Churches on the Road

Last week, I went with our son to the church that my father-in-law had served for 9 years, while my husband was in the 2nd through 9th grades. Over the last 29 years, I have attended it from time to time while in IN. There is a new pastor this year, another woman following the last pastor who was also a woman. The current pastor is still in seminary evidently. She did an okay job. Her sermon was adequate. She used an illustration from the movie Seabiscuit about how God does not throw us away when we are wounded. It was a good one. I later made clips from the dvd of it that my sister-in-law has.

Today, my son and I went to the church that my other brother-in-law attends in South Bend. He's still up in MI where we stayed with him this week. This is a new pastor as well, however, he has more experience, having just served as a DS. His illustrations were also good. In addressing the parable where the rich man planned to build bigger barns to hold his wealth, but was to meet his end that night, he gave examples of persons who are wealthy and who have used their wealth to give to others, as well as those who have used their wealth just for themselves, building bigger and bigger barns.

It is hard as a pastor not to critique worship services and sermons. I was aware that in some ways I was "grading" each of these services, but I also tried to simply be present as we worshiped our God who gave everything so that we may live in grace.