/ministers and church-Warning, RELIGIOUS topic

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your thoughts on this, .

It does seem that some of the " old-fashioned " ways have gone by the wayside.

We belong to a large Lutheran church with 2 full-time pastors, plus there are

certain church members trained to visit the sick and offer communion to them.

I suppose part of it is that I an not all alone. I have a loving family to

look after me. I know if I requested a pastoral visit or whatever, they would

make time for me. And I might consider it sometime.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that my husband and I are both musicians.

(We both majored in music in college.) My husband plays the trumpet and sings in

the choir, directs the hand-chime choir. For me, I love to sing, both as a

soloist and in the choir, and it is what I miss most about church. I find my

faith strengthens so much when I can sing His praises. But I don't have the

energy to stay up for evening choir rehearsals, much less make it to church on

Sunday. Every fall I try to talk myself into starting to go again, and then my

body will say " no. " My stress meter broke when I had my breakdown and had to

quit working. Up to that point, I was working full time, taking a class at the

technical college and still trying to participate at church when I could.

So, back to singing, I never sing anymore except occasionally along with

music I'm listening to. I miss it sooooo much. I'm getting all weapy just

sharing this with you all.

So, although pastoral visits would be OK sometimes in spite of my messy

house, it's not really what my spirit needs to soar again. I wish I could push

myself to go to choir rehearsals and then to services on Sunday mornings. I

know it would be really good for me, keep me from being isolated, but damn it, I

hardly have the energy to get in the shower, much less go out and participate in

things. Anyway, I guess this turned into a rant. I have to go cry now.

Jeanne in WI

[Guest guest]

Jeanne, I'm so sorry you had to give up your singing. My cousin MJ feels the

same way about singing in the choir. It really lifts her up. She had to stop

too and I can see the toll it has taken on her.

I pray that you will be able to sing again.

Marti

Dave and Jeanne wrote:

Thank you for your thoughts on this, .

It does seem that some of the " old-fashioned " ways have gone by the wayside.

We belong to a large Lutheran church with 2 full-time pastors, plus there are

certain church members trained to visit the sick and offer communion to them.

I suppose part of it is that I an not all alone. I have a loving family to look

after me. I know if I requested a pastoral visit or whatever, they would make

time for me. And I might consider it sometime.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that my husband and I are both musicians. (We

both majored in music in college.) My husband plays the trumpet and sings in the

choir, directs the hand-chime choir. For me, I love to sing, both as a soloist

and in the choir, and it is what I miss most about church. I find my faith

strengthens so much when I can sing His praises. But I don't have the energy to

stay up for evening choir rehearsals, much less make it to church on Sunday.

Every fall I try to talk myself into starting to go again, and then my body will

say " no. " My stress meter broke when I had my breakdown and had to quit working.

Up to that point, I was working full time, taking a class at the technical

college and still trying to participate at church when I could.

So, back to singing, I never sing anymore except occasionally along with music

I'm listening to. I miss it sooooo much. I'm getting all weapy just sharing this

with you all.

So, although pastoral visits would be OK sometimes in spite of my messy house,

it's not really what my spirit needs to soar again. I wish I could push myself

to go to choir rehearsals and then to services on Sunday mornings. I know it

would be really good for me, keep me from being isolated, but damn it, I hardly

have the energy to get in the shower, much less go out and participate in

things. Anyway, I guess this turned into a rant. I have to go cry now.

Jeanne in WI