This post should had come long time ago. Last September, I visited the University Church for the first time. And it was an interesting experience. Well, they have an interesting pastor. That's why. When I looked at his profile for the first time, I realized that I would have a different experience with him. A completely unchurched professor of chemistry who turns pastor after so many years teaching at the University of Toledo. Quoting his profile:
Because Julian didn't grow up in a church and still doesn't really know why churches do most of the things that they do, don't expect The University Church to look like anything you've ever seen before!
I had attended a couple of their Table Talks over my first semester. Again, quoting him:
Drinking coffee, eating cookies and talking about theology - what could possibly be more fun?!!!
And you know, cookies. That speaks for itself. So, I had enough incentive to experience a casual theology table talk with an ex-professor of chemistry turned pastor. Each week, they discuss a book from a theological-religious perspective, although the book may not be completely theological; it could be some mainstream book touching issues somehow related to religion. The setting was very casual and laid-back (although not very spiritual according to my conservative standards). And it was about the time I began to feel the meaning of life in graduate school (remember, four reading-intensive courses over my first semester; that was not fun). So, I couldn't visit them on a regular basis.
Then, at the beginning of my second semester, the pastor Emailed me about their series on world religions, titled "who is my neighbor". Over the series, he sought to address the issue of non-Christians and their relationship with Christians. It was about diversity and pluralism. So, I felt like attending the series, although I was very busy and it was about the time I'd begun to think I was no longer a good Christian. But well, I thought, I could spare some time as I was sure I would enjoy listening to well-researched informative sermons by Pastor Davies (or Pastor Julian?) on this very interesting topic and also observing the worship at the University Church as a side benefit.
The setting was too casual here as well, although the attendees were not limited to students (as I'd falsely surmised); people from different age groups were represented. And just to make sure anybody understood about the place and its setting, shortly before the service was about to begin (or had already begun?), Pastor Davies advised anybody who had not grabbed a cup of coffee to go to the lobby and help themselves (however, it was Ramadhan and I was fasting and hence could not do a complete participant observation). Casual enough, eh? There was more for me.
I've attended (or watched on TV) all sort of contemporary worships. So, I'm beginning to get accustomed to unusual things without being surprised. But then, I witnessed some students sharing the peace by doing high-five. Or uttering whoo-hoo, instead of amen. Well, is it worship or what?
There were other interesting details like this. For example, an almost all-white choir singing an African worship song. Watching those white kids trying to imitate a Swahili accent and making African swings was amusing.
Anyway, I managed to attend the series just for the first Sunday (which was on Judaism) and the second Sunday (which was on Islam), before being bed-ridden by an untimely cold (do we have timely cold BTW?) and couldn't enjoy the rest of the sermons which looked and sounded more like academic lectures.
After the sermon on Islam, I promised Pastor Davies to post my comments on his weblog, but that untimely cold didn't let me do that in time. And after I recovered, I had so much to do for my schoolwork that I forgot about it. Anyway, better late than never. I've posted my comments on his post, Islam: In the Footsteps of Ishmael.
Because Julian didn't grow up in a church and still doesn't really know why churches do most of the things that they do, don't expect The University Church to look like anything you've ever seen before!
I had attended a couple of their Table Talks over my first semester. Again, quoting him:
Drinking coffee, eating cookies and talking about theology - what could possibly be more fun?!!!
And you know, cookies. That speaks for itself. So, I had enough incentive to experience a casual theology table talk with an ex-professor of chemistry turned pastor. Each week, they discuss a book from a theological-religious perspective, although the book may not be completely theological; it could be some mainstream book touching issues somehow related to religion. The setting was very casual and laid-back (although not very spiritual according to my conservative standards). And it was about the time I began to feel the meaning of life in graduate school (remember, four reading-intensive courses over my first semester; that was not fun). So, I couldn't visit them on a regular basis.
Then, at the beginning of my second semester, the pastor Emailed me about their series on world religions, titled "who is my neighbor". Over the series, he sought to address the issue of non-Christians and their relationship with Christians. It was about diversity and pluralism. So, I felt like attending the series, although I was very busy and it was about the time I'd begun to think I was no longer a good Christian. But well, I thought, I could spare some time as I was sure I would enjoy listening to well-researched informative sermons by Pastor Davies (or Pastor Julian?) on this very interesting topic and also observing the worship at the University Church as a side benefit.
The setting was too casual here as well, although the attendees were not limited to students (as I'd falsely surmised); people from different age groups were represented. And just to make sure anybody understood about the place and its setting, shortly before the service was about to begin (or had already begun?), Pastor Davies advised anybody who had not grabbed a cup of coffee to go to the lobby and help themselves (however, it was Ramadhan and I was fasting and hence could not do a complete participant observation). Casual enough, eh? There was more for me.
I've attended (or watched on TV) all sort of contemporary worships. So, I'm beginning to get accustomed to unusual things without being surprised. But then, I witnessed some students sharing the peace by doing high-five. Or uttering whoo-hoo, instead of amen. Well, is it worship or what?
There were other interesting details like this. For example, an almost all-white choir singing an African worship song. Watching those white kids trying to imitate a Swahili accent and making African swings was amusing.
Anyway, I managed to attend the series just for the first Sunday (which was on Judaism) and the second Sunday (which was on Islam), before being bed-ridden by an untimely cold (do we have timely cold BTW?) and couldn't enjoy the rest of the sermons which looked and sounded more like academic lectures.
After the sermon on Islam, I promised Pastor Davies to post my comments on his weblog, but that untimely cold didn't let me do that in time. And after I recovered, I had so much to do for my schoolwork that I forgot about it. Anyway, better late than never. I've posted my comments on his post, Islam: In the Footsteps of Ishmael.
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