Chapel and beyond

I look forward to Wednesdays - we get to attend a simple yet significant chapel service in the morning. It was everything I remembered it to be. The organ prelude is such a treat since I don't often get to hear such excellent organ playing. These are often played by master's students as part of their program. The repertoire is always excellent. There is a welcome, a blessing, a reading of scripture, the singing of a hymn with all the decorum of a Lutheran service, a short meditation (always thought provoking), a prayer, a benediction.

The space is pretty amazing. How can you not know that this a a place dedicated to sacredness? Between the stained glass windows, the icons, the massive cross complete with sculpted body of Christ, the huge circle light crown of thorns, the mosaics, the candles, the altar with its acoutrements, the organ, the kneelers - you would have to be an alien to miss the fact that this space is dedicated to meeting with and worshiping God. Not totally Lutheran either since there are everywhere vestiges of the Catholic nuns and Mary graces still the places where she could not be conveniently converted.

It was a short step from entering to being in the presence of God. I found tears sliding down my cheeks - both relief to be there again, and touched by the grace and love of Christ. I knew then that the offhand idea of somehow asking for a prayer service for healing needed to be solidified. I sought Pastor Smith afterwards and made my hesitant request. Would he anoint me for healing in some sort of little service of healing?

Not just for myself do I ask, though of course, I want that. But I want to know the impact of such a time so that I can share it with others who are battling cancer and need the same thing. I want to know how it hits me, what has meaning, what irritates, how to organize it, who to include, who not to. The healing service I had with Pastor Faircloth before my initial surgery was so significant for me and has stayed with me for a very long time - carrying me through the hard parts for sure with a sense of God. This is a piece the church needs to put in place better. We are missing a chance to serve where it is desperately needed.

So we tentatively agreed on next Wednesday at noon in Rogate Chapel (pronounced ro - gat- tey), an intimate holy space that will be just right. He invited me to see if any of the students here would like to participate and I agreed that was a good idea, so I will ask. Its hard to describe how important it is to me to prepare for this special time. Not only my heart and my mind, but how can I say this? It is sort of like a bride preparing for her wedding or a communicant for her first communion. There is a specialness about this. It is a life event, no doubt about that. But not the usual birth/dedication of a baby joy or the finality of facing death. It is an inbetween state; serious, death on one side of you, life on the other, reaching out your hand to God to lift you and set you on a better path.

I look forward to this service of anointing and healing. I know I will carry it with me into the future. The doctors may not know what and how to help me, but God does. So I mark my turning to Him with this prayer service, knowing He will meet me there. If you are so inclined, I invite you to join me then from where ever you are. There is no distance in prayer. Thanks.