Harvest Time Church

At the start, I said there would be comments about my church, etc. Well, this is as good a time as any to introduce you to my church. All my life (almost,all my life) I have been active in one church or another. But it has always been a Methodist church except for a time when I was in high school and we had a pastor I didn't like personally. So I would go to Sunday School at the Methodist church, then run two blocks down the street to the Baptist Church for the actual church services. One day the pastor caught me going out the door and asked me where I was going. Mom of course, was staying for church. Well, I guess you know, that was the last time I went to the Baptist Church. Over the years, I have always been active in the church, except for a period of three or four years, when I didn't go to any church at all. I even attended, and completed their courses as a certified lay speaker twice. This "qualified" me to conduct services in any Methodist Church. I could not perform any of the rites of the church, but I could preside over the worship services. Somehow I never really felt adequate for this position, even though I was "trained" for it. Judy & Steve have long attended church at Pentecostal type churches, and have at times asked me to attend with them. I would go, and then go home, saying, "That's not for me. I like my church a little more on the refined (quieter) side." In 2008, I was attending the Methodist Church about nine miles south of Yuba City (Grace Methodist). In fact, I was acting as alternate organist. I had been playing for church for two or three weeks while the regular organist was on vacation. I came home one Sunday, and decided I had had it. I called Judy a day or two later and told her I wanted to go to church with her the next Sunday. I wish I could have seen her face. I think she was probably very surprised. So, on Sunday, they picked me up, and all the way to church (in the town of Lincoln, about 30 miles away) Judy and Ruth kept saying, "You realize we are Pentecostal. You know we do get a little noisy at times." My answer was "Yes, I know that". It was over 6 months before I missed a Sunday morning service. I made most of the Wednesday night services and many of the Sunday night. I still have some problems with some of the things about that church, but I have neverbeen back to a Methodist Church, and have no desire to go back. We are a part of the Pentecostal movement, but are actually "Word of Faith" believers. We look to Kenneth Hagen, and Kenneth Copeland for spiritual guidance.

In "our" church, we have an average Sunday morning attendance of 150 +, almost evenly divided between men and women. There are special classes for children from infancy to junior high school. And, the regulars include all ages, the oldest being in their 90s. We are a very active church, with many weekday acticities - prayer services, Bible Studies, group meetings. And there are the things that take place only once or twice a month. On certain Sunday evenings, they have what they call "Alternative Church" which is intended for the teenagers. I have never attended one of these, because I understand it is very active. On Sunday afternoons, they have a Spanish language service. One of the Pastors (Pastor Dan) is Spanish, and he and his wife, who is also a Pastor conduct this service. Usually about once a month we have an activity intended for those over 50. This group usually goes out to lunch together, to a play in one of the theaters in Lincoln, Roseville, or even Woodland. Last week they went to the auto races in Roseville. It is a real fun group. I am what I call the "corresponding secretary" of this group, in that I send cards (Birthday, sympathy, get well, or just thinking of you) to the various members on occasion. There are over 100 people in this group. I say "Members" but there is no charge. You just have to sign up, so we have the essential information. Tami makes a news letter about every two or three months, and I make the envelopes, and mail the letters. We had our all-church picnic a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun. It was held at the home of one of the church members, out in the foothills north-east of Lincoln. There were about 150 there, and it was really a beautiful day - in every respect.

I didn't realize how involved, excited, impressed or whatever, I am with this churh. For various reasons, I only get to go once or sometimes twice a week, but if I miss the Sunday morning service, I really feel I have missed something that has become a very real part of my life. Incidentally, if you would like to see what I am so excited about, go to www.htclincoln.org and check us out.

Enough for now, see you tomorrow (probably).