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Consciousness
To be conscious about something is to be aware of it.
Dear Lord help me to remember that You gave me life.
Thank you for the gift of life.
Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me.
To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me.
The marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility of a flower petal.
I need to remember that all these things come from you.
Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, prayer
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RYN: You asked how different non-denominational services are from Mass…
On a typical Sunday, I will walk in to a foyer where people are all standing around between services talking up a storm, laughing, hugging each other. I’ll pass an expresso cart and head down the hallway, where I will drop my children off to Sunday School and they will sing songs, hear a story about Jesus, learn a Bible verse and do an art project related to the story they learned. The church provided each of them with their own children’s Bible and if they bring it, they earn tokens that they can trade in for small prizes.
Anyway, I drop them off each at their own classroom, provided it isn’t full, and head over to the coffee cart myself to get a mocha and then I’ll head into the sanctuary, where I will be given a bulletin and a note page which relates to the topic for the day… The sanctuary doesn’t have pews, but instead has rows of seats and in the back of each seat in a little pocket with a pen for note-taking and some envelopes for giving. (It is important to note here that sanctuary has a different meaning for Protestants than Catholics and it is simply the room in which we worship… the whole room, stage and all.)
Then the music begins, front and center on a stage: keyboards, drums, guitars, and several people singing with microphones. The music rocks… everyone sings with their whole hearts just praising God and this is usually accompanied by clapping to the beat. The words to each song are up on an overhead screen (powerpoint). They’ll sing about 4 to 6 songs and they will progressively slow down and switch into a worship mode. Sometime before the songs are over, the pastor will break in for announcements.
Once the music is over, the pastor will begin with a prayer and then give a teaching. People can follow along by taking notes and all scriptures that are referenced are put on an overhead screen.
The pastor will close with a prayer and remind anyone who is new to come and meet him afterwards in the foyer, where he will give you a welcome packet about the church, it’s ministries, and basic beliefs, along with a coupon for a free coffee and a mug.
They will end with a closing song and then everyone is dismissed.
They do not at any time (at least in the church I attend) pass an offering. All offerings are put in boxes that are outside of the sanctuary.
They also do not do communion during any of their regular services. Communion is once a month at a specified time and usually on a Tuesday. (I have been to some non-denominational churches that have communion every weekend, but this is not common.)
Everyone stands around for quite a while afterwards, talking, some praying… many of these people are in small group Bible studies that meet throughout the week… so people within the church are very connected with each other.
Basically, it’s completely opposite of the Mass… an entirely different way of worshipping God… and sadly, it lacks many of the wonderful aspects of the Mass.
Thing is, even as I write this it seems to be severely lacking in reverence, but it’s all I’ve ever known so, to me, it’s very comfortable.
Amber,
my reply to your comment is also here: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/thiscatholicjourney/115577093911628977/
There are lots of folks that can talk about the whys and wherefores of what we do. But I don’t thing that is where you are (e.g., why we have an offering in Mass).
If you beleive what you said about the real presence, then you know that the Mass is the ultimate prayer, and there is no substitite. So what is it holding you back? What is it in your gut? You say, you are not converting because of feelings. The intellect and will are involved. But connversion happens in the heart.
When I read your description, I hear the community coming through - how your children are treated, the greatings, the informality, the not having an offering in the service.
Two thoughts. 1. Change is always easier with a group of friends who share the experience. At the parishes I have attended, the RCIA class forms a supportive community itself. I suspect that will happen. 2. Have you started to connect into the parish community? When you know the people and they know you, it starts to get comforatable.
I am not a convert, so I can’t know exactly what it is like. But I have joined new parishes. I have moved a lot - we have had 5 parishes over the past 10 years (I moved too much for work). All the transitions have been tough (and at times, it was tempting to skip Mass - I felt disconnected and alone at times).
The thing that has made the moves easier or harder has been how easy or hard it is to become a part of the commuinty. Some communities are more welcoming than others (I think that is true with all human groups). At all of these, I felt outside until I became involved. I hope you reach out and become involved. You don’t have to go through RCIA for that.
Of course, I hope those in this online Catholic community make you feel welcomed. I’ll do my part. 
I will keep you in my prayers, of course. Sorry for rambling.
