I'm standing on the edge of the eve of my first day of school and still savoring the sweetness of yesterday. Sandy's wedding has turned out to be a fountain of connections. Everyone I've met or hung out with in this last week has been somehow connected to her or her wedding.

Yesterday I went to church with James, one of the former groomsmen. I got his email only a couple hours before the night service he had asked me to go to. I had heard of Mosaic and had been inclined to think it wouldn't be my type of church.

Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. It did have the rock-star facade I had suspected but it had the substance to support it. A lot of churches mistakenly focus on outward appearances such as jamming worship and spitting, frantic speakers and overlook what really drives a church-substance. Substance shown in the preaching of the Word, substance in the lives of the people.

I've visited many churches in my short lifetime but I can't remember going to a church where the people were this welcoming. Of course, it probably helped that James and his friend Mark were introducing me to everyone they know which seemed like everyone. :-)

After church we went out to dinner with around 20 people from the church. One of the things striking things about the church is how diverse it is culturally and ethnically. You see everything from punks to professionals of any color walking around with big smiles on their faces.

Well, I don't want to jump the gun and say I'm making this my home church in LA. I'm going to pray about it and keep on going. But I'm excited about the prospect that God may have answered "yes" when I prayed, "Please God, this time can I find a home church right away?!" Usually, when I move to a new place it takes me forever to feel at home in a church.

Oh and by the way, check out some of the new links I've posted.

Probably because of the influence of the U2 concert frenzy I've been listening to U2 a lot lately. I love this song. His questioning, his pain and hope really resonate (I'm pretty sure he wrote this song after 9/11)...

Peace On Earth
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of pain
Sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth

Where I grew up
There weren't many trees
Where there was we'd tear them down
And use them on our enemies
They say that what you mock
Will surely overtake you
And you become a monster
So the monster will not break you

It's already gone too far
Who said that if you go in hard
You won't get hurt

Jesus could you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
Tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth
No whos or whys
No-one cries like a mother cries

For peace on Earth
She never got to say goodbye
To see the colour in his eyes
Now he's in the dirt
Peace on Earth
They're reading names out over the radio
All the folks the rest of us won't get to know
Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann and Breda
Their lives are bigger, than any big idea

Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
To tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground

Peace on Earth

Jesus this song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat
Peace on Earth
Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth?
This peace on Earth

Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth