Four Churches in Four Weeks

Completely unplanned but not altogether upsetting, I will hit up my fourth different church in four weeks this coming weekend. St. Andrew's Church, Syracuse, NY Three Sundays ago, I attended church with Fr. Bob Hackendorf and my other beloved friends at St. Andrew's Anglican Church down on the south side of Syracuse.  St. Andrew's is an Anglican Mission church, which I am a huge fan of. Thoroughly enjoyed the Anglican mass with real wine and the very friendly congregation.  This was meant to be a field trip for some of my friends in Rome who are interested in planting an Anglican Mission church in Oneida County (see web site here) but only one of them attended. Heard one of the best sermons I had heard in a very long time as Fr. Bob talked about fear.  He closed with an illustration talking about impala -- the animal, not the Chevy.  Apparently impala can jump 10 feet high and 30 feet long -- which is a first down!  But impala can also be kept in a zoo with a fairly short wall.  Why?  Because impala won't jump where they can't see where their feet will land.  Point well taken in my life. Catalyst Church, Syracuse, NY Two weeks ago I was the emergency guest preacher at Catalyst Church, where we usually attend, as the Mazz and his wife had a death in the family and out of town funeral.  Preached on God as creator using Gen 1-2, fitting right into Mazz's series on Hills We Die On -- on foundational Christian beliefs.  It's not on the web yet.  My sermon recalled the esteemed Dr. John Weborg's lectures about creation and the great equalizer: we all have the "same breath, same clay".  I am extremely thankful to Mike Mazzye for the opportunity to preach and grateful to all the good people at Catalyst who give me so much love, affirmation and encouragement. Redeemer Covenant Church, Liverpool, NY Last week I attended my home church, Redeemer Covenant Church in Liverpool, where I got to make a presentation on behalf of the Great Lakes Conference Board.  It was great to be with Pastor Mark Mosher and the people of Redeemer.  So many memories as I sat there.  I was deeply moved by their worship team's playing of Mighty to Save.  Not many churches can say they are a "grandmother" church as Redeemer planted Grace Covenant Church in 1992 and now Grace has planted Catalyst. Family Worship Center, Liverpool, NY This week I am excited to attend the Family Worship Center on Morgan Rd. in Liverpool to attend church with my father-in-law and his wife.  It's somehow connected to the Brooklyn Tabernacle and Jim Cymbala.  He already prepared me that the service is about 2 hours long.  I'm hoping this will be a good experience.  It will be the first time we have ever gone to church with them and the first time my kids will have gone to church at their grandparents place of worship.  I'm looking forward to this inter-generational event.