National Cathedral

I went to a worship service at the National Cathedral this morning. Unlike most "cathedrals", this one is not associated with the Catholic church, but rather the Episcopalian church.

It's been a LONG time since I've been to a church service that was so formal. I tend to enjoy contemporary praise music, with guitars, drums, and the like, and most of the churches I went to in College Station had that kind of style. Plus, the Lutheran church I grew up in isn't really your typical Lutheran church. Formality and respect is definitely an important part of worshipping God, the creator of the universe. Think of it this way: when people have weddings, they have big ceremonies that are planned out and have a protocol. There's just something about a ceremony that emphasizes the importance of an event. Formal church services can be viewed that way. However, while awed by the ceremony, something was missing during the service at the National Cathedral, and I think it was the personal connection to Christ and to others that occurs in an intimate, laid-back worship service. God deserves all of our honor and respect, but He also wants our hearts and our emotions. He wants us to approach Him, to love Him, to make Him an integral part of every aspect of our lives. I think there's a balance that needs to be found in a worship service between honor and respect and making the throne of grace approachable to all.

Worshipping in our nation's cathedral was certainly an experience that I'll remember, but it's not something I could do every week. The congregation there is very transient, people come and people go. People are from various backgrounds and various faiths. While the diversity would be very enriching, it would be hard to make that a church home. Being part of a church is more than just attending the services, it's about being involved and growing together with Christ and the congregation: knowing the ins and the outs, knowing the people around you, and the stuff going on behind the scenes. I learned this lesson the hard way on my internships up here. Since I knew I wouldn't be in the area very long, I didn't make it a point to get plugged into a church and find a church home. Don't get me wrong, I went to church. I probably visited every Lutheran church in a 20 mile radius from my apartment! And I went to Frontline at McLean Bible regularly. But I didn't go to small groups, Bible studies, or any extracurricular church activities. Part of me looks back and wishes I had done things differently, but part of me realizes that those experiences were just lessons to teach me to prioritize my life and prepare me to find a church home this time around, and wherever God leads me in the future. It's funny the way the Lord works; many times we don't know how He is preparing us or what He is preparing us for. But we must be faithful, one day at a time, listening to His voice and being a light unto the world. The National Cathedral is certainly a light unto the world. It has its place in God's plan in sharing the message of Christ with the world, as do all the little churches across the country and throughout the world that proclaim the Gospel of Christ.