Week 15 - Peoples Church

www.peopleschurchvancouver.org

Some of our church visits we have been able to slip in relatively unnoticed, others not so much. This week at Peoples Church was a "not so much" visit. There was no slipping in unnoticed. We were warmly greeted by several people as we came in, including a hearty hug from one lady, and then again in the extended meet-n-greet during the service. Not the creepy "we haven't seen a new face in years" greeting, but a genuine "glad to have you and hope you enjoy your time with us" sort of greeting.

PCs auditorium seats approximately 200 (not including the balcony) and this week there were about 100 in attendance, of all ages. As we are discovering with modest sized churches, like PC, this auditorium size allows even a back row seat to be within a comfortable distance from the stage or podium. PC has a fairly large stage that they made good use of with six instruments and five vocalists to lead the music, including an accordion and bongo drums. The lighting was comfortable with plenty of filtered natural light on both sides. Visual technology was used minimally, primarily during the singing time.

After a lengthy opening (about 40 minutes) of very energetic music, during which several people came forward and shared a word of thanksgiving, we were lead in an offertory prayer which everyone read aloud together. This was followed by a time of announcements where the husband and wife pastor team traded playful banter between themselves and with members of the congregation. Definitely a level of comfortable familiarity not commonly found in many churches. Just prior to the beginning of the message children were invited to leave and join a class specifically for them.

Interspersed with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, and a few inside jokes, the pastor's topical message explored what it means to "Have faith in God" as stated in Mark 11:22. This was the beginning of a multi-week study and this week focused on the personal aspect of faith in God manifested in healing, forgiveness, and salvation. Using a visual aid of money (faith) and bread (salvation) he demonstrated how faith = a noun and belief = a verb. Faith (money) is the currency by which salvation (bread) is purchased and belief is the transaction (action) when salvation is purchased. In the visual aid he showed how you can have all the money you need, and really want the bread, but until you hand the money over you can't enjoy the bread. Or as James chapter 2 states: "Faith without works is dead."

One thing we have enjoyed in many of the more liturgical services is how the congregation actively participates in the service. PCs service format is much too informal and free-flowing to be considered liturgical but there was plenty of participation through corporate reading of bible passages and prayers, individuals standing and giving words of thanks, and the occasional unprompted "amen" from a congregant. There is something to be said about seeing active engagement of congregants throughout a service.