Church News: November

Two views of Trinity Lutheran Church from two very different generations, 50 years apart in age. When asked if they enjoyed having pastors from the Lutheran, Episcopal, and Interfaith churches rotate at Trinity, here is what they said!

From AmandaLyn Wayland

(granddaughter):

 Growing up, I always thought “non-denominational” meant something akin to pantheism. Sure, we talked about God in a very Christian sense, Biblical stories as general moral litmus tests. But our minister was Jewish, and travelers of many faiths would stop by at our little sanctuary while passing through town, getting to share what their relationship to a higher power meant to them. During the holidays, we’d have three days of celebration, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa all getting their time in the spotlight.

There was a time when my mom got really, really, sick, where I swore that I reached out for answers and got nothing back. It left me a little cold, a little bitter, and I latched onto atheism vehemently for many years. The past few years, though, through encounters, conversations and studying on my own, I’ve managed to find my way back to an agnostic-pantheist balance, where I find a lesson in every shape of faith and reflection in the room for doubt.

The opportunity to hear multiple ideas and theologies is a great gift, even if a person is monotheistic. In cultural anthropology, I learned about the evolution of religion and its correlation to societal size and structure. Often, the smallest groups subscribe to Animism, where animals have spirits that offer life lessons and guidance; tribes growing into the triple digits will often incorporate ancestral worship, calling upon past and future generations for insight. Chiefdoms which were large enough for people to be assigned a single job in their community, will begin giving thanks to the gods of their specific trades and priorities. This is polytheism. Finally, in larger communities, these multiple entities are conflated to the point where a single higher power is credited and beloved for connecting individuals across a great community. I think that all these ways of connecting to faith say something remarkable about the human condition and spirit, and I find myself pondering each at varying points in my life.

I do attend Jazz Vespers as often as I can, and I love hearing what pieces of themselves people are eager to share with their community. Everyone has a story, and how they present themselves through it can be the most fascinating puzzle piece of all. Music, too, is a powerful emotive, a string of energy connecting each speaker to the next, and a persistently tangible reminder to the audience to sit with whatever has been inspired to come to the surface to demand reflection. Spiritual or not, something larger is at play when humans gather together to talk, sing, listen, feel and share in space.

From Barbara Wayland

(grandmother):

Time is moving at an ever-increasing pace and many of us are feeling it. Trinity has for many of us become a refuge from life’s pressures. All are welcome and made to feel at home. Our musicians play solos and accompany the hymns. Two Sundays ago, our very talented pianist, Allison Chu, played a work so complex and beautiful that I was amazed she only had two hands. Our ministers and guest pastors do an amazing job speaking from the pulpit, offering messages both uplifting and instructive.

Many of you have a church home. If you do not, we invite you to worship with us on any Sunday and be sure to join us afterward in the social hall for great conversation and refreshments. The fifth Sunday of the month offers Jazz Vespers in lieu of a morning service. Check the All Point Bulletin for dates, times and speakers.