Take This Bread

Greg and I worshipped this morning at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church. It was a unique blessing. The service began standing around the Lord's Table with singing. The strong vocal leadership of the choir helped those of us less familiar with the liturgy and songs to join in. We then moved to a part of the sanctuary where we were seated in rows of chairs facing one another to hear God's Word read and proclaimed. It took some getting used to following along with what is often more chanting that singing, but it was beautiful nonetheless. After the service, there was tasty food to be enjoyed as worshippers mingled and quietly and warmly delighted in the unique worship space. Greg and I had the privilege of meeting Sarah Miles, author of the book, Take This Bread, and more recently, Jesus Freak. We also met Juan Alejo, a seminary student who is one year from becoming a Catholic priest. He is from Mexico and has hopes of serving a bilingual church in San Francisco. Meredith Holladay is a young women we met from Waco Texas. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, just finished a PhD, and is doing some teaching at Baylor University. She is hoping to serve a church in her denomination which is, interestingly, baptist and in an alliance with other baptist churches that formed in separation from the Southern Baptists.
We felt very welcomed this morning and thankful for the people God placed in our path. Both Greg and I are full of gratitude today for the gift of sabbatical.