Gypsy Church

A few weeks ago I started something for friends here in Singapore who are not settled in a church. I call it my "Gypsy Church." 

Via email, I invite them along to meet James and I whenever we're going to be visiting somewhere, or he might be a guest preacher (because of his work with pastors, we often go to see them on Sundays). Instead of going alone now i invite these others along and every week someone on the list joins to be a "visitor in community!"

It's been fun to see the response.  It's a little crazy and unconventional, but I ever since I thought about the idea, I wasn't able to stop thinking about it. A good sign that it's something I'd better act upon! 

Hopefully, eventually these Gypsys will plug in to one of the churches we visit!
(all of the original "5 stars" are now in various churches tho only one of them was attending church when we started!)

We'll go to 3 different churches over Easter weekend.  Trinity Christian Centre for a musical drama "Hope", the Bloodbank to donate blood on Saturday at 4PM, Barker Road Methodist for Sunrise & breakfast 6:30AM...and still dreaming up what to do after that...

Last Sunday I ran the gammut of variety of traditions. I went to our former home church Grace Assembly of God, their second venue in Bukit Batok. Pastor Lim was preaching. He's definitely A list for Singaporean preachers/teachers. Any list of preachers I think he'd be on the A list.

Every part of Worship in Grace Assembly's new venue in Bukit Batok. It was as alive and vibrant and modern and exciting as the traditional worship experience at St. George's was dull (8AM is their most traditional/liturgical service of many options). What an amazing thing to have such a DRASTIC contrast in a few short hours.

Whenever I'm visiting churches I imagine what it might be like to be seeking God and venture to church to find him. Worship here at 8AM is still the same as it probably was in the 1700's (except for women are up front reading Scripture). I wonder...how, oh HOW, does the traditional church appeal to people in 2009? Is there any hope for them to keep the next generation coming to church once they are out of the nest and making worship choices on their own?

A friend from this church in her 50's found out about a relationship with Jesus and decided to live life as his follower 3 years ago. She "found Christ" through the Alpha Course, but attends this church with her familly in tow now. She is only now reading the Gospel of John and can't believe she's waited this long to do that. Finally she's actually reading the historical account from an eyewitness to the life of the Lord who's changed her worldview and she's surrendered her allegiance to. She stayed at church Sunday to hear the monotone - read from a transcript - sermon again at the 10AM service!

I also read GIRL MEETS GOD last year - written by brilliant Columbia post grad student Lauren Winner who first converted as a teenager to conservative judaism and then later found Christ and made her home in the Episcopal church. The book chronicles her first year as a Christian, comparing the practices and theology of both religions. So, I know that some younger people are drawn to Anglican style worship.

But oh my, even in the front row at St. George's, and trying desperately hard to stay engaged, and keeping my hands and body active (what with all the standing and sitting and kneeling and activity switching from the bulletin, to red worship book, and hymnbook), I was STILL really fighting the inclination to take a nap!