Yesterday I did something I’ve never done before. I went to an Easter sunrise service at the beach. I’ve been to sunrise services before, but always at church, with a traditional service. Where I live, there’s nothing new about a sunrise service at the beach; I’ve seen these services advertised for the 10 or so years I’ve lived here.
This year I decided to go. I didn’t have anyone to go with, so I went alone. No big deal.
I chose the service to attend based on location. The Presbyterians and Catholics had joined forces in a small, shell-shaped amphitheater on a very touristy, cheesy boardwalk. The Baptists reined waterside so they could baptize people in the Gulf of Mexico. The Methodists were going to hang in an outside beach bar, Flounders, using the same stage where the wet t-shirt contests are held every Wednesday night. Something about that setting helped me choose the Methodists.
I arrived early, because the paper said it would start at 6:04AM. The start time was actually 6:30AM, but there was plenty of coffee, so it was okay. I watched the sea gulls overhead and the palm trees sway while the sound guy checked his system - “Praise the Lord, Check. Check.”
People sat in wooden booths, and I chose one of the high aluminum barstools on the dance floor right in front of the stage. It was a good seat.
Here are three things I especially liked about the service:
- It was two guitar-led hymns and a sermon. That’s it – 37 minutes.
- The sermon was intelligent and thought-provoking.
- The collection plate wasn’t passed, because “we don’t want to put anyone under any pressure.” If you wanted to give, you could look for a tackle box with a large hole on the top in the back of the bar.
They call it “flip-flop” church. I wore nice black pants and a top and was way over-dressed.
In workplaces around the world, there are people heading into sabbaticals this month who will try something new in their lives – huge challenging experiences – that they’ve planned for a long time. My “new thing” to try took about 30 seconds to decide and the time it took to set the alarm.
They say trying new things keeps you young, but I’m not sure about that. All I know is I did one tiny new thing and something shifted. Driving back over the Santa Rosa Sound yesterday at 7:15 AM, I felt really good about myself and my life.
It lasted all day.
2 Responses (add yours)
I had a similar experience this past Easter sunday. After leaving my church, I realized I still had time to make the services at another church I had been wanting to visit. Being alone and walking into an unfamilar place was a step for me. But,that’s what my sabbatical has been about – trying new things and steppin’ out of my comfort zone. Well, the service was great and the people were so nice. They even gave visitors a free copy of the Pastors book, “One Month to Live: 30 Days to a No-Regrets Life”, which is a New York Times best seller. Woo Hoo – what a nice treat!
Your two examples are the “big” (taking sabbatical) and “small” (walking into a church service alone where you don’t know anyone) of risking taking and the ample rewards that can result.
Woo Hoo for the copy of your best selling book. Thanks for your comments, Angela.