JANUARY 9-10

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance” - Ecclesiastes 3:4

Have you ever been in church when something funny happens, and this irrisistible urge to laugh wells up inside of you? - usually on the most solemn of occasions. I must put up my hand and admit that it has happened to me more than once.

A time that sticks in my mind was at a baptism. It was a large church, and that day was packed with families and friends of the candidates, along with the usual members and visitors from other churches. The baptism service went well and had spiritually lifted us all. But as we sang the closing hymn, a deacon, eager to get cleared up and away, pulled the plug in the baptistry. The drain slurped, glugged, and made the most anti-social noises as the water drained away. Seated immediately behind me was the head elder and his wife. We both tried hard not to giggle, but when the minister started the Benediction with it's sound effects, it was just too much - one like I've never heard before or since. The head elder telling his wife to behave herself ended all reserve!

There are other tales I could tell – like my own baptism. At the time, we were required to wear swimming caps as part of our attire. Not wanting to perspire with a rubber cap on my head through the preliminaries, I chose to put the cap on just before I was announced. BIG mistake! There was no way my head was going to fit into that cap. Three deaconesses and I wrestled – literally – for five minutes, but nothing was going to give. Calling 'time,' the minister dunked me hatless. Needless to say, the congregation was in stitches.

I am currently re-reading a book, “Even the Angels Must Laugh Sometimes....Again” by Jan S. Doward. I highly recommend it, it's hilarious, and a reminder that God created us with an in-built capacity for joy and laughter. Just a few illustrations from the book.

Every minister has their preferences for baptismal attire. This minister had a thing for hip boots – fishing waders. A short man, when wearing them he had a compressed look, as though his head had been jammed into his legs. A portable tank with a false bottom was used as the baptistry, but the attendant forgot to fit it before filling the tank with water. The minister climber in and sank clear to his chin, and the waders, now filled with water held him firmly in place on the bottom of the tank. He could be heard shouting, “Would someone please pull the curtains and get me out of here.!”

There's the story of an elderly minister who, reaching the crescendo of his sermon, his teeth shot ou of his mouth. Quick as a flash he caught them mid-air and somehow got them back in his mouth without missing a word! Then there's the river baptism where the candidate was somewhat too heavy and both herself, and the minister went under the water – her to remain stuck to the river bottom, and the minister 15 feet down-river. Oh yes, and the minister who forgot he was wearing a cordless lapel microphone, who went to the gents during the song service and treated the congregation to a whole range of side effects.

Finally, an Adventist ministerial intern helping to set up camp meeting who forgot the restrooms were being refurbished using a new highly adhesive paint finish. Suffice it to say, the other interns unbolted the offending seat, with him still attached, and drove him to the nearest Adventist doctor. The doctors comment on the sight before him? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Yes, funny things happen every week in churches all around the world. If you have any experiences you would like to share with us, feel free to email them to us – we're always ready to join you in a good laugh.

Our song for today is sung by the Peasall Sisters - “Jesus Laughing.”

       

     Housekeeping details for you

     The point of this short blog will become clear if you decide to use this reading in the way we intend it. Netherfield Seventh-day Adventist Church believes in healthy churches. You can see what that means if you head to the relevant Healthy Churches page of the website. We also want other churches to be healthy. That means you can join in our campaign to create healthy churches, with healthy people serving the people in those churches.

     A healthy church is one where Jesus comes first. A healthy church is one where the people work together to put Jesus first. One thing we are doing is to join people together to spread that news. I would like you to look at our prayer partners page. This will explain how we want you to use this short devotional. Very basically we want you to find a like-minded Christian friend who you will join with to : choose to pray together every day, decide together on a way to serve other people together, to help them grow as Christians - and to invite the Holy Spirit into your life every day. This blog that you will receive every day simply gives a common spiritual purpose. If you are a newcomer and want to join the blog with this object in mind click here