Well, we have now been here for a month. Time has moved quickly. In that time, we have seen much of Aberdeen--at least the south side of town, and Erin has been to Edinburgh for a day. My studies are going well and progressing much quicker than I thought they would. Erin starts her job at the Hamilton school this coming Monday. She is excited and nervous. We have learned most of the bus route, which is helpful since that is how we get to the grocery store. We do most of our shopping at ASDA, which is the British Walmart. Walmart actually owns them, so it was nice seeing the smiling yellow ball.
In our time here, we have visited four different churches. It is different having the opportunity to see how others--in different parts of the world and from different demoninations--practice the Christian faith. The first week we attended a Methodist church. Several students from the univ attend the church as well as a former professor. The music choice of that day was hymns from the 1800, all written by the Wesley brothers. Each Sunday the music portion of the service is led by a different member of the congregation. This region of Scotland only has a few Methodist churches, so the pastor was speaking at another church that day. In his place was a professor. The service lasted just over an hour and was followed by tea, coffee and bisquits (that is, cookies, in US English).
The next week we went to Gilcomston South, which is a Chruch of Scotland. The church is very large, both in building size and in people. It is located on Union St., which is the main street through City Centre. The music was a mix between traditional and contemporary. Again, we heard a guest speaker. This time it was a member of the church who is leaving for full-time mission work shortly.
The third week we visited Hebron Evanglical Church. It is located about 10 min from our flat. We picked the church because it has a communion service each week. We arrived just before 10 and were immediately greeted by several people. The communion service was very different than anything we have ever experienced. A member began the service by sharing a personal testimony about what God was doing in his life over the past couple of months. Rather than a structured program, anyone could stand up and speak. People would share a Scripture, pray or ask for a hymn to be song. Because of the tradition of this church, only men spoke during this service. The focus was on the death and resurrection of Christ in each person's statements or the songs picked. About 45 minutes into the service, a minister broke the bread and then passed it down the rows. Each person tore a small piece off. After several more minutes of people speaking, the wine--yes real wine--was passed. Four cups were sent down the aisles and after the cup went through one row, an usher would wipe off the cup lip. The wine was very bitter. A family service followed the communion service. This service is much like a service in the States.
After the service we went to someone's house for dinner. One of the professors attends the church, and he invited us to lunch with his family. It is a common practice in churches for visitors or students to eat lunch at the home of someone in the church. We spent about 4 1/2 hours with them. Sunday lunch is an event over here. After lunch we sat in the living room and drank coffee. Since we have no car, Dr. Williams had to take us home. Rather than taking the direct route, he took us along the coast. During the drive, we stopped to watch dolphins playing in the water at the harbor. It was very cool.
This last week we attended Gerrard Street Baptist Church. From the outside, this church appeared the most modern. The inside, though, was not. The pews were hard wood that sat straight up. They were not very comfortable, which keeps people from falling asleep. The worship was the most modern of all. All the songs were contemporary, and we knew all but one. It was nice to know the songs rather than trying to learn them. The service lasted just over an hour. We met a couple from the school and talked with them afterwards for about an hour.
It is also interesting that each church has a children's sermon at some point during the service. This practice has disappeared from many US churches, but it is still very common here. This time has been enjoyable, and we have learned alot about practicing the Christian faith. Many things are similar as the States, but the differences could be beneficial in helping the US church present the gospel. I am sure that when we final settle down, we will discover things we don't like. For now, though, the differences are enjoyable and encouraging.
