of Praise in fierce competition with the other creating one giant cacophony of noise.It's a like the churches meeting today at the same time where they'll all compete for God's attention at the same time by singing, praying loudly, dropping coins in gold plates and a lot of talking.
Being God and all, everything's heard at the same time and it must come across like a lot of noise without much action.
It's mostly religious competition.
It reminds of the old joke that when the Baptist Church was singing "Will there by any stars in my crown" the Methodist Church next door was singing, "No Not One."
It's funny because it's mostly true ... most churches are businesses competing for customers, investments, publicity and "Yard of the Month" awards.
I know, I know ... your church is different!
Yours is the only one that meets your specific needs and you enjoy it!
At the same time, every other church in the world wants you ... your time, talent, money, voice and help winning "Yard of the Month."
Yesterday Samuel Adams, who plays damn good live music on the island whenever he gets around to it, and I took a walk on the Pier.
It was a beautiful sunny day with blue skies, lots of people enjoying the beach and Davy the drummer was fishing.
Sam wanted to talk about Church, specifically Bar Church which he founded and I'm an occasional participant.
Bar Church doesn't have a building.
We borrow a bar and there's no chance in Hell we'll ever win "Yard of the Month."
It doesn't proselytize either because nobody really cares who comes!
Whoever does show up hears good rock music glorifying God, eats breakfast if they want, listens to a low key sermon if they want or walk outside to smoke if they don't.
On this Palm Sunday, I'm participating ... meaning I'm preaching and playing in the Band again.
Sarah's not so sure any of this yet and is non-committal.
I hope she comes but everybody will want her to sing and there's always the chance if she took control of the matter Bar Church could win "Yard of the Month."
Regardless, it strikes me that Jesus sent some Disciples to borrow a Donkey so he could ride into Jerusalem all those years ago today to do what God wanted.
Bar Church borrows a building to do what God wants.
There's something magnificently illogical about both!
The sun bursts through the branches of the Palm Tree with the oyster eyes, coconut bra sans the grass skirt ... and the imagery makes me lough out loud.
