One thing I really enjoyed in America was musical worship. It felt so incredibly freeing to be able to sing to God, knowing what I was singing. My first taste was at Berkeley AACF large group. At that occassion, I was more trying to get over the shock of this sensation. I didn't quite get it... and so, for the most part I just mouthed the words. The second time around was at Joyfest, a Christian concert held at Great America every year. Most the acts were obviously performers, but when the final act, Third Day stepped up, the feeling changed. They turned it into a worship service and it was great. It's the weirdest feeling to do something you love to do that you haven't done in a while. (Does that last sentence make sense?) And of course, the following Sunday it was more of the same... it was great.
This passed Sunday was my first Sunday going to a Japanese Christian service since coming back. It was hurtin. When I first came here a year ago, I couldn't understand a thing and so, naturally, I felt incredibly lost. This time around was a completely different experience all together. I understood most of what was said during the service. I got the gist of the sermon and the lyrics of the songs from the hymnal. The language wasn't the problem at all this time. It was something different.
Actually, thinking about it now... it's hard for me to describe. It's much more than just the musical worship... and the atmosphere it brings. Coming back to Japan has made me realize even more that what makes church isn't necessarily the sermon or the songs we sing. I have both here in Japan... sort of. It's more the combination of the felt presence of God and community of believers. That's what I got back home that I'm not getting a whole lot of here.