Monday, January 28, 2008

CHURCH IN MONTEVIDEO



The Church of Christ is right next door (in the left picture, the church is to the right, the metal gate doors on the left are our entrance to Casa ACU; the bell tower above is very cool; the whole building is MUCH larger than it appears in the pictures), so naturally we go there for services each Sunday. The congregation is pretty small but filled with sweet, sweet people. [However, because of the Uruguayan custom of greeting people by kissing them on the left cheek, I get my weekly fill-up on human contact in about 82.4 seconds.] 

I am proud to report that all thirty of us at Casa ACU (22 students, 4 Cukrowskis, and 4 Penyas) have attended church both Sundays we've been here. That's saying a lot, since most of us understand VERY little while we're there. Our group consists of a number of excellent singers, and that's been fun to sing in Spanish; also, we've actually contributed to the edification of the church in that we sing better than they do!

This kind group of people treated us to a reception after the first Sunday, where they served pizza and cokes. We all had to introduce ourselves--in Spanish--the regular members were very kind. Katie and Krista have met a couple of the kids from the youth group; perhaps there will be some chances to get together sometime.

The services are wonderful, but class, taught by a well-intentioned man who utilized completely narrow-minded readings of proof texts, was designed to make everyone understand that church attendance is the most important thing a Christian can do for salvation. It was both annoying and sad. I'm sure I will say more about church here at a later time.

3 comments:

Autumn said...

Hahahahahaha! I would lay money on the fact that he used Heb 10:25. Don't be too hard on him. It is disappointing to them when students fall off on attending. (You guys have now met the normal number of times students go.)

He did the same class for us. We were the first group to really argue with him.

He isn't too closed minded... he is willing to listen to other points of view. But this is what he knows...

Karen said...

Hey Autumn, you sound like you've been here recently or something! You got it ALL right. We'll see how next week goes... and whether or not I attend class.

lecroy said...

Whoa, whoa, wait - attending Church is the most important thing you can do for salvation??? Then why does my preacher keep saying tithing is?