Sunday Church in Sarasota

i decided yesterday that i would go to a church today.  Some church nearby.  After an internet search i picked two that 'looked close' on Google Maps.  (i chose against Catholic as my latin is poor and i don't understand their services.  No offense, i actually think their churches are prettiest.  there is one a block away and i hear their bells ringing a call to worship all day.)  There is a Community Church uptown and a Methodist a few blocks from the marina.  After my research i took my bike and did a ride around town to see if i should walk to church or ride my bike in the morning.  Perhaps even take the car if it was too far.

I decided on the nearby Methodist Church.  i could walk and make it in about five to ten minutes.  So this morning i get up and take the dingy to shore, shower in the marina showers, dress and make my short walk...   I arrived exactly one hour early.  Yep, dumbass on daylight savings time.  Now, they have 3 services at this church so i attended the more traditional service instead of the one with band music.  Fortunately they give you a handout, flyer, program of sorts to walk you through the service.  (when to respond back to the directors comments.  They talk, you reply as a chorus from the audience.)  It was a great sermon about death and how we will all get involved in it someday.  (Lord i want to come to you, just not now)

Then they used - Swing Low Sweet Chariot - for the communion song, after the preaching.  I was filled with the Holy Spirit of Ray Wright (our high-school chorus director) and sang it like he did, for all i was worth.  The congregation was about 150 people so i had no trouble booming out my lines. Each row stands and slowly makes their way down the center aisle to partake of communion.  I started laughing about halfway there thinking, "Kristie would LOVE to sing this one loud!"  (Kristie stood in front of me on the choir risers of youth and had to listen to my booming singing all those years ago)

PS.  i stayed for the second service and attended the Music with guitars.  same preacher, same sermon.  The jokes were just as funny, but they didnt sing Swing Low again and i was disappointed.

PSS.  this afternoon, after lunch and my second best nap ever, i went back to shore to do some bike riding...   here are some photos from that ride.