Sunday Number Eight

Today is Sunday July 10, it is my 8th Sunday here at Uswaa.

It is also the 8th time I’ve awoken to the church bells ringing at 5 a.m. for 15 minutes straight. They are a very reliable alarm clock, but they are also very loud with no option for hitting snooze.

I am preaching at Nkiraawanga this morning. This is about 3 miles away from Uswaa and about a 45 minute walk. So we are taking the piggy piggy. I know I made a promise never to get on that thing, but it’s all part of the African experience right?

The service at Nkiraawanga will have elements that you are familiar with, hymns, liturgy and prayers. The sermon will be 15 minutes (I know that because I’m preaching, otherwise it could be anywhere from 10 to 50 minutes).

However there are obvious differences from services that you are familiar with.

• The announcements will be 50 minutes long, they cannot figure out how we do announcements at Southwood in less than 2 minutes. 
• When I preach I will stand in the doorway of the church, there is no sound system, so from the doorway both the 150 people in the pews and the 150 people sitting outside can hear me. 
• The offering is a processional, like we do communion, everyone comes forward with their offering, some place money in baskets, others give chickens, corn, or other produce as their offering. 
• When the service concludes the entire congregation processes outside for an auction of the “in kind” offerings. The actually service ends when the auction is over, when another hymn is sung and a prayer spoken.

A typical service, including the auction can go for as long as 4 hours, but it can also be done in 2 hours. I would say 2 and a half is about average. Again, a 50 minute service (as we do at Southwood) is incomprehensible to them. Sunday mornings are an event, it’s a community gathering and people give their morning to the community and to God.

After worship lunch is served for the pastors and the staff, this is one of the most fun times of the week. The pastors are relaxed and ready for their day off and consequently laughter is in abundance.

As they are at home, Sundays are my favorite days here at Uswaa!