What about church?

It is early Sunday morning and many have wondered where do we go to church here in Spain and what is it like.  For now, the where is a complicated answer.  We are church students (and we often say preschool students).  We will not have our own church to attend or help with for quite a while.  Our first job is learn about church here.  We will be visiting all the churches that our teammates work with first.  That accounts for about 6 different churches. 

Also, we are going to be doing quite a bit of traveling and sight seeing over the first year so that we can learn about the places and events that helped make Spain what it is today.  Just like each of us, Spaniards are very proud of their history and their famous landmarks and we want to understand it as well.  When we are away from our home on a Sunday we will visit other evangelical churches.

Church services are longer than the average service in America.  They are also more interactive.  Many of the songs they sing are the same ones we sing, however in Spanish.  And something crazy happens in my brain at that point - I know the words to a song until the person next to me is singing in Spanish and then I can't remember a single lyric. 

Several mission trips ago I decided I could use church in a foreign language for one of two purposes - to learn the language or worship.  I have chosen worship.  Although I don't understand most of what is said or sung, I can sit back and let my brain relax and worship.  The Holy Spirit transcends all languages and will speak even if you do not understand the pastor. 

Then, usually sometime on Sunday or Monday, I try to find an online service to watch on the Internet.  If you are a member of a church that broadcasts your entire service, let me know.  Most only do the sermon and you miss out on something there.  I know it is more expensive for churches to include the music on their podcast (royalties and etc), but those of serving on foreign fields say thank you for spending the money.

We miss our home church, but we are learning the discipline of not depending on someone else to take us to the throne of God or to spoon feed us discipleship.  

Today we are going to church in Azuqueca (pronounced A-thu-ka-ka).  We will walk about 20 minutes to the train station then take a 10 minute train ride then walk a couple of blocks.  A whole new lifestyle!