A nonstop day of worship
Cindy Trane Christeson
“Every act of worship is its own justification. It is rendering to
God that of which he is worthy.” -- Eric L. Mascal
It was Sunday and it was a nonstop day of worship for me.
Obviously, any and every day are days to worship, but for me, last
Sunday was as surprising, enjoyable and varied as the weather has
been. I woke up excited about what God had planned for the day, as
well as the people and programs I was going to see or attend.
My morning began with an early service at Mariners Church in
Irvine. The worship music was beautiful, meaningful and clearly
worshipful. Pastor Bucky Dennis spoke about worship, and used
personal stories and illustrations that inspired me to worship God
more. He said that God is looking for those who are looking for him.
Bucky also said that we were created to worship God and challenged us
to think of worship as a lifestyle, not an event.
Bucky had many great lines, but one that really stayed with me is,
“Worship is God’s Gatorade. It’s the only thing that that will quench
our thirsty souls.”
I then headed across the bay to St. James Episcopal Church on Via
Lido. St. James is a wonderfully warm, inviting place filled with
people who love God and each other. It is also the church where I
grew up, where four generations of my family worshipped, and where my
husband, Jon, and I were married by the senior pastor and rector,
Father John Ashey. Many people grew in the knowledge and love of God
under Father John’s teaching during his more than 20 years at St.
James.
The Rev. David Anderson followed Father Ashey, and David served
St. James for 16 years. He is like family to my parents and many
others, and the ministries of the congregation have continued to
reach out and grow. I went to the 11 a.m. service last week and again
the sense of reverence and worship of God overwhelmed me. There are
three morning services at St. James, each very different, but all
wonderful and worshipful. It feels much like different generations of
extended families.
Last Sunday was the celebration of Anderson’s ministry at St.
James, and, after a year of prayerful search, the passing of the
leadership to Father Praveen Bunyan. People from countries around the
world were there, from as far away as Africa and India, to visitors
from nearby cities. It was abundantly clear to all that God called
David Anderson back to Atlanta and Praveen Bunyan to St. James. It
will be exciting to see what God has planned next for the
congregation.
It was a day of worship to be sure; not only inside buildings, but
also as I enjoyed the outdoor splendor of the day and a magnificent
sunset at night.
God clearly calls us to different situations, and styles and
houses of worship, and we have the freedom in this country to worship
where and how we choose. God is also lovingly calling us all to
worship him.
And you can quote me on that.
* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks
frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at
cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,
Newport Beach, CA 92658.
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