My smile is my offering; eating is my portion

Waiting for the bus to go to church!

Always in the mood for a diversity of experiences, I hoped in a taxi (convi) with Leslie, Andrew, Maren, Mallory, Kameron, and Lebo to go to the Christ - Citadel Internationl Church of Botswana located at Plot 36126, Mmamekue Street to fill me up with some gospel music.

Colorful laundry and flowers outside a house on our walk to the church. 

I've been to a Southern Baptist Service in New Orleans and found that was a good primer: joyous singing and dancing; greeting your neighbors with handshakes, high fives, and hugs; testimony by selected members; donation - immediately followed by more joyous music; ending with a sermon with scripture. June is the month/season of spiritual rains (which is ironic/fitting since it hasn't rained a drop since we've arrived here) and the theme was repeated with imagery of a showering of blessings to fall upon us - adding value to our lives.

The church was covered with blue and white cloth on the rafters, supports, and walls creating a comfortable flowing atmosphere, especially with light streaming through the fabric.  Initial music selections were pulled form a small blue spiral bound book called Hymns of Faith.

Apparently Lebo takes singing lessons; look at those furrowed eyebrows.

When asked for donations I almost fell over on the gigantic guilt trip the pastor pulled on the congregation.  "Holding back your offering is stealing from the church," he said. Then he asked for the congregation to call back response, "I am not a robber, I am a giver ... I add value where ever I am." 

I was unconvinced by the trip, but that didn't stop me from donating.  I appreciate what congregations can provide for a community: a central location to gather and share love and music with new and old friends; a sense of security and safety.  I see church largely as social tool - herding people to a focused mindset and allowing them to pick between narrowly defined hyperbolic alternatives while asking them to ignore the nuanced positions in between.  However, I think atheists and non-church goers miss out on the collaborative element of a service that can bring power to ideas.

I don't need an afterlife to love the life I got.

In the New York Magazine article "Do Atheists Need A Church of Their Own: If God Is Dead Who Gets His House," Tim Gorski, a Texas physician, who started the North Texas Church of Freethought, is quoted: “[Church] binds people together and relates them to one another and gives them each a personal, private, and, of course, quite subjective understanding of themselves and their world.” [1] From my two hour service, I can say the C.I.C. certainly performs this duty.

The sermon was focused  on the phrase "Eating is my portion" and was alluding to digesting the word of Christ. This part of the sermon came at a time when I was remarkably hungry and the message resonated within my belly. 

Today I have been working on my final report and tonight we are going to have a BBQ hosted by Andrew Wang.

~

Reference:

[1] http://nymag.com/news/features/46214/index1.html