Sunday July 8 was our first church service in Carmen Bajo of this trip. The 12-member team from Creekside arrived the night before and had settled in to the beautiful new dormitories of the Compassion Project, so we were excited to meet up with them and to join together with our brothers and sisters at Iglesia Alianza Carmen Bajo, our sister church.
Sunday services consist of Sunday School for kids and adults at 9:30 am followed by the main service at (around) 11 am. We were a little late arriving (Santi had to pick up several other missionary ladies from Ohio who were going to be visiting as well, so we were quite squished by the time we arrived!)
I was to lead in worship, and had a guitar, my Spanish worship
music binder, and a collapsible music stand (something of an essential!) on hand. Once we arrived, Carina and the girls were whisked away to the Kid's Sunday School area along with members of the Creeker team and the ladies from Ohio (there's often a United Nations-type thing going on in Carmen Bajo Church!).
I joined others from Creekside to sit in on Fabian's Adult Sunday school class, translated by Ashley from Youthworld.
Fabian was teaching on what the Bible says about marriage. He is a very entertaining guy to listen to, and teaches in an easygoing and interactive but also very direct manner. Already I was saying hellos and giving handshakes and hugs to friends I've made in my previous visits to Quito.
At one point Carolina, a seminary student (Carmen Bajo's first!) who also serves as their tech support person slipped over to ask what songs I wanted to do. Earlier in the week while at the coast, Fabian and I had planned to do the three songs that I knew the Creekers had been learning, so they, too, could join me up at the front to sing. Carolina noted my songs and said she already had them on PowerPoint, so we were set ... Sort of!
After a brief transition, the main service began, with more people arriving and all the kids from Sunday School (40 or so of them!) arranged up at the front to sing along with a CD of a kid's worship song that had actions to it. I wish I could have paid more attention, but I was at the back assessing the sound equipment, and quickly realizing that besides a passable speaker system and small mixer, a laptop and a small projector, they had 2 mics with twitchy cables, and 1 mic stand. As Fabian welcomed everyone and invited the Creekside team to join me, I stepped up to the front with all my stuff and got myself arranged as quickly and smoothly as possible. Probably looked like a harassed street busker moving to a new corner with all the setting up and adjusting and tuning and page turning!
There was no plug-in for the guitar, no planning in advance, some awkward moments of transition, but my job was to lead in worship for a couple of songs. Was I bothered? Stressed? Honestly? No, I was not, in fact, I felt at home. The advantage of having been in this same place several times before was that I knew that in Carmen Bajo Church it's not about the finery, the cool, or the wow factor. It's just a group of people uniting their hearts, voices and entire selves in worship in song. No style-angst, no hymns versus chorus rhetoric, no push to be high-tech, just plain and simple Sing unto the Lord a new song. They are used to singing along to worship CD's and put as much energy and spirit into entering into praise as if it were a live concert.
And so they did - so WE did! We sang Mighty To Save, Forever Reign, and From the Inside Out (all in Spanish, of course!) and Fabian asked me to do one more, so we did Cristo Vive, a song I wrote for them last year. It was heartening to see everyone participating with sincere joy.
After our time of worship, their worship team of 5 singers came up and led some CD songs, and they did a great job. For a church that has struggled to find suitable musicians who can commit long term and provide leadership, they do wonderfully with what they have!
One of our Creekside team members, Victoria, gave the message, which was her personal testimony, also very well prepared with real sensitivity to the people she was addressing. She shared her personal story of finding healing and hope in Christ for the brokenness in her life. It was evident that many in the congregation identified with her and were encouraged.
Then Fabian led us in communion, and we were reminded again that all who believe in Christ are part of a worldwide Church, His Body, regardless of our nationality, race or economic status. He came to heal all of our brokenness !
Sunday morning was a celebration of that truth.
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