Posted by Mister Metal on November 27, 2002 at 23:13:24:
In Reply to: Per Request...don't usually share like this... posted by Fiiiyer on November 27, 2002 at 13:49:52:
: Hey Pastor Steve...Hey Cari
Wow!! Just when I find a REAL Church, it all falls apart. Just my luck!!
(joking, just joking, don't hit so hard...hehehe!) That being said, I wanted
to take the time, off the board, to let you know something... You've both
made an incredible difference in my life, just in the short time that I've
known you. Let me explain... I've only truly met Jesus since meeting Jason,
and was still having difficulty seeing his words come alive to me. I didn't
want my first experience back at church to be someplace where I was looked
at oddly, where there was gossip after Church about who wore what and whom
was sleeping with whom and snicker-snicker! A place where the masses spoke
of Godliness and love yet showed closed minds and closed hearts to people
around them. I didn't want it to be with my parents at Christmas, back to
an oppressive Catholic Church with memories of priests who can't answer my
questions and would instead kick me out. Where I'm told the only role that
I, as a woman, can play in a Church is to become a nun…don't know about you,
but that whole abstinence thing…forever?? You must be kidding! You get the
point. So I ended up haranguing Jason week after week to take me to this
awesome church he kept talking about, (and we both know that boy can talk!)
to take me to meet this awesome Pastor who sees things in Jesus' words that
others don't. Who can make the word come alive to his people. A Pastor and
congregation who won't shun me because I'm a tattooed freak (and unashamedly
so!) A Pastors wife and beautiful person, who not only deals with and manages
the church goings on, but still remains true to herself, supportive of her
husband and just great overall. So FINALLY...we wake up and decide to go
to Church. (Yipee!!) We waltz on in, (late as usual thanks to getting lost)
and I find before me the most beautiful congregation I've ever seen...led
by this...get this.... INTELLIGENT, well spoken, charming Pastor, who knows
his shit! (Keep in mind my former experiences with clergy...I was in shock
here!) Not only was I not shunned, I was welcomed with open arms! Listening
to your words, your teaching...brought more understanding of Jesus' words
to me than anything previous. Your words, the overall experience, brought
more of a love for Christ to me than ANYTHING previous. I left the service
that day wanting to return again and again...wanting to make it a weekly
occurrence. Pretty much telling J that I'm now considering moving to Tampa
because I want to be part of this beautiful thing. Because finally, I felt
called to something. Coffee at midnight...just great! Good conversation,
good friends. I've really, though not having known you for long at all, come
to consider you both as friends/family. Ties I'm not willing to let fall
down and flap in the breeze. Please know that I love you both and am more
grateful than you can imagine for having had the chance to feel a part of
something, for meeting you and PU. Please know that though there's much strife,
confusion and consternation, there's also love. I hope to have the chance
to hang out with both of you again...and I know J would just about die without
the ability to converse with PS, his favourite giver of braindrenaline. Please
stay in touch...your friendship is so much more than worth the drive. In
love and hope ~N~
amen to that nancy..fasho..i like what you say. i totally jumped for joy when i saw a fellow scene person at pu..it was you and i was like..yay a tattooed chick..let me say hi and befriend her!
yeah it was neat.
i just hope that somehow we can get pastor steven to give us another chance..
i am all for the council..now if people can just get over whatever hurts they are dealin with and just back pastor steve up..we could get this done..oh and you and jason so needs to get your tatooed fashioncore selves over here..like now! its nice to have yall here!
much love.
Raulito the lil metal boy with the two skulls.