PIKES PEAK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Building Aesthetics: t t. Pikes Peak Methodist is your run of the mill small church. There is nothing particularly interesting about the building. It is actually rather boring save some pretty cut glass windows. Inside the sanctuary feels a bit claustrophobic with it's narrow design and lack of natural light. Because of the lack of windows, the church  has to be lit by florescent and tungsten lights. I think God prefers natural light. Pews are comfortable though a little close together. I kept brushing my groin into the hymnal in front of me.  

Creepy Glazed Eyes: t t t t. There were some unique eyes at church today, but I think that was mostly from glaucoma. People were friendly and seemed sincere and honest. The creepiest person award goes to the homeless guy sitting out front of the church who kept telling me that if I hung around for thirty minutes I would be able to see police arrest him. The church noted in the service that it was particularly sympathetic to the plight of the homeless.

Hassled by Members: t t t t. This church also didn't make me stand up and introduce myself, though several pleas were made for new folks to stay after the service and introduce themselves to members. A few folks came up after the service to say hello and were very friendly. One woman yelled to us as we were leaving, "see you guys next week, right?"

Religious Time Management: t t t t. The service was concise with a large chunk of time going to parishioners concerns. A lot of people had concerns. A lot of people recently had heart attacks. There is something to be said for the peace that comes in hearing others more pressing struggles. If I had to say something today it would have been, "please pray that Julie and I find a puppy soon." 

Misinformation: t t t t. I can't say I heard any misinformation today, though the minister did say that God used her as a medium for poetry. It was a nice poem that she read, but I think God would have done a little better.

Presence of God: t t. I seem to consistently find God in the music. Today it was "What a friend we have in Jesus". I have an old recording of Doc Watson singing this song, and hearing it today made me happy, so much so that I learned it on the guitar when I got home. The Lord's Prayer also sent a shiver up my spine, which I think speaks to the power of repetition and tradition. I'm pretty sure the lay minister of the church is gay, unless Margo is also a boys name. She had a good sense of humor and spoke passionately.

Overall Inspiration: t t t. This church had no real diversity to speak of, not even age diversity. Almost everyone there today was white and over 60. The sermon was really specifically aimed at that age group as evidenced by these comments: "Who here knows what a Nook is, and it's not where you ate breakfast?" and "We all know what prunes do" and "You know how it is when you forget things". The congregation was so old in fact that only half were able to stand for the songs. At one point the minister hit on what is surely their biggest collective fear: to be abandoned in a nursing home, for which she was showered with several "Amens".