Sunday Service

So here I am on a Sunday morning. The sound of chiming cymbals and slapping hands accompany the voices of a cheerful congregation singing “Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God Almighty” all with their hymnals parted to page number one for the first hymn of the service. As I scan the sanctuary, I observe half a dozen of beautiful, ornate hats, some big, some small, some tipped ever so slightly to one side, but each one unique. Other heads are adorned with tightly coiled chignons while some wrinkled faces sport neatly trimmed salt and pepper mustaches. The air lingers with the scent of floral fragrances and the spice of men’s aftershave. It’s Sunday morning and I’m in service at a small Baptist church not too far from my dorm. You could probably tell from my above description, the congregation represented a particular demographic. I scan the crowd again, I think I may be one of two people here under the age of 35 (myself and three year old asleep in his mother’s lap). Despite the obvious age gap between myself and ninety percent of the people in attendance, I am nonetheless enjoying myself.

I once heard a New Orleans native joke that everyone in the city is related. As I stand here in this church, I realize how much truth there was to that jest. Here I am, a newcomer to the church, a newcomer to New Orleans and an obvious deviant from the normal member based solely on age and yet I feel so much at home. When I walked through the doors this morning, dozens of curious eyes met mine and warm smiles shined towards me. Their kindness shown through warm embraces, bright grins and “God Bless You’s” in sweet Louisianan accents melted what little uneasiness I may have felt being in a new place.

There’s just one week left in this Duke Engage program but yet I have been feeling more homesick than ever. With each day that nears my departure, my longing for North Carolina, my family and home grows stronger. Today, though, as I stood in service at the small Baptist church I felt strangely at home. With my homesickness suspended for a few hours today, I basked in the warmth of kindness from strangers turned friends and let myself enjoy the company of their spirits. Despite the generation gap, or two, a family we became this morning, connected by the God within all of us. Thank you Pleasant Zion! You made me feel so at home when so far away from it.