A Call to Worship
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:6-7
I was driving through a tiny mountain town in Oregon on a Sunday morning, enjoying the early autumn yellows and oranges just beginning to show on the maples and sycamores, when I heard a faint sound of… was it bells? I rolled down the window so I could hear better; just then a white church with a tall steeple came into view among the pines. With the window open, the sound of the bells was clear, ringing through the fog and mist that nestled among trees and along fences bordering the road. The heavy morning silence was broken. To be honest, it was more of a clanging than the sweet tolling or pealing you might imagine.
Bells used to be standard equipment on churches, often used to announce joy or grief, celebrations or sorrows. Weekly, the bells were used to call all who would worship that it was time to come together before the Lord. It is easy to picture horses and buggies arriving from yonder hills and roads, everyone wearing their one-and-only Sunday Best.
In most places we are familiar with today, attending church looks nothing like this old-fashioned picture. Yet, we are drawn to worship together just the same.
What calls us to worship today? What draws us? What compels us to come?
Oh, God, You are majestic in all Your being. We bow before You and give you the worship You deserve, for You are worthy of all our praise. In Jesusʼ Name, Amen.
We would truly like to hear what you think, and what your own experience has been. Maybe you will have just the right thing to share that will encourage someone else. Submit your response for the other ladies to read!
Being what is called an “older woman” I must say I’m very conflicted when being called to church. As a small child I did attend a white steepled church with wooden pews. I remember the tight squeezes on my arm from Mom when I got wiggly. But I remember everyone smiling and hugging and sharing donuts or a potluck too. I must admit I miss dressing up to show God your best. I know that reverence is from your heart but sometimes I don’t think it would hurt to show it on the outside too.
I come from a Catholic background (Catholic school with adjoining church.) I miss the stained-glass windows, the beautiful statues, the depictions of the “road to Calvary” on the walls. As a child I sang in the choir loft above in the rear of the church. It was a very special experience for me. A special, set apart time in the presence of Jesus. Beautiful memories.
The white church with the steeple and the bell ringing on Sunday was right across the street from our home, and my mother shared with me that my name was posted on ‘The Cradle Roll’, from when I was an infant, then years later, she said, “you gave your heart to Jesus” as a very young child. From that point on, no matter where we moved to and lived, attending Sunday School (and then in my teens, Church) was something that me and my siblings did. My parents did not always attend, as there were many young ones in the family that stayed home with them. So as my parents grew older, they chose not to have the ‘infants’ at church, and then later those siblings would attend with me under my care.
Thank you for the reminder of how important attending Church is, whether ‘as a family’ or by yourself. As a Believer, The Holy Spirit is always with you, so you are not really alone in that pew. Praise God! “Train up a child in the way he should go……”
I also grew up as a Catholic and loved the stained glass windows. We sang the songs in Latin until I was 10! What a great day for me to know what I was singing! The stations of the cross all around the church were stories in the Bible though I didn’t know it then.
When I went up north to visit my grandparents in Huron Lake Michigan, every Sunday we would drive an hour into Cheboygan to Mass. To this day when driving somewhere when it’s dark I always remember those trips to church. I am grateful for my Catholic background as I got a foundation of sorts even though I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. My Mom was a very devout Catholic and it was important to attend church every Sunday no matter where we were. I loves going up north Michigan and going to the small country church.
Before attending LCC I attended a different church and we went to Sunrise Services which I loved !
When we were only watching church online due to Covid I worshipped by myself and was so excited to be able to come back to church and worship together with my LCC family !
I love meeting new friends who show love and compassion. I have been involved with little country since my early 20s at North Bethel Thursday nights, then Palo Cedro, then Redding. As we worked and Sunday sometimes my husband’s only dad off I didn’t always come but have found new joy in HER ministry!
I grew up in Anderson and went to Assembly of God, one of the few churches around as I was a child. I went to North Valley in high school then Little Country.
It has always been wonderful to know I am saved!