The Oasis

Lest you think that I've taken to a life of boozin' it up down at the O-oasis, let me start by assuring you that the Oasis of which I write does not involve alcohol (or at least not regularly that I know of). It's my church.

I love my church. Love, love, love it. It has definitely been an oasis for me in this Deseret Desert. I came upon it partly by accident. Having done a quick web search at the library one day, I knew there were at least two non-LDS churches in the town (one Baptist and one Presbyterian). I thought I'd probably prefer the Presbyterian one, but I wasn't sure what either would be like based on the social climate of the area. I also wasn't exactly sure where it was located, but thought I remembered it was on the east side of town (where I am). So...The first Sunday I was in my apartment, I set out to take a walk and explore the town. I left in time (I thought) to catch an 11:00 service if I happened to walk by the church, but wasn't sure that I would (the town isn't that small).

The town is set up in a grid (as are all of the towns in Utah), so I kind of criss-crossed the grid a bit and looked up and down the streets for large parking lots and/or areas where large numbers of cars seemed to be parked. I found a few of those, but they were all LDS churches (of course). I then saw a small number of cars parked in a group (a larger number than would be normal outside of homes, but not quite large enough to be an LDS church) and went towards it. Pretty soon I saw a small white steeple rising up in the air and a small white church beneath it. It was such a pretty little thing. I knew it was too small to be LDS, so I figured it must be the Baptist or Presby Church. As I got close enough to read the sign, I saw that it was the Presbyterian Church and that the minister was a woman.

Wow! I was excited. So excited that, although I had also read that the church service had begun at 10:30 and it was now 11:10, I went in. I snuck into the last pew and got there in time to catch the sharing of joys and concerns and the benediction. Everyone seemed to be dressed rather casually (unlike the LDS churches I had passed) which was good since I had on jeans and a fleece. As soon as the service ended, I was greeted with warm welcomes by the man and woman in front of me. His name was Kent and, when he found out I was from Pittsburgh, he told me that he was originally from Akron, Ohio and that some of the other members of the church were from western PA. As it turns out, the minister's husband was from Ellwood City and the former minister and his wife (who retired to the area after she had a paralyzing injury in the Peace Corps) had gone to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and had been campus ministers at Edinboro University. Another woman had a very close friend who lives in Titusville, PA. Small world, eh?

The church holds a fellowship hour after church every week. The first week I went, I was kind of dragged there by a wonderful older woman who introduced me to everyone and sat and talked to me the whole time. I've gotten to know her a little better since then and have found out she's every bit as spunky as Mrs. Luzier (from my church in DE). As it turns out, she had been raised LDS, but "couldn't imagine that only LDS members were going to heaven" and started attending a Presbyterian Church soon after she married. She is a widow now and, despite her age, is still very active. In fact, she is about to go on a trip to Italy with the Springville Art Museum.

I met so many interesting people there. The man who had been the minister at the church earlier had retired from the ministry, then he and his wife entered the Peace Corps. They were living in Mauritania when she fell from a roof she was repairing and broke her back. That was six years ago. She couldn't move anything then. She can now stand and walk with assistance. She still can't use her hands or arms, but is beginning to feel tingling in her fingertips. Another woman I met there has one daughter who is in Mali with the Peace Corps and another who is studying environmental studies (with an emphasis on sustainability) at Ithaca College in New York. One man who I met (a long-haired, ear-pierced, married hippie type) is a professor of religious philosophy and Mormon Studies at Utah Valley State College. He is Mormon, albeit currently a bit "nomadic" (as he put it). At least one other woman that I met was raised LDS and several members are married to Mormons. Several other members are from out of state and have found this church to be their Oasis, also.

I started to attend a newly formed adult Sunday School class there and have loved that, too. We are currently discussing some of John Dominic Crossan's work on the historical Jesus. The emphasis is wholeheartedly on Social Justice!!! The minister's husband facilitates the class and it is turning out to be quite a radical little group of people. The act of tithing was even brought into question by the group with the suggestion made that Jesus would not likely support tithing because it hurts poor people more than the wealthy (scandalous!!!). Tithing - a type of regressive tax??? I love it!!!! I think I have found my home here:)