Be thou My Vision

Currently Hearing: Heart of Glass by Blondie
Currently Feeling: Like Someone Put Drugs in My Coffee
Currently Wanting: To Ride My Bike
Currently Desiring: A Desk for My Apartment

So, I tried to put up some videos from the El Ten Eleven show I went to last night, but my computer did something crazy and I didn't feel like trying again.
Maybe later.

This morning, I went to an Episcopal church here in Pasadena for their service.

I had wondered what the church would be like, considering I had heard it was one of the most liberal churches in America.
It was quite an interesting experience. First of all, my friend and I went early to listen to a man from Little Rock who had been one of the first black students in their attempt to integrate the school system in Arkansas. He was very kind and humorous, and had some good things to say about racial relations. After that, I strolled out onto the lawn to see an assortment of booths for church "clubs" and communities. Being raised in the South, it was definitely surprising to see the Gay and Lesbian Association with their booth on the church lawn. Then, we went inside for Eucharist. The service had some good songs, including a personal favorite of mine - Be Thou My Vision. The liturgical aspect is always interesting to experience, considering I was raised in a totally different tradition. But, I can definitely appreciate it and really enjoy some of it. After that, I basically heard a sermon that would have passed over well among any religiously tolerant audience - as one of my friends put it - it was a good "moral lecture." It was definitely shocking to hear the priest refer to people who are against homosexual ordination as "morally blind."

The whole experience just got me thinking about the role of the Spirit in guiding believers. This is something that plagues my mind quite regularly. It seems that people from so many different camps and "wings" of Christianity believe they are living lives guided by the Spirit, yet people believe such diametrically opposed ideas. It is all so confusing to me. I guess none of that stuff won't be sorted out until the eschaton (maybe not even then, depending on what you believe!).