48 :: Christ Lutheran Church, Providence

Today I worshipped briefly at Christ Lutheran Church in South Charlotte. As previously mentioned, there is a corridor of massive, beautiful mainline churches along Providence Road in South Charlotte. Most are closed, as well. Christ Lutheran is open! For noon communion every Wednesday during Lent, they are hosting a series of sermons, as well.

I joined.

By way of background, the Child Center at this massive ELCA church is where Mariel Charlotte attends daycare. So, I have an "inside connection" to this community through this one:

I have seen this church from the road for decades but never been inside of it (a bit of a theme on this blog). Consistent with what I expected, this is a church with a significant wow factor in terms of scale. From the time I pulled in until the time I was seated, big was everywhere. Of note, this is one of three physical campuses that Christ Lutheran has in the Charlotte area.

I believe Calvary Church here in town remains the single largest church that I have visited, but this felt awfully close. It is a structure intended to impress. It is also tastefully designed and decorated, without a doubt.

As a Wednesday afternoon, Lenten communion service during Covid, the assembled faithful were in modest numbers. There were perhaps fifty of us in the cavernous sanctuary. An unknown group of people were watching from cyberspace as multiple television cameras live-streamed the service. These cameras can be seen on the video embedded above. These camera also ensure that the church's YouTube channel will stay well-fortified.

The sermon started shortly after I sat down. It was delivered by the very capable Melody Simpkins [link].

Luke 10:38-41 was the focal point of the message. It reads as such:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Despite its obvious brevity, there's a great deal in these few verses. 

The idea expounded on in the sermon was that both women can be seen as archetypes of the two imperatives that exist in every Christian life... as well as the tension that results from our need to do both. 

Martha is the depiction of Christian faith in works, as she prepares a meal. Christians building communities. Expanding the flock by spreading the Gospel. Creating families. Fighting injustice. Speaking truth to power. Working, fighting, striving, improving, healing, consoling, worshipping.

Faith in Action. 

Mary is the picture of Christian spiritual inner-life, sitting at Yeshua's feet. Contemplative and peaceful. But we could also suppose that Mary also may have been invigorated toward brief moments of spiritual ecstasy. Other moments may have been filled with release from trauma, breaking of deep inner bondages and patterns. Self-introspection of the highest order may also have been her experience. All things are promised in a Christian life. 

Faith at Rest. 

Melody exhorted the attendees to keep these two imperatives in balance to achieve the most meaningful Christian life of all.

Good sentiment, and well-delivered.

The section that followed was musical. It included a picture of Yeshua, Martha and Mary during a specific verse about the contribution of women within our faith.

Eventually, communion was served. From my times at the other Lutheran churches I have visited during this experience, there are some border skirmishes within Lutheranism on who exactly can and cannot take communion in their churches. While the ELCA may not feel as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod or the Evangelical Wisconsin Lutheran Synod churches do, I decided to sit it out.

I enjoyed seeing my brothers and sisters in Christ eating the sacred elements.

And then I departed.

Brief, interesting, thoughtful sermon... all in a beautiful sanctuary. And a Lenten investment that will surely pay ongoing dividends.