First UMC Keller Blog

Worshipping with our partner church is often the most moving experience of our Slovakia mission trips.  Today was no exception.  Worship was to begin at 9:30 so we arrived a few minutes early.  Palo and Ludo were there getting set up for praise band.  At the last minute Lubos and Timo came to join them.  At 9:35 they still had not begun playing, but they had no specific ending time.  Finally the service was under way.  The music was sometimes lively and joyful, sometimes slow and prayerful.  Everyone was standing, participating wholeheartedly.  Song books were available, but few used them.  Most members have all the songs completely memorized.  I usually am in tears the first Sunday as I remember how special their music is.  Other team members told of crying during the music.  What is it that brings tears each year?

Tracey, Roger, and I gave testimonies.  Roger told how meaningful music is to him as a gift from God.  Then he played a heart-wrenching piece by Chopin that reminds him of the gentle, loving Jesus.  I read scripture in English after Stefan read it in Slovak.  Robo, the district superintendent, preached and, of course, there were long prayers.  When the Slovaks pray everyone is praying individual prayers all at the same time.

After worship a covered dish lunch was served in the back yard.  Oh, my!  The food!  There were so many new things to try and all of it was good.  Jami came from the Korean church.  We were surrounded by so many special friends.

We must have been too loud for the neighbor because he began beating on some metal.  Then he burned something.  Next he played loud music with the speaker in his upstairs window pointing toward  the church’s backyard.  Then he went back to beating on metal.  What a warm welcome he would receive if he would join the fellowship instead of fighting it.  But he does not understand so he continues living in misery.

After lunch half of us hurried off to the train station while the rest rode in cars.  We were going to the “singing” at Sered United Methodist Church.  When we arrived Michal, Lubos’s father, was getting set up with Janko, Lubos’s cousin, helping him.  Janko is the pastor of the church and it is the church in which Lubos grew up.  Gradually the sanctuary filled and it was time to start.  We enjoyed the usual variety of music with family groups singing, church groups, and the accordion player.  Roger played piano and Michal had our team go up front to sing and play drums.  I loved singing the Slovak songs from our Slovak music tour in 2005.  Just as in Trnava the audience knew the songs—all verses.  Michal leads the singing with such passion.  The whole experience is fun and uplifting.

The highlight for me was hearing an older gentleman speak.  I learned later he was the laypastor of the  Sered church all through Communism.  He spoke about his confidence in God’s faithfulness.  He read scripture and sang a hymn a capella.  During the song Michal sang with him quietly to give support, but not to overshadow him.  To me it was a holy moment as God spoke through him.

After the music refreshments were served in the basement.  I had the privilege of riding back to Trnava with Lubos.  At team meeting there was much sharing about the joy of morning and afternoon worship.

As a finale for the day, Palo came by to tell us goodbye.  He leaves for Korea early Monday morning to attend a world youth conference in Seoul.  I know he was really looking forward to the conference, but he also hated missing our annual visit. 

How we love one another through our love for Christ Jesus.  (Acts 20:36-37)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 2:04 pm and is filed under 2010 Slovakia Mission Trip. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.