Sunday, I went to a village about an hour beyond Jinja (which is
1.5 hours from Mukono) to attend a thanksgiving service. One of my students, David, was the lay reader
at this church, and now serves as its deacon, and will soon serve as its
vicar. They have been slowly building
the church, and “for some good time” (several years) and were worshipping in
the church without a roof. That meant
that prayers began at 7:00am so they could be finished by 10:00am, when the sun
was beginning to get hot. In all that
time, David reports that it never once rained during Sunday morning prayers,
which is especially miraculous during the rainy seasons. It reminds me of God making the sun stand
still for Joshua while he was in battle – truly God is God over meteorology!
1.5 hours from Mukono) to attend a thanksgiving service. One of my students, David, was the lay reader
at this church, and now serves as its deacon, and will soon serve as its
vicar. They have been slowly building
the church, and “for some good time” (several years) and were worshipping in
the church without a roof. That meant
that prayers began at 7:00am so they could be finished by 10:00am, when the sun
was beginning to get hot. In all that
time, David reports that it never once rained during Sunday morning prayers,
which is especially miraculous during the rainy seasons. It reminds me of God making the sun stand
still for Joshua while he was in battle – truly God is God over meteorology!
The roof was completely installed earlier this year, and David
finally decided to have a thanksgiving service.
I love the concept of a thanksgiving service; whenever someone wants to
publically thank God for something He has done, they request to have a
thanksgiving. There doesn’t have to be a
lot of pomp associated with it; the priest can just give a short summary of why
someone wants to give thanks, and people come up to the front of the church to
join in giving thanks, placing their shillings of gratitude in the basket.
finally decided to have a thanksgiving service.
I love the concept of a thanksgiving service; whenever someone wants to
publically thank God for something He has done, they request to have a
thanksgiving. There doesn’t have to be a
lot of pomp associated with it; the priest can just give a short summary of why
someone wants to give thanks, and people come up to the front of the church to
join in giving thanks, placing their shillings of gratitude in the basket.
Since much fundraising had gone into paying for the roof, this
service had to be something. A guest
preacher and choir contingent came from Namugongo, where David did his diploma (similar
to an associates degree) studies. I came
from Mukono, and while I wasn’t officially representing UCU, I am a muzungu
(one who traveled a long distance, or a white), and that lends a certain je ne
sais pas to any event. I wish it didn’t. Anyhow.
service had to be something. A guest
preacher and choir contingent came from Namugongo, where David did his diploma (similar
to an associates degree) studies. I came
from Mukono, and while I wasn’t officially representing UCU, I am a muzungu
(one who traveled a long distance, or a white), and that lends a certain je ne
sais pas to any event. I wish it didn’t. Anyhow.
Now that the church has a roof, the congregation is now
fundraising to repair the vicarage.
After the offering, they had the thanksgiving, and then had a harvest
celebration, in which members of the congregation brought what they had, mostly
crops, to sell. The proceeds then go
towards repairing the vicarage. And did
they bring. There were seven chickens
(one of whom made decent progress towards freeing her bound feet; two others
were noshing on the loose maize on the floor), probably 100 pounds of maize, a
tray of eggs (30), and I don’t know what else.
David asked that I participate in receiving the thanksgiving, which
consisted of receiving bags that were brought, and passing them to whoever was
standing behind me to be stacked (and praying that the people with the chickens
would give them to David). When we were
done, several people came up and started sorting everything: all the maize went in a huge bag, all the
potatoes together, sugar cane together, eggplant together, etc. Then the auctioning began. It was rather impressive, actually.
fundraising to repair the vicarage.
After the offering, they had the thanksgiving, and then had a harvest
celebration, in which members of the congregation brought what they had, mostly
crops, to sell. The proceeds then go
towards repairing the vicarage. And did
they bring. There were seven chickens
(one of whom made decent progress towards freeing her bound feet; two others
were noshing on the loose maize on the floor), probably 100 pounds of maize, a
tray of eggs (30), and I don’t know what else.
David asked that I participate in receiving the thanksgiving, which
consisted of receiving bags that were brought, and passing them to whoever was
standing behind me to be stacked (and praying that the people with the chickens
would give them to David). When we were
done, several people came up and started sorting everything: all the maize went in a huge bag, all the
potatoes together, sugar cane together, eggplant together, etc. Then the auctioning began. It was rather impressive, actually.
Another student had accompanied me to the church so I wouldn’t
get lost, and he accompanied me to [the nearest] town so I wouldn’t get lost
going home. We were discussing the
thanksgiving, and he asked me whether it was appropriate theologically. Apparently, those who come from the East
African Revival consider it to be along the same lines of what caused Jesus to
overturn the tables in the Temple courtyard.
get lost, and he accompanied me to [the nearest] town so I wouldn’t get lost
going home. We were discussing the
thanksgiving, and he asked me whether it was appropriate theologically. Apparently, those who come from the East
African Revival consider it to be along the same lines of what caused Jesus to
overturn the tables in the Temple courtyard.
I explained to him that part of what got Jesus upset was the
outrageous exchange rates for Temple currency, and when I asked whether things
are sold at fair market value, he said it was.
For example, one of the chickens went for 15,000 shillings (about
$6). I couldn’t keep up with the rest of
it.
outrageous exchange rates for Temple currency, and when I asked whether things
are sold at fair market value, he said it was.
For example, one of the chickens went for 15,000 shillings (about
$6). I couldn’t keep up with the rest of
it.
And I’m still pondering whether this is acceptable. The visiting choir purchased most of the
goods, and several eggplants were placed at my feet, apparently a gift from
someone. But the congregation usually
purchases everything; my comment was that it was like their own market. If they’re purchasing, they have the
money. So why go through the bringing
what you have and buying something else?
goods, and several eggplants were placed at my feet, apparently a gift from
someone. But the congregation usually
purchases everything; my comment was that it was like their own market. If they’re purchasing, they have the
money. So why go through the bringing
what you have and buying something else?
 |
| The eggplants given to me are at the top (even the little green ones; apparently, they’re bitter). The oranges given to me later are at the bottom. |
I’m sure some members really don’t have much, and are literally
bringing what they have, like the widow in Mark 12:42-44. I believe, no, I know that God honors that. As for the parish market, I’m still pondering
that.
bringing what they have, like the widow in Mark 12:42-44. I believe, no, I know that God honors that. As for the parish market, I’m still pondering
that.
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