The plans for Sunday's home visit meant we were free to attend an English speaking service. This was held at Christ the King, an Anglican Church in the centre of Mbeya.
The English speaking service is one of three held in the morning - and fits between two larger Swahili services. The congregation of about 30 was made up of ex-pats and locals, and the service took around about an hour. After attending a few two hour plus meetings it was a nice change.
Sharing in a planned and prepared liturgy was something different for us. The readings allowed for some individuals to participate, and responsive readings and prayers engaged us all. The value of repeating some prayer regularly, and the guided prayers for family, church, community and nation, and the use of creeds were helpful aspects to the service. Repetition is a valuable learning tool, and the intercessory prayers help raise our thoughts to broader issues.
In contrast to the other services we have attended all the singing was a Capella - no keyboard, and no drums. We didn't do too badly either.
Father John preached, and gave an interesting message entitled "Look Up".It was instructive to her him speak of the wandering in the wilderness - the desert. His descriptive phrases help it come to life, and pointed to an understanding of what life was really like in the desert. My mind turned to on of Wilbur Smith's novels "The Burning Shore". If you know where to look you can survive in the desert, but life is difficult, and precarious.
When the snakes afflicted the Israelites a way out was provided. The message turned to Jesus, who was lifted up for our salvation. We need to look up if we are to survive in the spiritual desert that is this age, and perhaps even this world.
At the church I saw a box marked 'Jenga'. At home we have a game called 'Jenga'. Later I discovered that the box was for the building fund. I now know where the game got its name.
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