"Remember no man is a failure who has a friend" - Clarence, the angel from It's A Wonderful Life

Last night was one of those nights that I won't forget easily.  Let me tell you the story: 

So, a week and a half ago TLR celebrated Christmas by singing some original compositions of traditional Christmas carols at The Thinking Man tavern.  Click here to read and hear renditions of our gaiety.  It was tons of fun!  I remember fondly buying almost 20 people from TLR a shot (a red headed slut).  We drank it, slammed it and sang loudly a carol that confused those drinking at the tavern.  But they put up with us and even laughed with us as we made fools of ourselves (the apostle Paul would be proud!). 

OK, I'll admit that doing this fed my desire that TLR would do things that are original, weird and challenging.  It was sooo much fun singing carols in a public place like a pub.  It was fun to drink while celebrating Christ's birth... 

But... something equally as radical occurred last night in a little country church one hour west of this infamous pub.  I serve this little country church as their preacher and they have an identity crisis.  Some are enamored with the mega-church and all its entrapments.  I came from that world, hence one of the reasons I was hired.  They got someone whom they thought could grow the church and well, I got a steady paycheck.  Seemed like a win-win situation to me :)  But what of God... was this simply a business transaction or was there a movement of the holy spirit (the "bruhah", or breath of God)?  

Last night, I renewed my hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Why? Here's one reason: I heard a retired southern preacher (Harry) tell me about the civil rights struggle in the south saying, "you don't know how bad it was".  He told me a story about how when Hank Aaron was reaching toward the home run record that there were members of Harry's congregation, with guns by their side, that said they will "kill that nigger".  The grimace on his face showed the years of hardship he endured.  He was the one of a few pastors who signed his name to the Atlanta Manfesto. 

I saw last night members of this very traditional congregation cry and give thanks for a Christmas Eve service that was NOT formal, but rather informally gathered around a fireplace (yes, they have a fireplace IN their sanctuary - pics later).  I organized the worship service and had planned on moving folks immediately from our worship service to a time of fellowship. HOWEVER, when we ended everyone wanted to talk!  Now wait a minute... this is something I expect when I arrive on Sunday night at TLR.  I mean come on, we say that we are an "open-source faith community".  But, wait... can this kind of spontaneous conversation happen outside of a hip, cool, overly educated community like TLR???  

I had to swallow my pride and say "yes" last night.  Thanks be to God.