Today was our offical welcome into the community here. We started the day off by sleeping in til about 8:15 and then had eggs and beans for breakfast. It was very British and delicious. After that we prepared for the church service which began at 1030. You need to understand something about church services here in Uganda. There is only one church service in a week which is held on Sunday morning, which means no Sunday School or Wednesday night Bible Study. Although there is a Junior Church which is on break until February. I am sure I will write more on how the church operates as I learn more about it.
As we were walking toward he church building we could hear the choir already singing and their instruments blaring for all to hear the call to worship. Once we arrived we were warmly greeted by many people. I (Michael) was greeted several familiar people that I met while visiting four and five years ago. One of them was Roger, pronounced Row - jay, sounds French because he is originally from Rwanda which used to be a French colony. He has an amazing testimony of God's obvious providence in saving him from certain death during Rwanda's genocide.
I (Mike) was particularly excited for Rachel to experience the Ugandan worship service for the first time. You see, she is not used to people dancing, clapping and singing their hearts out not worrying about what their neighbor thinks. It seemed very pure, true and in spirit. I felt so much more free to worship the Lord with my whole self as it commanded and taught in Scripture. At home I feel more restricted in most churches but sometimes I remember the Word of the Lord about worshiping truly, in spirit with the whole self and stand before the Lord freely and openly.
Just before Pastor Jones began preaching he had us come before the congregation to be introduced and received in the Love of Jesus. So there we were standing in front of many Ugandans and only a handful of Mazoongoos (White People), a minority, and Jones implores the community to reach out their arms, literally. So the congregation was standing their with arms stretched out toward us to receive us with the loving touch of Jesus. Then Jones prayed for us to be received into the community as brother and sister, that we are now a part of the community there at New Hope and Kasana (the outlying village), that God would use us in their midst and that they would be used by God in our lives as well. We were and are truly blessed!
4 the Gospel,
Michael and Rachel
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Awesome Mike! And the eggs and beans - I miss them :)
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that the "community" has accepted you and Ra so freely. That's a testimony to their faith in Christ. The worship sounds great as well - although, please do not forget that much of their worship is cultural and doesn't mean that worship in churches in the states is wrong. Much of the worship here is bound ( I certainly do not negate that) but in many churches, it's not. If we sit and "worry about what our neighbor thinks" then that's our fault - not our neighbors. And even though our worship, as you clearly said , should be very biblical (in spirit and in truth) culture has played a part in how different people worship.
Anyway - we miss you all and we are keeping our promise to pray for you daily. I told our people on Sunday concerning quenching the Spirit that "one of the ways we do that is to negate the power of the gospel. But we sent Mike and Rachel Ervin to Africa with the knowledge that the gospel will go forth because we know Mike and Rachel." :)
We love and miss you dearly. Give our love to Keith, Laura, the kids and the body there. Reckless abandonment Mike - Reckless abandonment.
Thank you Pastor Scott for your pastoral insight. Yeah, I love how the Lord works in different cultures. Remember how it was different in Ireland? All for the glory of God. I agree with you that it's our fault if we worry about our neighbors thoughts. I will be guest blogging on Keith McFarlands blog about culture and how it shapes the way we view God, the Bible and how we live our lives. I will try and show how we need to be aware of our cultural blindspots by being confronted by God's worldview in the Bible. I will be interested in your comments.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Michael