Who do people say that I am?  I’ve often heard people say; “I’m Spiritual but I don’t go to church,” or “ She goes to church but she’s not very spiritual.” It would seem a natural relationship, a mutual magnetism of the physical and the mystical. Yet, I am finding that for many they are mutually exclusive, or at least they are treated as such. Spirituality and the Church in many instances is confusing. It’s so much easier to feel, see or smell, and accept that these things are the presence of God. While these things draw people toward that spiritual knowledge, that knowledge is not always grasped and claimed as ones’ own. Instead they would rather cling to the tiffany window, the sterling silver communion service or the third row pew on the far right side. Then there are the ministries; the music, the ushering and the reading of the lessons to name a few. Many have said that participating in these ministries has some spiritual affect of being just a little bit closer to that higher power. Yet when I ask about anything outside of the church that brings them a bit closer they always seem to struggle. Why does the church provide such comfort, but as “church folk”, our home, work or other environment not have the same affect?

Mark 8:27-9:1