Lazy Sunday mornings

My favorite thing about Sunday mornings in Lyon? Not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to get ready for church! I know, that sounds horrible. Lest you think I've abandoned my faith, I need to explain -- our church in Lyon meets on Sunday afternoons.

I savor this new experience of lounging around in my PJ's, enjoying an American-sized mug of steaming hot coffee, listening to worship music. We sit in the living-slash-dining room, Greg and I. We enjoy each other's presence but silently do our own thing: I write; Greg reads. The girls are still asleep in their room next door.

The street noise below is at a minimum, reminding me of the calm of August. In France, Sundays are still set apart as a day of relaxation and rest. Shops are closed, as well as most restaurants. Even grocery stores used to be fermé on Sundays, although now you can find some that open their doors for a few hours.

Families spend Sundays together. You'll see them walking or riding bikes along the Rhône, or enjoying a leisurely picnic. This week the weather is spectacular, so I imagine the parks will be swarming with people. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get out and people-watch before we head to church.

As I mentioned earlier, our church, the International Christian Community of Lyon, meets on Sunday afternoons at 4:30. Every other week we have a traditional corporate worship service including singing followed by the sermon. On alternate weeks, we have what we call "FSP" - fellowship, study, and prayer. It's more of a small-group atmosphere, where we gather around a table and study a passage from God's Word and pray together. Afterwards we enjoy a time of fellowship and food.

I absolutely love our little church. It's nothing fancy, and that is so refreshing after all the bells-and-whistles that I experienced in most American churches. I imagine it's a lot like the early church gatherings. We meet in a dusty wooden building, not much bigger than a large shed. Wooden folding chairs serve as pews, and Greg preaches from a simple lectern rather than from a raised platform. The worship team leads a mix of old hymns and contemporary worship songs. We all sing loudly and with great joy. People from around the world - Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas - join hearts to praise God together.

If you're in Lyon, join us! Enjoy your own lazy Sunday morning, then come to the ICCL, where you'll find a welcoming Christian "family." We're just a bunch of imperfect people who follow the Perfect One.