day one; Washington trip

              So I’m here on a clergy study trip sponsored by the Department of Social Development at Stormont to have a look at some community projects which are faith based and significantly impacting their communities in the city of Washington. Am part of an overall group of 16 clergy, half in Washington and half in Pittsburgh and the end result will be a report and a presentation for the DSD and hopefully some developments and encouragements towards faith based community ministry in Northern Ireland.

        This morning for me was a visit to a local church here in the city, so I decided to get a different Baptist experience by attending the Metropolitan Baptist Church, a large black Baptist church in downtown DC. Their pastor rejoices in the name of Dr H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. Sounded like a guy born with authority to me!!  Today is the beginning of the 19^th Black church Week of Prayer for the Healing of Aids  so that was the prayer focus of the service. The banners at the front of the church declared the church’s vision and mission and that they are currently in the season of Humanity, manifested by 40 days of random kindness.

       Right from the start there was such a sense of the presence of God. The worship group, praise leader, the 40 strong choir robed in yellow and purple, the robed male and female clergy, the white robed Dr Beecher Hicks himself led powerfully, enthusiastically, energetically, vocally, verbally, prophetically a large and growing congregation, with we three whites in the almost back row, in worship. Oh for a bit of this passion I thought, the service punctuated with shouts and cheers, frequent rounds of applause, people standing up, raising hands and waving arms. There was a bit of performance to it but it had energy and engagement by the ton!! The flow of the Spirit led into response and free flowing worship and praise. The singing became even more excited as we sang about how great it was to be in the service and then mercy there was great and grace was free. We were sitting under the balcony and at one point looked up to see the ceiling above us moving up and down as the people above us bounced and danced about!!!  The choir led us with such passion that by the end the whole church was on its feet in heartfelt praise to God. Newcomers were greeted and asked to stand and given a gift. Then hugged to within an inch of our lives!! New members were received and welcomed with the singing of leaning on the everlasting arms. An hour and a half had passed and we hadn’t even arrived at the sermon yet!!  Or the offering of the tithe.  

        At the start  of  the printed order of service there were the words  “from world to worship”,  while at the end of the same order were the words “from worship to service” as we left. Interesting perspective. Challenging.

 

 

     This afternoon we visited the United States Holocaust Memorial. Incredibly moving, heart rending, sobering realities of the attempted extermination of the Jewish nation and of other groups of people. The story of the marginalization of the Jewish people and of the so called final solution of the death camps and the gas chambers. One of the most poignant images still in my head was the massive pile of shoes left by those who died. Thousands and thousands of pairs of worn out shoes, decaying now but each one representing  a life lost. So moving. It reminded me of the depths of the fallenness of the human heart and of the value of each human life. Of the potential within all of us to prejudice and the need to confront such attitudes within myself and others. And in a rapidly changing society like ours with many people from all sorts of backgrounds and races now coming to our shores, the challenge to love and accept and value and help others in Jesus’ name.

         

 

Gordon  McDade