Yesterday, my classmate sent me a text inviting me to attend church with her. In that moment, I realized that I have such a "no" reflex, especially to trying out new things, or to going places and doing things where I already have preconceived notions about how it's not going to be my cup of tea. Well, I surprised myself as I replied "yes" without hesitation. Although I had already had a vision for a household chores and homework Sunday, I allowed myself to be open to the invitation to have my day worked out in a way that I hadn't anticipated.
This morning, I got up, intent on being on time! Now, that's even a major thing for me, because I have a reputation for being late. I planned out my morning so that I had enough time to do what I said I was going to do (integrity). While maintenance on the trains made me 2 minutes late, we arrived just on time for the beginning of the service.
I walked in to a very foreign environment considering my history of religious experiences. In a dance studio in the Columbia Heights section of DC, people of different backgrounds had convened for worship. With each step, I got acclimated to the culture of the environment. The table for name tags was my first stop. I neatly markered in my first name on the familiar rectangular sticker and joined the crew of others who'd done the same; with my eyes, I perused the room and got introduced to the congregants without even uttering a word. Shortly after we arrived at our seats, the service began. I didn't know what to expect.
I took notice of how much at ease I was in unfamiliar territory. I didn't allow myself to judge or be nervous, I actually just surrendered to the moment. There was a amazing crew of musicians who rendered some jazzed up music that helped set the mood. A little into the service, three women stood up to sing; their voices reminded me of the distinct harmony of choirs from my boarding school. I found soul in the moment, and giving thanks for the words projected onto the ceiling, I joined in song.
The service moved forward, but consistently carried this energy of community. Everyone in the room was appreciated for their presence, and for the value that the diversity of their experiences added to the profound common intent of celebrating the greatness of God. There was even a designated moment for sharing, the intent of which was outlined in a section of the bulletin; this segment offered the opportunity for dialogue "about how our ethnic backgrounds have shaped our experience of the world (and God!) --with a focus on listening to our stories and learning about each other". The woman who got up to share happened to be a Howard alumna who spoke profoundly from her life experience, focusing specifically on the birth of her racial identity, and her lifelong commitment to experience the richness of life by "intentionally crossing cultures".
Moving forward with the sermon, the preacher bravely and honestly took on the conversation of sex and marriage. He lyrically drew parallels between the union of marriage and our relationship with God; in particular he shared that "marriage is a living illustration of the way that God relates to people". He shared a movie quote that says "when you make love to someone your body makes promises whether you do or not"; similarly, God offers Him/Her self to us in intimacy, vowing to give of Him/Her self to us even when we're running away. God's offering of Jesus was a way to say "I will give you my all in order to have you".
I thought the sermon unpacked this discussion in a way that I'd never heard or considered. I appreciated what was offered in this conversation, and left contemplating the posed question of: "What does my treatment of sex and sexuality tell me about my relationship with God?". Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm!
I left the church with a joy and peace filled spirit, and an opportunity to check out a high school based youth program where I may find opportunities to volunteer or even work.
Thank you Jessica for sharing this experience with me. It's amazing how much your world can open up sometimes when you just say "YES!".
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