Explore! Part 1

On Sunday nights, when work commitments don't keep me from it, I come home from my travels on the UP road, change into my blue jeans and a sweater, and drive to Houghton. It's 51 miles from my door to Trinity Episcopal Church, where my friend Ginny is the rector.

At 7pm on Sunday nights, Trinity offers the Explore! service. It's a quiet, contemplative eucharist. We sing Taize chants and quiet hymns. We hear the Gospel reading, often in contemporary translation, and then we reflect on it. We pray. We share the peace. Moving into the sanctuay, we gather around the most beautiful altar I've ever seen. Made by a woman named Neely out of weathered wood from an old goat barn, this altar has character and life. Gathered around the altar, we hear the story of Jesus' life and death; we share the bread and wine. During the final hymn, several of us bring out coffee, juice, and home-made cinnamon rolls; we share more communion right there in the sanctuary from the barn-wood altar.

I try hard NOT to have other commitments on Sunday nights, because this time is life-giving for me. I arrive early; in the peace of this big beautiful church, I set out the pottery chalice and paten, the home made bread, the churchy port wine. Ginny and I move the altar into position and set the shim in place that keeps it from being tippy (Neely built it outside and discovered the ground was NOT level). I sing along as Deb (the pianist) and Rick (the singer) practice the music. Sometimes I help make service leaflets, or unlock the doors. All of that preparation grounds me; when I take my place in the front pew on the right hand side, and the service begins, all of the clutter of my day, my week, my life, falls away, and I am present. And praying. And thankful.