Yesterday was a very difficult day in worship and a good day in conversation and fellowship. It was a very “burstrating” day for sure. (see previous post for definition of “burstration”) As for my musings …

-My wife and I had a great time of sharing and conversing with another pastor last evening. We definitely needed that time.

-We had technical problems again at my 9:00 church. We have to get something figured out. 

-At my 10:30 church I could hear a funky sound while I was preaching, evidently not everyone could hear it. It got so annoying to me and was messing with my head while I was preaching that I shut off my mic near the end of my sermon and went old school. In other words I spoke really loud (some might call it yelling, to each his own).

-There was a dryness that seemed to hang over both churches like a dense cloud during worship yesterday. I found it very difficult to push through it while preaching.

-There was a family that returned for the second time in my 10:30 church and a single person who returned in my 9:00 church. It is always encouraging to see people visit and then return.

-Overall attendance was down in both churches.

-I think when attendance is down, especially following some good attendance Sundays, that it often brings the atmosphere in the service down.

-I was bummed after the services yesterday in part because I had some great times of prayer last week and especially on Saturday. I came into both services with high expectations and greatly burdened to see people respond. Time to “dig deeper” in my prayer and preparation this coming week. 

-There have been 5 of us in the 5:30 to 6:30 am prayer times this morning and last Friday. I am encouraged that we are having a handful really getting serious about prayer.

-I got called out to the hospital on Friday evening. I serve as a chaplain one day a week at our local hospital. There are 5 of us that rotate days and then we are the first ones called if a family with no church is in crisis and desires a pastor. I was the one called on Friday to comfort a family who had lost a loved one. Those are difficult and wonderful opportunities to minister. It is great to share the love of Jesus with people and to just be a sounding board for them in a difficult time. I count it a real privilege to able to serve in those times. 

Here’s hoping that you find an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with someone in need this week.

Dennis