I'm fortunate. For the 25 or so years I've been attending my church, I have been blessed with excellent preaching, and highly creative worship services. But that's not the case in every church. I've heard some doozies in the 60 plus years I've been listening. My husband, Ken, was an urban minister for the first nine years of his ministry so, during that time we regularly visited different churches.
Most were great, some were offensive, others just boring (3 points and a poem.)
We were older when we, with our two preschool children, went off to seminary at Candler School of Theology. Our third and last year there, Ken helped integrate the first United Methodist Church in Atlanta and I worked at Emory University in the development office.
So, all of the above reminded me of a little trouble Ken got himself into. Ken was kind of ahead of his time and was in trouble often but he liked to call it "good trouble" like John Lewis.
At Candler, students designed the mid-week worship service in the chapel. When it was Ken's turn he wanted it to be "real."
That year, 1966, the blockbuster movie Alfie came out. (It was remade in 2004.) The earlier version starred British film icon, Sir Micheal Caine. He played a limo driver who was a wildly promiscuous, selfish womanizer. And the ending was ambivalent. If we'd had ratings at that time, Alfie would have received a definite R.
The movie plot was not part of the service but Ken thought the song, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David was perfect for his fellow seminarians. However, several of the professors were not amused.
I think it would have fit right in with Pastor Rachel's sermon last Sunday.
What's it all about Alfie
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about
When you sort it out, Alfie
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if, if only fools are kind, Alfie
Then I guess it is wise to be cruel
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above
Alfie, I know there's something much more
Something even non-believers can believe in
I believe in love, Alfie
Without true love we just exist, Alfie
Until you find the love you've missed
You're nothing, Alfie
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And you'll find love any day Alfie, Alfie
