1222 saturday night

My parents dropped me off at SBCC in time for the first service on Saturday night. I was able to get a good seat in the third row. Legacy, the high school ministry, performed a dramatic dance to “Everything” by Lifehouse, which was played live by Pastor Nathan and members of Legacy’s worship team. Inspired by a video on GodTube, Legacy’s performance was outstanding. It also provided an explanation for Pastor James’ impromptu dance class last week (see 12/15 blog).

This was followed by a dramatic sketch featuring Jim Y and Cary M, about a man who sits in front of a church looking for answers. The dialogue was great and liberally sprinkled with SBCC references, including “Screech” Shiohama, a male soprano who has a voice that sounds “like someone stretching a cat”.

Pastor Gary concluded his series of “If It’s A Wonderful Life ...” with this week’s installment of “... Why Do I Feel So Empty?” He spoke about Solomon, the son of David and king of Jerusalem, who had knowledge, power and riches, yet he felt unfulfilled by all of it.

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:8-11 “I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well – the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

Pastor Gary spoke of the emptiness in our lives, and how God sent His son, Jesus, to us at this time of the year, so that we will fill the emptiness in our hearts with Christ. In John 4:13-14, Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well in Sychar and said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

After the service, the Supper Saturday ministry served up some turkey, gravy, stuffing, rice, cranberry sauce, and salad, along with cookies and fudge for dessert. It was very good.

The second service started at 7pm, and was the same as the first service, except that instead of Legacy, an interpretive signing was performed by Evolution, the junior high ministry, to the song “The Nails In Your Hands” (aka "Forever My Love"), played live by Pastor Nathan. It was a very moving performance and they did a great job.

After the second service, I grabbed some cookies to munch on, and Mike & Carol were able to give me a ride home.