The Joyful Journey

I feel a new joy in my heart for the church. The church as a living "creature" that has survived through all the years since Christ came. Even although it has stumbled so much (and throughout history veered off in ways that make many just want to dump it and throw it away...often for good reason) and will never in a sense be "perfect", I find it amazing that God chooses to use the church as He does.
A group of humans blessed by God, given the power of the Spirit to live life fully, with the vision of bringing heaven to Earth. We are a body, needing everyone`s gifts, all our variety of cultures and viewpoints. In giving up more of ourselves, sacrificing and even enduring pain, we find that this path we`ve chosen is the true way to live. God truly blesses and provides for us when we gather together, praising our creator with all our being. When I give up my worries, my dreams, my talents, my hold on my possessions and even my loved ones, I give them to Christ, and Christ in return fills me with life fuller than I could ever imagine.
I know now that I can`t walk this path of discipleship alone. That isn`t what God intends. As church-body, we jointly draw strength from each other, and God ministers to us through those around us. I have experienced profoundly this year what it is to receive God`s love, counsel, and wisdom through my church brothers and sisters.

The church in Choele Choel now holds a special place in my heart. I love how we gather on sunday evenings, greeting each other with kisses and hugs, a buzzing of warmth. Announcements are read, and we sing happy birthday to those with birthdays or anniversaries, greet the guests. Then, we enter into the time of singing worship, and prayer...flowing from songs of lively clapping with guitars, drums, bass, invitation to worship....to songs of adoration interspersed with spoken prayers offered by members in the congregation. During this time, people often kneel at the front for prayers of healing, and anointment with oil. There is the time of offering, where the youth pass around the basket, and then the message is spoken. Yesterday marked the first time a woman preached in the church (although women often give the message in the smaller group meetings on Wednesday nights). Given by the pastor`s wife, Diana Stabile, it was a powerful word on what it means to be angry with God, and then giving that anger over to God, allowing yourself to be cleaned and freed from it. I can see God continuing to grow the Choele church, and I believe that is one sign of that.

It is a beautiful to witness the baptisms, which take place every few months. The person is called to the front, and a pastor prays and baptizes them with water poured over their head. At the end of the service, most of the congregation gathers around the baptized, welcoming and greeting them into the family.

After almost every service, people linger a long time, chatting and fellowshipping. Us youth linger longer to play ping-pong, share matè in the kitchen, hover around the gas heater because it is freezing cold, or play UNO (the most popular card game here). The other night I was invited over to the youth leader and his wife`s house for soup and pizza after a service. Just the simple things like that...sharing moments of life with my friends in the church, make me aware of God`s presence. I don`t always have to have an agenda to my days or life. I don`t always need to be rushing around, completing a long list of to-dos. After all, Christ showed us the example of savoring life....long meals with friends, talking for hours, just being.

I like that following Christ means I am called to take time to be with my friends, family, go for walks, share coffee with a neighbor, give gifts. These are things that I can do here in Argentina, but can`t wait to do more of when I return.