worship canceled

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Oct 11, 2007

The National Catholic Reporter tells us about a Protestant conventicle in California that decided to prune the deadwood and get back to basics.

Jim Yelvington decided he would do something different with the launch of his new church in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. -- cancel Sunday worship services.

As part of a new "Faith in Action" program, Yelvington traded traditional Sabbath singing and praying for a Sunday dedicated to community service. His congregation, Sanctuary Church, which included about 20 people at the time, went to residences for seniors to visit people who might otherwise have had little company.

Yelvington said the program, which is being sponsored by three major Christian organizations, helped his church get started in the right way. "It builds an idea of servanthood into our congregation," Yelvington said. "It's been built into the DNA of our church."

Did it ever occur to you, Pastor Jim, that servanthood is either a misfortune or an evil -- unless one has a very clear picture of the master to be served and very strong faith in his goodness?