I just have to be honest regarding the worship service
By Francisco Nolla
Francisco Nolla is part of the Wisconsin Annual Conference and attends the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. [email protected]
When I was asked the question “What do you love and hate about Sunday Service?” I laughed. It isn’t every day you get asked this question to write about, yet it is something that it’s interesting and not always discussed at church. My parents were pastors, so I grew up in the church. I always liked the moment of the sermon because I was sent to the nursery. I remember hating Sunday School since every class was either about Noah, Jonah, or how God created the Earth. I always found it boring, as I knew all the answers to the point where the teachers wouldn’t call on me. Unfortunately, we can’t always remain kids and times change.
To be honest, there are many things I dislike about Sunday Service. In many churches, I have noticed a lack of order. I hate distractions, especially when you are trying to focus during the service. Children crying or running around the sanctuary, as if it were a playground. It is a huge distraction throughout the service. There is a reason why we have a nursery in church. These issues hinder our capability to focus on God.
I also don’t like when people show up late. I do not understand why we cannot be on time. And it does with being late, when they show up they interrupt the service by saying “Hello!” and “God Bless You!” or start talking about the football game that is going on during the service. I admit that we are not perfect, so we won’t be able to produce the perfect service, but there are things we can do to make them better, as we should strive to do our best for God.
Enough with the hate and let us move on to what I love most about Sunday Services. What I love the most is the fact that you are given the opportunity to worship God in communion with others. The best thing in the world is hearing 200 people singing “How Great is Our God”, I truly meaning it. To be able to hear those words come from 200 people, in our church, thanking Him for what He has done, how good He has been to us, and how there is no one else like Him, that is truly special. We are the body of Christ and when we come together to worship him there is nothing more beautiful than that. It is like a taste, the size of a grain of salt, of what heaven will be like. Can’t wait!
Dios nos guía a adorarle como se merece
Por Reyna Nicia Palacios
Reyna Nicia Palacios es miembro de la IMU La Resurección, en Lake Geneva, WI, y asiste a la Universidad de Wisconsin. [email protected]
En las últimas semanas, he podido ver un nuevo movimiento en nuestro servicio de adoración, los domingos. En los años que he sido parte de esta congregación, he podido experimentar los momentos difíciles, pero también he gozado de las victorias. Algo que creo que nos separa de muchas iglesias es la forma en que alabamos, ya que tal vez no es la más tradicional. En la mayoría de las iglesias hay un grupo de alabanza que dirige el tiempo de adoración. En nuestra iglesia, por más de dos años, hemos carecido de un grupo de alabanza. Al principio, pareció ser una carga que no podríamos sobrellevar, pero nos dimos cuenta que, con o sin grupo, Dios está presente en nuestros servicios. No es que hayamos dejado de lado la idea de tener un grupo de música sino que Dios siempre tiene cosas que enseñarnos. Mucho tiempo pasamos quejándonos por esta situación, pero Dios nos dio una solución. Resolvimos el problema mediante la tecnología. Por varios meses, hemos recurrido al uso de videos musicales con los cuales se dirige la alabanza del servicio dominical.
Una de las luchas que tenemos durante el servicio de adoración y que, lamentablemente, no hemos podido resolver, es el desorden causado por los niños. Mucha gente se queja y piden que haya cuidado de niños, pero no son muchos los que se ofrecen para hacerlo. Los que lo hacen no persisten en el desarrollo de este programa. Con el favor de Dios y la ayuda de los padres de familia, sé que lograremos vencer este obstáculo para poder tener un servicio de adoración como se debe, y así dar honor y gloria a Jesucristo.
Why I love Sunday Service
By Francennett Herrera
Francennett Herrera graduated from Philander Smith College in April of 2011, and now attends the Clinton School of Public Service of the University of Arkansas. [email protected]
At the age of 18, I began my college career at Philander Smith College, which is Methodist affiliated. One of the school’s requirements for freshmen is to attend Chapel every Thursday. The service is led by Rev. Ronnie Miller Yow, Senior Pastor at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, a church located on campus.
After the first service at this church my spiritual life made a 180 degree turn which led to a different and better life style. I had never in my life felt so welcomed and such a sense of belonging, so powerful to the point to where I started to cry for no reason.
The service was energetic, the people were loving and caring, the choir was amazing, and the pastor had a genuine love for his congregation. What affected me even more was that finding this new feeling happened at the perfect time in my life, when I was beginning college away from home, it was like fate.
I have been a member of this church for four years now and it has been a major part of my success as a person and as well as a student. From the beginning, the support system I received from the church has been immense and life influencing. They have helped me with everything from a scholarship for books, to prayer that I had needed immensely in times of struggle. Besides, the congregation was comprised mainly by college students, which in addition to an energetic and wise pastor, kept the environment young and alive. My spiritual growth has been so great in measure that I do not know how I would have survived the hard times if I had not made the decision to attend this church. I have found a second family that has greatly influenced my life thus far and will continue to do so.
Me gusta que la tecnología sea parte del servicio dominical
Por Keren Rodríguez
Keren Rodríguez es miembro de la IMU Nueva Esperanza, en Grand Rapids, MI. [email protected]
Hay muchas cosas que me gustan acerca del culto dominical, una de ellas es la música. Me gustan mucho las canciones que elije el ministro de alabanza. Sobre todo ver que a la congregación misma alabando es algo muy motivador y especial. El mensaje del pastor es reconfortante y renovador. Me encanta ver que nuestra iglesia metodista tiene un enfoque para ayudar a la gente a través del mundo. Esto lo escucho en sermones acerca de la justicia, la paz y de ayudar a los demás. Además, salimos de nuestros locales para ayudar al necesitado que está afuera.
Me gusta que la tecnología haya sido integrada en el servicio. Hace mucho más fácil el servicio y mantiene la atención de las personas, sobre todo de los jóvenes. Durante el servicio, vemos videos, anuncios y diferentes tipos de cosas. Esto me encanta porque saca a los jóvenes de la idea que la iglesia es aburrida, cuando en verdad no lo es.
el Intérprete, enero-febrero, 2012
By Francisco Nolla
