Ordinary Summer Sunday

I had a hard time thinking of announcements. What was going on that was special? It was just another summer Sunday, just about the time of year that people start permanently drifting northward, or vacationward, for the rest of the summer.

But ordinary time is never quite ordinary.

It was a lovely morning out on the lawn. Though there were no big special announcements, at the end of the service I had a special recognition and prayer for the Senior Pastor, who celebrates the 40th anniversary of his ordination this weekend. Everyone clapped. There are some times it IS ok to clap in church, I said.

We sang the wonderful song, All Are Welcome, this morning, at both services. And we closed with Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service. We baptized the little girl who lives next door to me at the 10:00 service. When I said, "Let us welcome the newly baptized!" -- everyone clapped! There are some times it is ok to clap in church, but this is the first time we have clapped after a baptism.

We had a number of babies babbling lightly throughout the service. I greeted a tall man and his little girl after the service, and complimented him. "She makes me look good," he said.

And after the service I went to visit a church member in Intensive Care. I almost didn't go. Major highway through town is closed this weekend, making it a headache to get to this particular hospital. But when I walked into the set of Intensive Care rooms, I saw a familiar name on an adjoining room. I peeked in and saw that another woman from my congregation was there as well. These two patients know each other, but not primarily from church: they have been treated for the same issues. I prayed for them both; they are concerned about each other as well.

Ordinary time. But it's never completely ordinary, if you can really see.