It was an action packed weekend. Lunch with daughter #1 and a tour of her school's fashion display at the mall. The Up Country gig at the VFW - a fun time and a late night - but the new Les Paul sounds so twangy (that's right, split coils!), Easter service, brunch at the Tara Hotel complete with shrimp and prime rib, and a sleepy afternoon enjoying the warm weather with Mary Anne.One of my neighbors dropped into have a beer - good thing he brought his own - except for viewing the Ray Bolz video from yesterday, watching him guzzle a Rolling Rock maybe as close as I got to Jesus all weekend. As the sun sets though, it was all very nice.
Some days I'm a little ADD, and this Easter instead of concentrating on the resurrection, I became fascinated with communion - err - I mean the elements.
There is something about symbolism that makes us feel close to Jesus. I am not sure if it this is a place where I am the religious nerd I often write about, or if we've crossed the line. I am used to having a large loaf of bread with torn off pieces of bread or matzo along with grape juice. To me, those elements seem much more spiritual then a manicured round wafer stamped with a cross which I last had in the Anglican church 20 or so years ago - um until today.
There is nothing wrong with using a wafer for communion, you can put away your burning stakes. Honestly, I suppose as long as it is not Coca-Cola and potato chips, we are within the biblical realm - I think. Today, I simply lost focus because of the presentation. You know it has taken me decades to adjust from printed hymnals to computerized projected lyrics without the 4-part harmony written out in standard notation. So, what was the shocker today? Short of changing the biblical passages that speak of the crucifixion and the empty tomb to include the Easter Bunny, having prepackaged communion elements that look like coffee creamers, that's what!
Right, communion is all about the heart. Good for you. Next time you have communion, you think of me eying the communion creamer trying to figure out how to free the wafer without squirting the grape juice on the iPod controlled teenager in the next seat. Then you'll understand.BTW - I am little paranoid about these contraptions. Once when I was sitting at a coffee counter - let's just say very early in the morning after a night out, I tried to open one that sprayed the customer next to me. They cast a glance that could kill and I started laughing so hard-- well, it didn't end well.
We now have drive-thru confessionals, digitized music, simulcast sermons, Bible studies on DVD, and online prayers. Church is a little impersonal - or maybe I am just getting old. What's next 3-D worship with the Muppets, or fellowship in a box?
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