Jul 31, 2011 18:59
Orientation is tomorrow and my first internal medicine rotation starts on Tuesday. They put me down in Kingsport for my first rotation, which means I'll be 6 minutes from the nearest available Lutheran church instead of 50, for four weeks. I went there this morning. This church is confusing me.
"Heritage Worship (Traditional)" at 11 AM. It's such a sad thing that the historic liturgy is given a name, like a gimick, to get people to come to the church. Though there's a certain Schadenfreude when the contemporary service is relegated to 8 AM - let them get up earlier. The pastor actually did chant parts of it, including the prayers. The acoustics of the triangular sanctuary are great, no microphone required, and the people there can actually sing, with accompaniment of both trumpet and violin. It looks like there's Communion at that service every Sunday.
One of the ushers, a woman, did the Old and New Testament readings and the responsive psalm between them. From the pulpit side. And the Pastor did the Gospel reading from the lectern side and gave the sermon there. And that greeting thing was thrown in, when I just want to be left alone. The bulletin and website show a lot of gimicky slogans and program names too.
He crossed his thumbs like at Redeemer (and which apparently irritates the Seminary), yet has never been there. I kind of think they're confused too.
But I need a church, and especially the Lord's Supper, lest I die.