David Hu from Taiwan who sat next to me took this picture with his mini-webcam. It’s always funny and ticklish when he sings with “falsetto” on and off. I was giving a toast – “Yam Sing” (in Cantonese) with my coffee!
It’s nice that the pace of the summer school has slowed down especially for the working groups and lectures part. And I’m looking forward to the “Life abundantly – a Lutheran approach” lecture and with that I think I’ll be able to step in and out of all the topics we’ve covered so far and come to some conclusions and directions I’d like to take.
A conversation today made me think about the lessons and pointers we got during the “intercultural learning” session which was excellent. And yet in our discussion on the topic of “Neo-Pentecostalism” I was “puzzled” by the defensiveness that comes up so frequently.
Reading a paper from another country on how the Lutheran church there is engaging the renewal movements within the denomination helped me to read and understand the “impulses” coming from the particular representative. Often, a lot of the history is marked by hurt and pain. When these “wounds” are still unattended or unaware and then one engages in so called theological dialogue or ministry related discussion and especially when it comes to leadership structure matters, it’s just “inviting” explosive confrontation stances then really reconciliation. Both parties need to work hard and pray hard together.
One of my “favorite” (if I may use that word) devotions was the one led by Rev. Valdeci yesterday. I could relate to the songs and the “participative” way the whole devotion was conducted. I need to get my “Portugese” polished up before I could introduce the song wherever I go in future.
The simple “liturgical dance movements” were really something that just “opened” me up and the heart and body was very much engaged in the whole worship expression. I guess I’d like to see that more in BLC’s corporate worship life as a means of involving our whole being in our praise to God.
And of course, his simple message on how we are “carry” and are “carried” by each other was while inviting others to contribute some personal stories was something I appreciated.
One part which is familiar to me is the part where we could pray for one another. And it was good to have someone lay hands on me and I did the same with him and we could remember our families and the needs back home last night. The time was really precious for me.
is it nearly time fro you to go home already? you must be ready to see your family 🙂
you know it’s funny but before I came to BLC IO would not have thought of dancing in church – probably get locked up or something but I often find myself tapping my toes now ready to break out (shh don’t tell anybody)
music moves me and I guess the spirit is there with us, it is easy to see how King David danced in worship :o)