asbury bananas?

Perhaps Banana Ball fever has swept into Reverend Billy Hester's brain.

The title of today's sermon was "Savannah Banana Theology".

Prior to his taking the stage to deliver his message, various members of the choir came up and, literally, played ball in the sanctuary.

Yes, they did!

We had Nick wielding a tennis racket to knock the pitched balls into the crowd, with the promise of a reward for all who caught one of the balls!

Tim was the man in the top hat and tails, three of the older women were in lieu of the Banana Nanas, and there was even a catcher in case Nick missed the pitch.

The choir loft resembled the bleachers over at Grayson Stadium, with a plethora of baseball jerseys and ballcaps on parade!

What a motley crew they were!

(smile!)

The sermon was all about getting folks as excited about coming to church as they were to be going to the circus of a Bananas game.

(Or to a Party Animals game, or a Firefighters game, or a Tailgaters game - they all play by the rules Jesse Cole first introduced to the world about 7 years ago.)

Reverend Billy and Cheri have spent a lot of time in New York City this summer, as they have for the past two years, now that they have their first grandson.

My guess is Billy's been getting an earful about Banana Ball selling out Yankee Stadium on the 12th.

The capacity there is 46,537... and it had been sold out for months for that one game that wasn't even baseball.

So, why was he looking into so many empty seats in the sanctuary?

After all, if folks were showing up in droves to find joy at the baseball diamond, why wouldn't they come to Asbury Memorial to find joy, too?

I was actually surprised by the sermon.

I could tell that Reverend Billy was serious.

He even seemed to get a little emotional about the pews not being full.

Well, I can't speak for others whose presence has been lacking the past couple of years, but I can certainly address why I haven't been there.

Ever since Asbury Memorial Church started mixing politics in with the messages, I've not been comfortable being in the congregation.

I can hear about politics anywhere, and everywhere, else.

I do not come to the church to hear about that topic.

I come to the church to fell better about the world and that's been harder to do for the last two years.

The activists in the congregation have muddied the safe space with the stuff they are slinging.

I keep waiting for Billy to straighten them out about the function of the church, but perhaps I am the one who has missed being part of that change.

I do hope this shift to being a so-called "justice ministry" will change soon.

Until then, I may be watching the service on youtube more often. 

I would have liked to be there in person today for this one, though.

All of my photos were taken from the video of the service.

I had promised Dawn I'd be in Georgetown today, and so I was, to help her and The Koz prep for BYOP.

I'll try to talk with Billy sometime soon about my discomfort with the direction that Asbury has been taking.

I wonder what he'll say?