Down But Not Out

Music At The Village

I like:

• Cream: Crossroads (live at the Fillmore version from the "Wheels of Fire" double album), easily Eric Clapton's greatest guitar solo
• Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Chile
• Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor (the one "Rollerball" ruined)
• In Living Color: Cult of Personality
• The Who: Behind Blue Eyes
• Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata
• Debussy: Clarie de Lune

So, if the Village could work these tunes into the worship service it would be nice. It would also demonstrate fairness and equity, and it would take a step (albeit small) toward tearing down the walls of ageism currently under construction at the Village.

Continuity and Confusion

I'm still reeling from the dizzying display of disparate diatribe delivered during yesterday's service. First we get a dose of the Mendonzas and their spectacular devotion, courage and conviction as it plays out in missional living. Holy cow! Yet another thing I can never live up to in a billion skillion dillion years. Why is it that the Village is all about beating me down to build me up? Wait a minute . . . I'm struggling to recall the "build me up" phase. But after the bold challenge tacitly offered through the video to see if any of us low-life scum-buckets can top what the Mendonzas are doing for God, we get another challenge: "They couldn't do it in the late 1800's and they failed again in the 1960's. So, church, let's give it a go here in 2009 and see if we can get to heaven through deeds!" Whaaa?

And as if that's not confusing enough, this edict is laid out: "Don't go next door and try and save your neighbor." Hmmm. Just when I think I am about to figure this "evangelism" thing out, we take off in a totally unexpected direction. And I completely missed the point of the thing about the oil above the door and that whole business. Besides, I thought that was a Jewish Passover sort of thing. Were we talking about Passover? Who knows?! The way Matt's all over the map on the weekends, perhaps we were doing some sort of experiment in Jewish orthodoxy and I missed his trademark under-the-breath annoucement about the transition . . . Whatever.


Elder Vote

I have a confession to make about the vote for the elders: I don't know a couple of them and I voted for them anyway. I mean, I know Massengale, and Patterson and Whitehead . . . go to Baby Dolls or Million Dollar and those guys will always buy a round. They're good people. But some of the others? OK, so I see Brad Miller in the foyer from time to time picking pockets and Steve Hardin stops by the nursery occasionally in a politically motivated, metaphorical "baby kissing" endeavor (By the way, I have worked in the nursery without pay seeking only to serve the Lord for the last few years during the 5:00pm Saturday evening service about a 25 minute drive from my home in Carrollton, a sacrifice I am only to glad to make though it pales by comparison to the cinematic parade of celebrities shown during the "Cannes Film Festival of Saints at The Village" ). But the others? For all I know they are Hitler Reincarnate or Madeline Murray O'Hare (I suppose that would be "Reincarnate" as well. Wait . . . were any of them women?) or some Hellenist plant. But you are pushing me off the point. How am I supposed to get to know these people? I mean, they are like Supreme Court Justices; they will be "appointed" (Oh, right! We "voted" for them. Does anyone remember selecting them to run? Were YOU asked?) and they will be there forever. And what's our recourse? What? "Write their name down if you DON'T want them elected?" How un-American is that? Isn't that anti-thetical to the American Political System and the whole notion of a "Write-In Vote?".

Just where the Heck is this church headed?