Kwanzaa Presbyterian Church

The youth at Buffalo in the past had a tradition of the first Sunday of the month visiting a different church for worship. I think they had always gone to churches in the Buffalo/Monticello Area. I have for a while wanted to take a group to Kwanzaa Presbyterian church. I have a couple of reasons for this, one they worship in the old Highland Presbyterian Church building where I attended until 5th grade, I knew the worship experience while at a Presbyterian church was unlike any Presbyterian worship service most have had. I have heard Alika one of the co-pastors preach ( she was a guest preacher at Plymouth once) and was impressed and I have met people from Kwanzaa though combined events at North Como and helping with the freedom school. I also was in a class during seminary with the Rev. Paula Sanders who talked about the ministry at Kwanzaa.

Makning shure we had enough time to get to the church and not be late, we got there about 1/2 hour before worship started. I had been to contact with Paula Sanders, so they knew we were coming to visit and they had a young man who spotted as as we walked up to the church and he led us into the sanctuary. What an example of hospitality. Some of my frist empressions were reactions to a building that I had not been in for over twenty years, yet somethings were so familiar to me. my overall sense is the building seems a lot smaller then I remember. I showed the youth the windows of the cry room that overlook the santuary ( like an enclosed balcony) where sometimes we would watch the service and listen on the speaker. Even 1/2 hour before the service there were people in the sanctuary singing songs ( maybe they were just practicing) but they got those in the pew involved ( how many church choirs have you seen involing the congegregation as they warmed up, practiced?) the acceplla singing flowed into praise mucic with the organ, piano, drums,cymbals, etc.... there was a gentleman who led the singing with much enthusiam, our group commented later on how many times he said just one more time before a song ended. following some quick announcments there was a prayer about saying yes to the Lord ( I have rarely heard a prayer before where the music still played and people shouted amen, haijuegh, etc.. it was anything but the traditional quiet prayer. Rev. Ralph had visitors stand up and he welcomed us, and told us to expect hugs during the passing of the peace. Also the ushers passed out visitor info cards to those of us that stood during this time ( a great lesson I think many churches could use). Passing of the peace we were welcomed warmly by many in the congreagation, they seemed to make a point to greet us unlike many churches I have been to where you greet your friends, and visitors are they are near you( but you don't make a point to) the choir sang a song, then the scripture was read and people commented even as scripture was read. then a woman with a great voice did an amazing grace song, that was so powerful and the congregation was so pumped up, I wonder how Alika would be able to preach after that. Alika's sermon was on "grace" and she did a great job of weaving personal stories, three other stories about grace and even inlucded the people of the congregation in by name. It probably was a longer sermon than most of used to but it was so engaging, insightful and inspiring that i don't think most even those who came with me from Buffalo minded or noticed. One of the youth sitting next to me turned to me when Alika finished and said that was really good. Not to disrespect our Pastor at Buffalo or most Presbyterian Pastors I know but for a fifth grade girl to say this about a sermon I thought was something.

The bulliteen the ushers ( who were all wearing black pants or skirts and white tops) passed out was a two sided 8 1/2 x 11 sheet on one side was the welcome and announcements/calendar ,the other an outline of the service. The youth next to me kept looking at it and asking where we were in the service, a few times I told them I did not know or the part in the service we were in was not on it. i thought it was freeing to not be so wrapped up in a bulliteen that we had to follow along and I liked how it seemed like while there was an order to the service we also were moving along as the spirit moved. I think in an upcoming youth service I would like to use a similar bulletin and pull people away from being attached to the bulletin or hymnals. While they had the Blue Presbyterian hymnal none of the songs we sang came out of it. All songs were just sung multiple times and people picked them up as they went along.

Following the sermon played a song on CD for us to listen to but it was not a quiet listening but one of active participation as we listened. Then she invited people forward in what seemed like an altar call but at one point I wondered if it was more of a time for people to come forward with prayer concerns and have some pray with them one on one. Then Ralph started the word of institution for communion ( which was not in the bulletin) and he did it in a wondering way that at first I was not sure if we were starting communion or not. We did do communion intinction style and they invited the kids of the church to go first and a long line of kids came in from the basement and then the ushers singled each row when to go. The interesting thing was Ralph and Alika handled the elements and they had "elders" on either side of them that hugged people as they were returning to their seats. After communion one of the elders gave a quick word up giving as we have received and then the plates were passed. Alika gave a blessing and a gentlemen played a beautiful song on the violn. At lunch I commented it was one of the quietest times the whole service.

All the youth that joined us for lunch ( some had to get back sooner) seemed to enjoy the service and were glad they went. There were some mixed reactions to the amens, and other shouts though out the serivce ( some liked it others did not) and they didn't seem too upset that a service that started at 11am - ended at 1:30.

May post more later, enough for now, will probably post impressions of Alikas sermon as it was memorable and times very though provoking.