An Interesting Sunday So Far . . .
Molly and Nick invited me to go to Antioch (Mega) Church this morning with them and Samson. The new intern, Bethel (who arrived around 9 last night) went with us as well. The service was pretty holy-roller at first, with people leaping in the air and waving their arms during songs. I'm a bit used to that from when I visited that church in Huntingdon (UCC?) so it didn't bother me. It was just a bit distracting. =/ The actual service was pretty good =). The pastor said, "There's a movie called Les Miserables that's about . . . ." =P I thought that was cute and made me want to watch the movie again. I'm not sure if he called it a movie because the congregation would be adverse to listening about an opera or a virtual tome of a book, or if he didn't even know it was originally a book and opera. Hmm . . . I can't even remember if I downloaded the operatic version to my MP3 or not yet :-? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oni72Fl7xaw
Then they showed the clip where the priest gives Valjean the candle sticks as well as the silverware as a demonstration of life-saving grace. Lots of what the pastor said throughout the sermon was right on target and I didn't find many red-flags to worry about =). It was a good sermon. It's just not my cup of tea being such a HUGEMONGOUS church with giant powerpoint songs, video and YouTube clips, and their very own makeshift rock/pop/worship band.
Toward the end of the sermon they showed a clip of the 1992 Olympics in Sole where a runner was competing after tons of injuries, 5 separate surgeries, and plenty more trials. After gaining the lead he collapsed on the track after his hamstring basically exploded. We've all seen the part where his father leaps down out of the crowd and practically carries the runner the remaining 120 meters over the finish line. Father and son finished together and it's inspiring and very moving =). Right after the father tells one of the officials to buzz off and let him help his son, I felt Bethel's leg bumped mine a little and I thought maybe she was just relaxing a little and spreading out, maybe getting emotional. Then the woman to her right said loudly to me, "Oh my gosh! Is she diabetic?" And when I looked back over Bethel was passed out on that poor woman's shoulder! D= The woman asked me if she had health problems and I said that we just met and I didn't even know her. The man next to this woman switched seats with her and told someone to get Bethel some water. He and I began fanning Bethel and rubbing her shoulders, arms, and face asking her to wake up. When she came to (about 3 minutes later) we asked if she knew her name, which she did, and it was obvious that she was fine, but shaken up. A doctor came over and made sure that Bethel had some juice and asked if this happened regularly. She said that it maybe happened 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years and usually occurs when she gets extremely emotional and sad. The first time it happened her father was sent to the hospital and she collapsed in the waiting room. The doctor gave her his card and told her to get it checked out because she could be behind the wheel of a car next time she passed out. Molly and I rubbed her back during the last 5 minutes of the service (where there was a mass conversion event O_o) and Bethel finished her juice. We talked a little before we left and Bethel seems fine, but embarrassed and emotional. The 5 of us just got back to the dorm and Bethel is lying down for a while. She says she's fine, but I hope she gets it checked out soon. =(
At 2 I'm riding over with David, Nick, Samson, etc. to watch their soccer game!!!! \:D/ I'm so excited! They tell me that their team sucks (never won a game) but I don't care. I just want to watch some soccer and root for my peeps, lol B-)!!!!! I hope somebody goes with me, but if they don't come with me I don't care . . . I'm so there!!! WHOOOOOT!!! >=D
I just got back from the game . . . we lost 3-1 to some Mexican team wearing Argentinian jerseys and no one had heard of them before. =( The first half was scary bad D8 . . . I was getting worried that these guys had never played soccer before. But the second half was AWESOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!! We kicked butt and if the other team didn't score all 3 goals in the first half we would have easily beaten them! \:D/ They said that everyone only has time to practice once a week for 2 hours! So considering they NEVER get good practice time in, they are pretty darn good! I guess they have 8 more games until the season is over, so I hope to attend again next week =D. We talked about some new strategies in the car on the way back, and maybe they will work on those before next Saturday's game. =D
Then they showed the clip where the priest gives Valjean the candle sticks as well as the silverware as a demonstration of life-saving grace. Lots of what the pastor said throughout the sermon was right on target and I didn't find many red-flags to worry about =). It was a good sermon. It's just not my cup of tea being such a HUGEMONGOUS church with giant powerpoint songs, video and YouTube clips, and their very own makeshift rock/pop/worship band.
Toward the end of the sermon they showed a clip of the 1992 Olympics in Sole where a runner was competing after tons of injuries, 5 separate surgeries, and plenty more trials. After gaining the lead he collapsed on the track after his hamstring basically exploded. We've all seen the part where his father leaps down out of the crowd and practically carries the runner the remaining 120 meters over the finish line. Father and son finished together and it's inspiring and very moving =). Right after the father tells one of the officials to buzz off and let him help his son, I felt Bethel's leg bumped mine a little and I thought maybe she was just relaxing a little and spreading out, maybe getting emotional. Then the woman to her right said loudly to me, "Oh my gosh! Is she diabetic?" And when I looked back over Bethel was passed out on that poor woman's shoulder! D= The woman asked me if she had health problems and I said that we just met and I didn't even know her. The man next to this woman switched seats with her and told someone to get Bethel some water. He and I began fanning Bethel and rubbing her shoulders, arms, and face asking her to wake up. When she came to (about 3 minutes later) we asked if she knew her name, which she did, and it was obvious that she was fine, but shaken up. A doctor came over and made sure that Bethel had some juice and asked if this happened regularly. She said that it maybe happened 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years and usually occurs when she gets extremely emotional and sad. The first time it happened her father was sent to the hospital and she collapsed in the waiting room. The doctor gave her his card and told her to get it checked out because she could be behind the wheel of a car next time she passed out. Molly and I rubbed her back during the last 5 minutes of the service (where there was a mass conversion event O_o) and Bethel finished her juice. We talked a little before we left and Bethel seems fine, but embarrassed and emotional. The 5 of us just got back to the dorm and Bethel is lying down for a while. She says she's fine, but I hope she gets it checked out soon. =(
At 2 I'm riding over with David, Nick, Samson, etc. to watch their soccer game!!!! \:D/ I'm so excited! They tell me that their team sucks (never won a game) but I don't care. I just want to watch some soccer and root for my peeps, lol B-)!!!!! I hope somebody goes with me, but if they don't come with me I don't care . . . I'm so there!!! WHOOOOOT!!! >=D
I just got back from the game . . . we lost 3-1 to some Mexican team wearing Argentinian jerseys and no one had heard of them before. =( The first half was scary bad D8 . . . I was getting worried that these guys had never played soccer before. But the second half was AWESOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!! We kicked butt and if the other team didn't score all 3 goals in the first half we would have easily beaten them! \:D/ They said that everyone only has time to practice once a week for 2 hours! So considering they NEVER get good practice time in, they are pretty darn good! I guess they have 8 more games until the season is over, so I hope to attend again next week =D. We talked about some new strategies in the car on the way back, and maybe they will work on those before next Saturday's game. =D