wfn.org | Lindvall amuses worshipers Thursday morning

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6070 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

29-June-2000
GA00117

	Lindvall amuses worshipers Thursday morning

	by Midge Mack

LONG BEACH, June 29 – Commissioners at the 212th General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gathered for worship Thursday with many
recalling their prayer from Monday's committee devotional,  "God of
Surprises, you are ever with us."

	Those expecting a more traditional worship experience may well have been
surprised by the blend of hymns and praise music and a graphic video
presentation of the cry to unity around diversity in the book of Romans. The
message came from the Rev. Michael Lindvall.

	Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Mich., Lindvall left the
pulpit to sit and read a parable from his forthcoming book. As the story
unfolded, a supply pastor visited an 11-member church in a tiny, rural
corner of nowhere for the once-a-month worship service that was all the
congregation was able to sustain.

	The visiting pastor read the Scripture and preached about extending
hospitality to strangers. He was confounded when he observed that, no matter
what hymn he asked the congregation to sing, the organist played another
one.

	According to Lindvall, what the pastor in his story learned from the
grandson of the clerk of session in that small church was the real sermon
that day.

	It seems that Agnes, the organist, is the mentally challenged younger
sister of the clerk of session's late wife. Sixty years ago, when the last
installed pastor left along with his musically gifted wife,  Agnes learned
three hymns but was unable to learn more.

	"Yes, she's played those same hymns for 60 years. We like those hymns," the
clerk claimed. "And she's our organist. It's mostly for her that we keep the
church open."

	Oddly, the clerk's grandson is an accomplished musician dying of AIDS who
has come to live with his grandfather having been disowned by his parents.
Each day he comes to the church and plays his extensive repertoire of the
world's greatest music.

	"In the summer, with the church windows open," Lindvall concluded the tale,
"the 11 members of the congregation sit on the porches of their seven houses
and listen and clap."

	The silence which fell over the congregation in Long Beach as the story
ended was broken by the singing of "Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love," and
Lindvall charged worshipers to "go forth in the name of the Lord…give
allegiance to Jesus Christ, and love one another as God commanded."

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