The first church, Sunday school and summer Bible school I can remember was the First Baptist Church of Pimlico, Baltimore. Later, my family attended the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore. I have attended Lutheran services with my wife many times. When she became a Quaker, I attended their Meeting. Most of the time, I don't currently have anything to do with churches, organized religion, and any other type.
However, the annual Society of Friends (formal name of the Quakers) Gathering can be fun and instructive and inspirational. Our friend Judy once drove with us from the Minneapolis airport to Tacoma, Washington for Friends General Conference. This year, it was held on the spacious campus of the University of Toledo. Not being much of a church person, I chose Gail Thomas's Psalms workshop and I am very glad I did.
This is a picture of our classroom. It probably doesn't look like a holy place but at times, it is.
There were several times when reading or commenting, one or more of us would feel emotions strong enough to interfere a little with speaking. One of the lovely passages in the Psalms is
Psalm 139:13-14 New International Version (NIV)
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
It is wonderful, no? We were knitted together in our mothers' wombs and we are wonderfully and fearfully made. And that was just the beginning.
