Mardi Gras, and Healing

Today I was in church all morning, three services. As it will be Lent starting Wednesday, we tried to pull out all the stops, singing-wise. At the ten o'clock contemporary worship service, two show-stoppers were the Swedish Song, "You are Holy" (in a Latin beat), and the African "We are marching in the Light of God." We closed with a lower-key gospel rendition of "Lord, You let your Servant Go in Peace." We always offer prayers for healing on the last Sunday of the month. I think it is one of the healthiest, most hopeful things we have done in the past year here. I'm always blessed as I pray for healing for others.

Meanwhile, in the fellowship hall, everyone was whooping it up. It was our annual Mardi Gras brunch and basket auction. The proceeds help us in our community organizing eforts. This year we are focusing on health care and education (I have written about the achievement gap previously.)

Our Mardi Gras brunch features two kinds of egg bake (with and without ham), fruit cups, sausage, juice, and coffee (we are Lutherans, you know: for us it's death, taxes and COFFEE). We also have a silent auction with baskets donated by different members of the church, and also by local businesses. There have been in the past: a knitter's basket, a gardener's basket, a reader's basket, devotional time baskets ... and a local grocery store puts together a wonderful "gourmet goodies" basket as well.

We also have face painting, and a cake walk. I saw three children new to our congregation each walk out of church today with a chocolate cake! One said that she is going to start coming here "all the time!"

"Well, we don't give away cakes every week," I replied. (she knew that, though.)

Another young man visiting is interested in learning about baptism. He is coming with a friend and doesn't know very much about faith.

It's not exactly a mountaintop, but I think I got a glimpse of the shining, today.