Today I went to my first service at a Lutheran church. I’ve obviously lived an ecumenically sheltered life. This happened to be the funeral for the elderly mother of one of Pam’s coworkers. It was a small church, and when I walked into the sanctuary, my initial thought was, “This looks like a typical United Brethren church.” Long and narrow sanctuary. Hardwood pews spaced close together. Hymnal racks. An attendance board (sans white numbers) hanging up front.
Then I started really noticing. The dual podiums (one big, one small). That slender pole thing between the podiums (probably had something to do with communion, I guessed). The beautiful quilted banners hanging along the sides of the sanctuary. The organ in the balcony. And the minister wearing a white robe with green symbols. Don’t see that every day in United Brethren churches.
The minister started the service in back, moved to the small podium, then switched for no apparent reason to the larger podium, where he talked for a bit. Then he walked to the back of the platform behind what I think is called the chancel, then he came back down front again. He didn’t stay in any one spot long. I don’t know if he had to go to the bathroom, or if, as record exec Bruce Dickinson instructed Gene the Cowbell Guy, he was just exploring the space.
Everything was scripted, and each of us held a copy of the script. When the minister said “Let’s pray,” I instinctively bowed my head. But then, in the midst of his prayer, suddenly the entire congregation uttered a response of some kind, and I realized he was simply reading his prayers from the bulletin, and we had a part to play, too. Interactive–they call it “liturgical”–praying. No keep-your-eyes-shut stuff in this church.
A green cloth hung down the front of the little podium. A symbol on front showed a small ship, its sail unfurled, with a cross for the mast. I’m sure it meant something. The cloth on the large podium bore a Stargate symbol–a triangle with a wavy cross etched over it, and a capital D atop the triangle. I think it represented planet P3X2475. I’ll check with Samantha Carter to be sure.
We also sang three songs…slowly…s-l-o-w-l-y. All four verses, some with different words than I was accustomed too. “Amazing Grace” featured a whole verse I’d never heard. And we recited the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 23, and the Apostle’s Creed. Pretty much covered it all, except for the Doxology.
Well, anyway, it was something new for me, and a bit strange. I’m sure that when Lutherans come to my church, it seems equally strange. And that’s good to remember.
