery veeeery interesting...

But perhaps more than anything else, it's wonderful and strange that I am here. No more dilettante bullshit before God. From now on, Sunday is a school-day for me. As I learned from Melissa Scott... this is bootcamp for eternity, and I just enlisted.

Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. (Psalm 111:1-4)

Φίλιππος, δούλος Θεού, εκθέσεις στην εργασία. ΑΜΗΝ.