Sunday in Alaska

Yesterday was of course Sunday.  And Ronnie and I had the chance to see how FBC Kotzebue does their worship services.  Sunday school started at 10 am.  Three classes in all.  Kids, youth, and adults.  We probably had close to 20 in our class and it was a really good class.  A lot less energetic and loud as our class- I mean that in a loving way :)- but good nonetheless.  A young man named Jake taught the class and we were talking about freedom in Christ (Jake is the local wrestling coach, apparently wrestling is as big as football at home).

After Sunday School, we started the service at 11:15 local time.  We sang several praise and worship songs being led by Tammy, the associate/youth pastor's wife.  This is where the difference in our two churches begins.  Apparently they have no pianist.  So the praise and worship songs were done via projector and a special DVD they purchased with the music and words running like a power point slide presentation.  Great songs, beautiful videos in background.....and very worshipful.  After those three songs, we had a fellowship time.  This lasted quite sometime.  It reminded me a lot of the church Amy and I were married in during fellowship time.  Everyone moved and everyone was greeted.  Everyone.  So it was nice and got to meet some nice people.  We even met a man from Columbus, MS who is up here building a seawall and road.  Mississippi is everywhere!

After the fellowship, John Forrester got up and we did praise and prayer request time.  It was really nice to hear people talk about what good things were happening in their lives and even the not so good things they needed help with.  For instance, a native woman named Minnie had just returned from Anchorage where she had been hospitalized for several weeks.  She got up and praised Him for His goodness, thanked the people for praying and then she sang a hymn....not sure the name but it was really nice.  And then she sang a verse in her native tongue.  That was simply amazing to me.  I have no idea what she said or even what language that was, but it was obviously worshipful and pretty.

After this time of prayer and praise, we sang a couple more songs out of the Baptist Hymnal a capella.  Yeah no music.  It was nice though (sorry Amy).  Different but good.  Then John gave his message.  It was a very evangelistic message out of Romans.  Very good sermon followed by the traditional invitation, again a capella.  We ended around 12:30ish. 

All in all a good service. I always enjoy seeing how others "do church".  Well, getting hungry so I'll leave off here.  More soon.....