#6 Fairfax Community

"Only the government would think if you cut one foot off the top of the blanket and sewed it on the bottom, you would get a longer blanket" some Native American said regarding daylight savings time. I was in complete agreement with him as I trudged to Rachel's car through the rain, clutching my coffee and wondering if a coffee IV was attainable. As we headed to this week's destination, Fairfax Community Church, we discussed issues of importance -- Future stuff. When you are nearing the end of your high school days, this is a regular topic. Adults want to know what you're going to do with life and who you are going to be. They seem to forget that surviving the 11th grade is hard enough. Anyway, Rachel and I talked about college, jobs, future stuff, as I said. We also pondered the significance of Ke$ha's Tik Tok song being number 1 in America. Interestingly, the sermon would focus a lot on this. Future stuff, not Ke$ha.

We arrived at Fairfax Community only a tad late. We ran through the rain into what was instantly dubbed nicest facility yet. I don't want to know how many starving Peruvian villages could have been fed for the amount of money it cost to build this place. The building was almost futuristic, a work of modern art. The inside was no less impressive with lots of tiles and fountains and abstract angles. There was lots of space, very roomy and airy, which is saying something as there are apparently 2000 regular attendees. Rachel used the word "suburban" to describe the over all feel of the place. I agree. If the movie "Over the Hedge" had a church in it this would be the one - a perfect example of "civilized" human beings. I hate to generalize, but from what I observed most everyone looked the same, or more, blended together. It lacked an immediate diversity vibe.

Luckily Rachel and I didn't miss all the worship, the music was very good. It had a concert feel, lots of lights and a professional energy and a great sound system. However, unlike Family Worship Center last week, you didn't feel like you were trippin or hallucinating or at an energetic loony revival meeting, always a plus.

When we took our seats the lights went down and a movie came on the massive screens. I mean it, they were enormous. There were 3, and if you cut them out of the walls and made a lean to out of them, a person, no, a family of sumo wrestlers, could live quite comfortably in there. The movie was the end of Slumdog Millionaire. Had it smelled like popcorn, you could have convinced me I was in a movie theater. But then the pastor came up to talk, and that doesn't usually happen in theaters I go to. I was never able to figure out how old this guy was. He was thin but in a fit way, and he wore trendy, preppy, clothes and had a square goatee. He also had gray hair and an old wrinkled face. Was he 55 and hip? Or a 25 year old who went gray early and spent most all the early years of his life sun tanning? I honestly could not tell, but it doesn't matter. I liked the way he talked, there was much more speaking then preaching.

He told us how in Slumdog Millionaire so much stuff happens to the characters, but that's what makes the happy ending satisfying. He also said he could use a lot of better describing words then "stuff" but he might lose his job as pastor. He explained how something in us longs for a happy ending and every person who longs for redemption and reconciliation in a story longs for God. He questioned, what about our story? Does God promise a happy ending? He does, for believers. HOWEVER, we are constantly trying to move the happy ending to the middle of our story. Happy endings come at the end. The more struggles, pain, and trials we overcome, the more satisfying it will be. What is the ending exactly? As in, the ending of all endings? That was the next area he covered. Revelations 21 gives us a glimpse of exactly what's to come.

"1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

So there you go. The pastor told us that revelations is so important, but is often ignored because of its graphic nature and all the symbolism. I think the pastors name was Brian, or Rod or Joe, but I am going to refer to him as Sim. He looked like one of those people from the Sims video games. Sim mentioned how we are probably thinking, "Why does it matter? I'm just trying to make it through Monday. I'm just trying to survive here." It matters because if "here" is all there is, then everyone’s story ends the same. It ends in death. If this is it, it doesn't matter what happens in the middle. If we don't believe in the bigger picture, then this is simply a story about us. There is no mega story we are connected to. If we are living our all-about-us lives, we can try to do right. But, this is a broken world and there is sin. Hard as we try we will never be able to guarantee a happy ending without the gospel message. Because of what Christ has already done we can have a secured happy ending if we choose.

What does God want in return? A relationship with those he created. Sim pointed out how in the end of Slumdog Millionaire the boy kisses the scar on the girls face, showing that even her imperfections are lovely to him. To God, our worst traits are lovely. He wants us, imperfections included, the whole package.

I found all these things interesting to ponder over. It's good to know God finds my large ears lovely...oh and my impulsiveness, my habit of saying exactly what I'm thinking, restlessness, and tendency to get downright cranky from routine and lack of adventure. The whole future part was mind broadening. Most of the future thinking I do lately consists of what's after high school life, not earth life in general. I am a little obsessed with living in the now, taking every moment as it comes. I always say I want to live my life so when I die, as it flashes before my eyes, I have a good show to watch. But that shows only the beginning of the end, huh?

Great, I'm rambling about the apocalypse practically. Hang on while I go get some cardboard and paint on "THE END IS NEAR." Of course it may be 2 years, 2012, 4000 years, whatever. Man I may never get to be a hobo and roam the country in a VW bus...right focusing. (Hey, you know what, GOD loves that quirk!) In conclusion the sermon was clear and presented in a non-intimidating fashion. Though, as Rachel pointed out, Sim did spit a lot when talking. Just don't sit near the front. And you can see it coming. It kind of glistened in the extravagant spotlight, resembling a small orb. After the service ended and we were heading out of the sanctuary, the man in front of us called out to Sim. They did the guy handshake that involves back slapping. Apparently this man was visiting from out of town. Sim asked him what he was doing for lunch. The guy said "eating hopefully." Sim invited him to his home. This entire exchange was very genuine and did not seem forced or fake.

I liked this church fine. It reminded me a lot of New Hope and Burke Community. Fine, nice, church. I would not want to go there regularly. I think I would struggle with all the things I have before - masks, acts, an expected way to behave. Bla bla. I have consumed almost an entire large bag of cheese puffs while writing this. If I don't shut up soon I will wake up 700 pounds with 14 chins perhaps. I mean no offense if this description is you. Remember what we learned today class, God loves you, no matter what. I say that with a note of humor, but honestly, this fact is pretty much the best.