Childlike

Chapter 19 Cupertino Bible Church

Chapter 19

Cupertino Bible Church

The week went quickly, with me cramming for my finals, neglecting all other parts of my life.  I hadn’t seen Missy since her day of revelation, nor Mick. I guess we were hitting all our textbooks so hard that the rest of the world melted away, including friends. Which was why I was standing by myself, outside of the new church that Bobby had so accurately given me directions to.

“Cupertino Bible Church,” I read on a sign outside the church. “Come worship with us!”

It was a smaller church than the old one, old fashioned architecture with a mighty steeple piercing the sky, pointing up to heaven with the simple wooden cross protruding from it. There were a few stain-glassed windows that could be seen from the outside and a white two story building in the back, that was probably for Sunday school classes.

I walked inside where I was greeted by an usher who handed me a bulletin.  The interior was very simple, nothing fancy. There was a small stage for the pastor to preach from with oak paneling on the walls behind the pulpit. An organ sat on stage right, a grand piano on the left and a rugged cross with the words “You were bought with a price” hanging from the cathedral ceiling above the stage.

The pews were plain wood,no fancy cushions like the other church, and there were no television cameras or colorful lights flashing around. The sanctuary was mainly lit by floor to ceiling windows that swiveled out to let in sunshine. I sat down in the last pew at the back of the church, for the other pews were full. Most of the people were dressed rather casually with an occasional tie seen here and there, although I noticed that the ushers wore ties and the song leader as well.

“Please open your bulletins and take out your songsheets. We’ll start our worship of the Lord God Almighty with ‘This Mighty Fortress’,” the song leader announced, coming over loud and clear on two large ‘JBL’ speakers hanging from the ceiling in each corner of the stage. There was a ruffling of papers, then the music started and we sang. Afterwards we rolled right into a praise song called ‘Ascribe to the Lord’ followed by ‘Glory, Glory, Glory’ ‘He is Lord’ and ‘As the Deer’. Then another man in a tie and suit, heavily mustached and balding, took the pulpit introducing himself as brother Mark; greeting everyone and announcing various developments.Since this was only the second service of the new church, there were a number of things warranting the congregations’ attention. He ended by inviting everyone to the elders meeting on Thursday night then asked the ushers to come forward and accept the morning offering.

“Second Corinthians 9:7 says, ‘Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver’,” brother Mark said. “If you don’t feel you should give, pass on the plate. If you feel you should give, then give for the Lord. I emphasize this since most of you came from the other church and there you were required to give a certain percentage of your income. But the scriptures clearly states,  ‘give only what you have decided in your heart to give’. Well enough said.” With that he left the stage and a lady began to sing a solo of  ‘The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus’, as the ushers marched their way down the aisles.  I looked up to see the pretty Asian girl that I’d had several chance run ins with. The last time, being the angry stare when the church split up. I guess she chose to follow Pastor Matthew. She was wearing a Ferrari red dress that brought out all her best, transfixing my eyes upon her dark hair cascading down the right side of her head over her shoulder. Her matching red lips tantalized me with every word sung.

 During the performance I caught her eyes, her head moving across the congregation until landing on me, stopping like a missile locking on its target. It was but for a moment, then she continued on with her audience sweep. After her song she left the stage without looking my way, amid polite applause.

There was more singing after the offering. We went on to ‘How Great Thou Art’, followed by ‘Change My Heart Oh God’, ‘Because He lives’ and then the singing stopped and Brother Mark approached the pulpit and said a prayer for the congregation and Pastor Matthew. He asked that the congregation have open hearts and that the Holy Spirit would guide Pastor Matthew to teach accurately and effectively from the word of God.

“Come teach us Pastor Matt,” Brother Mark finally said. He passed Pastor Matthewas he came up to the pulpit, clothed in a conservative navy blue suit, that looked like the same one he wore on his last Sunday at the other church.

“Good morning and please turn with me to John chapter 2 in the New Testament section of your bibles. If you haven’t a bible you’ll find one of our pew bibles in front of you.” I pulled out one of the black hardbound, New International Version, pew bibles and turned to the second chapter of John.

Pastor Matthew took chapter two and going line by line, verse by verse, went through it, explaining it, from the turning water to wine to chasing out the moneychangers from the temple. After the sermon we sang, ‘Come Into My Heart Lord Jesus’, then pastor Matthew blessed the congregation with, “May the Lord cause his face to shine upon you as you go about your lives this week!” Then everyone got up and started filing out the different doors. I got up with them and went on out feeling different from the way I felt leaving the old church. I certainly learned more about scripture that I ever did the whole time I went to the other church. Missing was the intense emotional experience that the other church instilled in you. Instead, I felt a calming peace, a sense of well being.

Being one of the 500 or so going out to their cars, I became lost in the crowd, just another face. I didn’t see Bobby or Pastor Matthew or the girl in red, although I did not look very hard. I wanted to be off alone for the moment, give myself some time to think. I got in the Cortina and started her up and drove out of the parking lot.

 “What are you telling me God?” I asked aloud, as I drove towards home. “What do you want me to do now?”