From Mormon to Methodist and back again; Reading the map, The trail head and Trail marker #1

So this is it, the begining of the trail. Thanks for taking the journey with me, I always love company.

Reading the map

This first trail started out innocently enough but turned into the scenic route so.... to give this trail its due, I think I will divide it into 4 different legs. Each leg will have a trail marker, a place that I stopped and contemplated on a different element of the journey. The markers are entitled...culturally interesting, historically fascinating, lovingly endearing and faith confirming.

Trail head

So, I got to be a Methodist yesterday. Tod's Grandmother, Barbara Haug (Grandma Barbara for those of you who know her), attends the First United Methodist Church of Costa Mesa. Yesterday they celebrated the Ruby Jubilee (80th anniversary...to the day) of the dedication of the building. The building was dedicated Sunday, July 24, 1928.

Trail Marker #1 Culturally Interesting

I guess somewhere along the line, I missed out on attending another types of church services on the Sabbath. I guess I have always attended the LDS Church on Sundays. I have however attended a Catholic Funeral Mass, and a born again Christian wedding but that is the extent of my, "Religious exploration." I have never really walked inside of a traditional sanctuary, sat down and listened to a sermon so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I knew before hand that the minster was a woman. I also knew they were not going to be using the LDS King James Version.

Well we were late, of course, but it was a very interesting feeling that I had as we were walking in. I felt a sense of reverence at walking into this church, maybe out of respect for all the people over the last 80 years that had walked through those same doors looking to get closer to God. There was a history and a tradition here of religious desires to find and follow God and his teachings. I very much felt that, respected and embraced that spirit. A couple of older gentlemen greeted us at the door and handed us a program and helped us get to our seats.

The next thing I noticed was the aging population. I was expecting an older crowd. Expecting and seeing are two different things. I kid you not when I say the median age was about 67 years old, and that was with all of the, "younger," visitors who came just for the occasion. Tod and I, His brother and wife Sherri and cousin Kern, were the babies in the group. There were NO CHILDREN. We choose to send our kids to Abuelo and Abuela's house because I didn't know how well they would sit through a sermon with no primary to follow. I didn't have a problem with taking my kids to a different church, just didn't want them to disrupt the ceremony. It turned out to be a good decision because there was lots of talking and remembering. Madelyn and Spencer would have been bored out of their minds and Tod said he would have been outside with the kids most of the time. All old people...no children...so different than what I experience each week at church. In some ways it was nice. I could hear what the Pastor was saying. I could concentrate on what the Pastor was saying...and I tried very hard to understand what the Pastor was saying. I think a little bit got lost in translation. Methodist transponder to Mormon receiver, not always a clear signal.

One of the things that I found interesting was the opening prayer spoken by the minister and congregation together.

"O Gracious Father, we humbly beseech thee
for they holy Church; that thou wouldst be
pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace.
Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in
error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss,
reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it
is in want provide for it; where it is divided,
reunite it; for the sake of him who died and
rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession
for us, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
(from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)


It made me want to say, "Well if you really believe that, I have the answers for you," but didn't feel it was appropriate at the time of the events. Ha Ha

It was culturally very interesting to see a glimpse of life through the Methodist's perspective. I am glad I had the opportunity.
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Keep watch for the next trail marker, " Historically Fascinating."