conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

musings...worship communities

I don't know why, but the last two or three mornings I have had this post working in my mind. What worshiping communities have I participated in during my lifetime? I was part of each of these communities to a significant degree to make a difference to me...maybe not to them, but to me. Some are congregations where I served as a musician. Others I saw as my home church...or a sanctuary of some kind. Others are a combination of those dynamics...Anyway, where have you worshiped?

These are listed chronologically. In some cases, I was participating in more than one community simultaneously. For example, I lived at Richmond Hill for four years. We were encouraged to find a church as well. So, while I was there I sang at First Presbyterian and then at Holy Comforter. In Chicago, I still sing at St. Peter's from time to time...rarely now, but it does happen. You get the idea.

St James the Less, Ashland, VA (I was baptized here.)
St Matthew's Episcopal Church (We went here for a brief period in the '70's.)
Canon Memorial Chapel (college campus ministry)
Ginter Park Baptist (the first seminary hangout)
First Presbyterian, Richmond (bass soloist)
Richmond Hill (residential Christian community)
The Church of the Holy Comforter, ECUSA (I attended for two years? Three? Loved it! Still do.)
Holy Name Cathedral (My first choral gig in Chicago. I sang for the Cardinal! Ooo.)
St. Luke's, Evanston (This was my sanctuary between gigs as a soloist in Chicago. For a while I was just subbing in places and would come here on off Sundays.)
St. Peter's in the Loop (A Franciscan cathedral...I was in the schola and would sneak in for worship at lunch.)
North Shore Baptist Church (I was the bass soloist for several years, and eventually joined. This is the church that ordained me.)
Seabury Western Theological Seminary (Worship, worship and more worship!)
Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler (You likely know about this already.)
Community Church of Wilmette (I am learning how to worship as the senior pastor. It's tricky!)

Well, there you have it...a post-modern confusion of Christian faithfulness. My mother sometimes reads the blog...So, Mom, if you find that anything is missing from childhood, let me know. I think we visited someplace between St James and St Matt's. But I am not sure.

Otherwise, between St. Matt's and college, as far as I can recall, I did not attend anywhere...I visited my step-grandfather's church (Park Place, Baptist) a few times. And every now and again I would go to church with a girl I dated in High School, but that was it.

Still, seen in "list form," that is a lot of church. Gee.

Posted by tripp at May 9, 2007 11:43 AM