RevGals Friday Five

I was coming to my computer to post about how Luke's best friend is fixing our plumbing problem from earlier in the week, but then I saw this meme from the RevGals home page, and decided that it was a much better idea. After all, I wouldn't want to jinx the boys by commenting on how well the project is or isn't going before they are done. So, thanks to Songbird, here are the Friday Five:

1) What is your earliest memory of church?
When I was three or four, our Beginners Sunday School class went up to church to watch a Baptism. . Our priest was going to pour some of the water on our heads too, so we could see what it felt like for the baby. Now, when I was three or four, I was also terrified of water. I still don't like being under water, I still don't like putting my face in the water, and I never really did learn how to swim very well. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was about the idea of having a priest pour water on me in front of a whole lot of people. I started to cry. My Sunday School teacher picked me up, calmed me down and promised that I did not have to have the water on my head. She didn't yell at me, she didn't make me leave or make me feel bad for being scared. It was comforting and wonderful and welcoming.

2) How old were you when you first took Communion?
I don't remember exactly. In my church growing up, children were encouraged to take communion at a very young age, so I don't really remember not ever taking Communion. This was not the case everywhere in the Episcopal Church at the time - when I was about 9, we were visiting my grandma and went to the Episcopal church in her town. The priest turned me away at the altar rail because I was clearly not old enough to be confirmed. Boy, did my mom go through the roof.

3) What is your favorite Bible verse/passage?
That's crazy. That's like asking which is my favorite ice cream flavor - I love ice cream to much to have a favorite. Tonight, I think I will go with Ephesians 4:11-16. The part about God giving gifts to us, that we might then equip the saints for the work of ministry - that is the nutshell version of my theology of ministry. Plus, a couple verses later, Paul charges us to with "speaking the truth in love' - which is complicated enough that we could spend a lifetime of discipleship mastering just this one line of Scripture.

4) What verse/passage nicks you uncomfortably?
There are the obvious ones, the ones that some people believe mean that women or gay people should not be included in Church leadership, or you know, included in the Church at all. But the one that has been under my skin lately is Matthew 18:6-7. It seems inevitable that we will all become stumbling blocks to one another at various points in our lives. My best comfort here is that these verses come in the same chapter were we are given practical advice on reconciliation. Lord, have mercy on us all if we can't see that entire context.

5) What's your favorite hymn or praise song?
If I was really tech-saavy, I would know how to design an html thing that would change my answer for this question every time you clicked on my page... but I'm just not that person. So: My favorite praise song is "Prayer for A New Day" that I posted a couple days ago, written by my friend Hans. But, if we're going to talk about songs that someone else may actually know... then, it would have to be "How Can I Keep From Singing." At least, for tonight.

Alright, I'm going to see whats going on. I think the boys may be using a blow torch...