Christian Science Church

The History of Christian Science dates back to 1866 when Mary Baker Eddy discovered what she considered to be the Science of Christianity which Jesus taught and lived. She dedicated her life to using this system to teach, preach about, and heal others. She learned to apply spiritual laws or Christian Science and in 1875 she published a book about her experiences, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. In 1879, she founded the Church of Christ, Scientist, “to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Church Manual, p.17) They believe in a Father-Mother God and consider Christ, the title given to Jesus, as the source of healing power, "that dissolves suffering in exchange for the profound feeling of being loved and being well." Church of Christian Science is in no way affiliated with Scientology. 

Christian Science is known to many as the Church that does not believe in modern medicine or that their members do not seek the advise or care of medical professionals. The official stance the Home church takes is, "it's up to each person who practices Christian Science to choose the form of health care he or she wants. Many Christian Scientists decide to pray first about every challenge—including health issues—and find it effective." 

Christian Science reports that over 80,000 healings, minor to severe, have been documented over the last 140 years.

I visited the 10:30am service at Church of Christian Science in 
Albuquerque.

The Way, The Truth, The Life 

It was a unique service. They have 2 readers who led the service. Readers are elected by the congregation for 3 year terms. There are no formal clergy in the Christian Science faith. They sang hymns first. The way they sing is - one of the readers speaks the words of the hymn first, then the organist plays the melody one time through, and then the congregation sings. They had a silent prayer, then recited an interpretative Lord's Prayer. The sermon was different than most. They read passages of the bible and then read the interpretations of those passages from Science and Health, the book written by the church's founder - Mary Baker Eddy. I honestly cannot summarize exactly what the sermon was about, but there were some very poignant points made. "Man is not God, but like a ray of sunshine - man reflects God. Man cannot be separated for an instant from God. If we look to the body for pleasure, we find pain, look to the love." 

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  ~ Psalms 23:6

They then had offering and ended with another hymn. 

Both the readers and several church members came and spoke with me to welcome me to the church. 

THANK YOU Church of Christian Science for welcoming me into your unique service.

Church of the Holy Cross

The Episcopal Church is a protestant Reform denomination that originated from the Church of England. The Church of England split from the Roman Catholic church in the 17th century, when the Pope refused to annul the marriage of the then King of England - Henry VIII. The church however still had to submit to papal authority until the Queen Elizabeth I era, when that decision was reversed. When Britain began colonization, the Church of England spread to all continents. As a successor to the Church of England, the movement in the American colonies became known as Episcopal/Anglican and was formalized in 1789 in Philadelphia.  

Episcopal faith is considered 'catholic' by ritual and liturgy and 'reformed' by application of theologies. Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible to be ordained as deacons, priests, & bishops. Episcopalians do not forbid the sacraments to those who have been divorced. They use the Book of Common Prayer in services. 

Settled at the base of Southern Mountain in Edgewood NM, Church of the Holy Cross is a small inclusive and heartfelt community. Besides being Father's Day, it was Trinity Sunday - the first Sunday after Pentecost. Father Raymond Raney presided over the service. 

The standard liturgy prayers were conducted and then there were readings, which was a group effort - different passages were read by members that were sitting throughout the congregation. Fr. Raney's sermon focused on Fathers. He talked about the relationship we have with our heavenly father and how it is often similar to the one we have set up with our Earthly father. If our father was loving, then it is a loving relationship. If our father was stern and distant than often so too is our relationship with God. He encouraged us to not let the shortcomings of our parents, dictate our perception of and relationship with God.  

For the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ~ Proverbs 3:12

Earlier this week, this congregation lost a member to death. The Paten and Chalice used during the service's communion ritual were pottery that was crafted by that beloved member. Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians in Episcopal churches. There was a choir that led the songs and the men of the choir performed a solo for the congregation. It was very touching because the man who had passed away was a big part of the choir and this song became a tribute to him.  

They handed out a small gift to all of the Dads at the service and then there was food and fellowship after the service. 

They are a lovely community, very open and receptive. People of ALL Lifestyles are welcome to worship at Church of the Holy Cross. 

THANK YOU Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church for sharing your service with me. 

United Pentecostal Church

United Pentecostal Church was formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ and originally emerged out of the Pentecostal movement of Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles and later Topeka, Kansas. Pentecostal faiths believe Miraculous Works of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit takes a hold of a person and they should express it by singing, dancing, jumping, and other movements. 

I attended the 2pm service at the New Life United Pentecostal Church 

The Mission of the New Life Church is to "exalt God through heartfelt sincere worship,  bible-based teaching, and anointed preaching." The whole service was conducted in praise - first singing praise, then prayer and healing, a sermon full of the praise of God, then they concluding the service with more healing prayers. In the true pentecostal vein, the members of the church were very vocal - speaking in tongues, praying out loud, singing joyfully. Some of them jumped up and down and ran around. They were very excited about the time they spent in prayer and praise. It was by far the most spirited pentecostal service that I have attended. Their healing is done by the laying of hands on each other, anointing with oil, and speaking tongues over one another. 

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:13

Pastor Steven Hamilton gave an exuberant sermon. He showed a great humility for his faith and God's will. He encouraged us to always go to God for direction and spoke of not holding the words of ministers or any man above the words of God. He asked if we have surrendered our Affection, Intellect, and Will to God?  Only those who have surrendered to God will hear the guiding voice of God. 

"Only God can stop your crash course to Destruction."  - Pastor Hamilton

The members showed a great dedication to their faith and humbleness to the Lord. 

Note: Pentecostal women generally wear skirts and wear their hair up even thought there is no official rule on that. Pentecostal women do not cut their hair so that is the reason so many of them wear it up. 

THANK YOU New Life United Pentecostal Church for sharing your Spirit Filled worship with me. 

My Pilgrimage to Chimayó

Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ.
~ 2 Timothy 2:3

Chimayó is an historical site in Northern New Mexico. It is considered Holy Land to Chrisitians as well as the Tewa tribe. Thousands of Peregrinos, Pilgrims, make the journey every year to Chimayó from all over the world. Many New Mexicans make an annual pilgrimage during the Holy Week and walk from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos...Holy Week is the last week of Lent and starts with Palm Sunday and includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. This sacred site was the original site of a Tewa mineral spring, where many miracles are believed to have occurred. El Santuario de Chimayo, a catholic chapel, was built there in 1816.  When the spring dried up, the people still came for the dirt that they felt had healing powers. 

The chapel walls have numerous reredos, brightly painted wooden screens, and bultos, statues, of saints which have been restored over the years.  There are rooms to the side of the altar. In the far back room is a hole in the ground called a pozito, where the holy dirt is - visitors collect holy dirt and also holy water to take with them or rub on parts of their bodies that need healing. It can be gathered in a container that you bring or one purchased from the on site gift shop. In the other room are more altars and the walls are filled with pictures of those that are requesting prayers and old crutches left by those who profess they have been healed.
During the Bataan Death March in World War II, many New Mexican soldiers prayed to the Santo Niño de Atocha, and believed they survived as a result of those prayers. After the war ended, some of those same soldiers began an annual tradition of walking to el Santuario de Chimayó. Individuals can make the pilgrimage alone and make arrangements for someone to follow them and transport them back or can take the pilgrimage with a group. Several churches in New Mexico make pilgrimages during the week before Easter.  

I made arrangements to do the pilgrimage with a church group from Santa Fe, Santa Maria de la Paz Parish. The group left at 6am from Santa Fe, but picked up more people at the Sacred Heart Church in Nambé. When I arrived at the Church, I was told the group had already passed by there. The pilgrimage from Nambé is 8 miles. I was a little nervous but had faith and set out on the trek alone and bout a mile into my walk, I caught up with the group.  

The Santa Maria Reverend, Daniel Balizan, walked the pilgrimage also. The group collectively carried a large wooden cross with petitions for prayer and healing attached to it. The bus followed the group and provided rest for the elderly that could not make the whole journey and also had a restroom facility. Those that stayed on the bus prayed and shared readings with the group. 

I went ahead of the large group of pilgrims and walked most of the journey by myself. Toward the end, a small group of men from Santa Fe - some of whom have been making the journey for 40-50 years, caught up with me and finished the last few miles with me.

We got to the chapel ahead of the large group. When the main group of pilgrims arrived to the sanctuary, they entered singing. Reverend Balizan presided over mass at the chapel. There were prayers, readings, Holy Communion, and lots of singing. The songs were almost all in Spanish. The Reverend said a few words at the beginning of the service. He talked how great Holy Week is because it is a time when God is in our midst. He shared how he loved all of the rituals and ceremonies of the week, but cautioned us to live the rituals that are a part of the religion or they mean nothing. He also talked of the spiritual death that we all must experience before we are given new life. After the service ended, we had time to visit the museum and shops, then the bus took us back to our cars. 

Chimayó holds a special significance to Catholics, but I doubt many could visit and deny the sanctity of the site. It was an amazing experience and visiting by way of a pilgrimige makes it all the more powerful. 

THANK YOU Santa Maria de la Paz for adopting me into your family and letting me be a part of the pilgrimage to Chimayó. 

 

Anglican Taizé Eucharist

The Anglican Church began in the 6th century in England, when Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine to Britain to disciple to the Anglo-Saxons. This mission, often called the Gregorian Mission, lead to the foundation of the Church of England and the eventual separation from the Roman Catholic Church. There is no central authority for the Anglican Church, instead churches are unified by tradition, belief, and agreement. 

Taizé is an ecumenical form of worship that incorporates song, prayer, and silence to foster a peaceful and calming atmosphere and facilitate a meditative worship. Taizé originated during World War II, in Taizé France first as worship for those trying to hide and flee from the war. It later developed into a monastic brotherhood that used a simplistic and unique worship style, that survives today.  

Many Christian churches worldwide are integrating services of the Taizé tradition into the normal services they offer their congregants. The Church of the Holy Faith offers a Taizé service on Tuesdays, it is a Catholic style liturgy with Holy Eucharist. I attended their 6pm Tuesday Taizé Eucharist service.

The Church of the Holy Faith was founded in 1863 in Santa Fe. They believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Sacraments, and the Authority of Scripture. It is officially an Episcopal Church but is more conservative and closer to an Anglican Church in its Anglo-Catholic rituals and use of the Book of Common Prayer. I found the service to be very much along the lines of a Catholic service except women were part of the ministerial team and everyone was welcome for communion. 

WORD MADE FLESH

Reverend James Brzezinski and Dean Peggy Patterson led the services. There were moments of meditative silence throughout the service as well as singing meditation, short hymns that were repeated several times. There was not really a sermon, just some readings and Dean Patterson spoke to us that we all have an anointed vocation in this life. 

For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. ~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Then they performed the laying on of hands and lighting of the candles. Everyone at the service went up to the altar and were anointed with oil and given healing prayers by the ministerial team. After each person left the altar, they lite a candle. Then the Holy Eucharist was offered to the members. It was a very unique service that had a certain tranquility about it, I can see why Taizé services are growing in popularity. In a World seemingly filled with increasing chaos, a peaceful service of worship can be very restoring.  

THANK YOU Church of the Holy Faith for showing me your unique Taizé service.

St. George Greek Orthodox Church

† † † † † † † † † † Home of the Annual Grecian Festival - St. George Greek Orthodox Church is one of the few Eastern Orthodox Catholic churches in New Mexico.

Between the fourth and tenth centuries, the Greek Orthodox Church separated from the Roman Church to follow the Byzantine Rite. The church teaches that it is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission with two great sources of authority:

HOLY SCRIPTURE AND HOLY TRADITION
They follow holy Sacraments, which they believe are "the visible means by which they believe are imparted the invisible Grace of the Holy Spirit:"

                                   Obligatory:

1.      Baptism
2.      Chrismation (anointment with holy oil)
3.      Confession
4.      Holy Communion
Optional:
1.      Matrimony
2.      Holy Orders (Ordination)
                                   3.      Unction (anointment of the sick) (GOARCH)

The Greek Orthodox Church traditions and ceremonies are far more expansive than I can detail here. Their ceremonies are rich in culture and history and their goal is to, "achieve union with Jesus Christ and unity with each other through the Sacrament of Holy Communion." 

Prior to attending the service, I acquainted myself with the ceremonious services by visiting the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's site. It explained the different services and even provided the words and prayers that would be used.

Sunday services include:
Orthros at 8:15 am
Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am

I attended the Divine Liturgy service. They perform the same liturgy service that has been used since the beginning of the Orthodox Church. When I first arrived, a small group was still leading the Orthros Chant. The transition from Orthros was without interruption. They had a Divine Liturgy book that provided the words to the service. The service was largely conducted in English but some parts were in Greek and the Lord's prayer was additionally done in Slavonic. I cannot say that I did not get lost a few times, so I was happy to have the guide.  

Father Conan Gill & Deacon George Collaros conducted the service. 

The service is very formal but the feeling of the church is comfortably casual. It is a welcomed diverse congregation, I heard several different languages being spoken by the members. The sanctuary is amazingly, beautiful filled with ornate fixtures and vibrant portraits. 

Most of the service was chanted except the sermon. In his sermon, Father Conan made parallels of the massacre at Sandy Hook to the massacre of children in Matthew 2:18 and predicted in Jeremiah 31:15. He spoke of the archetype of the mourning mother Rachel. He assured his congregants that doubting faith or the faith of God during the quake of such tragedies was not bad. In fact, this is "what lead us to wonder and awe." We may not know what work God is doing during these tragedies, but we can be assured that:

"Even in the darkest moment, when it seems that God is not around - 
                        He is doing his greatest work"   ~ Fr. Conan 

After the sermon, more people entered the church, many of them with children. Holy Communion was then given and was only for those who have been baptized and chrismated in the Orthodox church. After the completion of the service, there was fellowship in the building adjacent to the church. 

It was very interesting to see an Orthodox service being conducted, I felt almost transformed in time. 

THANK YOU St. George for letting me experience an Orthodox worship service.