Going to church (1)

          

The church we went to

Last Sunday we went to church for the first time in our life. We were warmly greeted at the entrance. The church window and the cross in the front were so different that we took quite a few pictures .

The people who come to attend the service

When the service began, we sat down as the other people did. We read prayers and sang psalms. When I could not follow, the woman sitting next to me kindly picked up the book on the bench to point out the exact page to me. The scene of so many people standing and reading the same thing aloud solemnly , the voices of men and women , old and young , coming out together gave me the feeling of unity and strength of some kind. The preacher talked for quite some time. Actually, I became

a little drowsy in time. But one sentence he said echoed still in my mind,” Do not let evil overcome kindness. Let kindness overcome evil.” Why do so many people practice religion in the world? Maybe such is just what everyone of them cherishes.

After that , I saw a plate piled with small paper bags passing around . I wondered what it was. The woman sitting next to me told me it was the donation. It was so surprising to me. I read somewhere that there was a donation box in church where people put in notes. But here the donation comes in such a different way!  Why should it be wrapped in small pieces of paper ? Though I wondered about this, I donated one dollar, “naked”, without papers covering it. In China, we have a saying to the effect that one feels good if he has done something good. I know that churches provide free food to poor people. It is good that everyone of us is doing something to help people in need.