Visiting Churches in Peru

After working on our Spanish studies during the week, Ian and I visit the Anglican churches around Lima each Sunday. The Church of the Good Shepherd is the cathedral in Miraflores and it has services in English and Spanish. The picture above was taken at yesterday's ordination of two to the priesthood and one to the diaconate. The traditional organ music is lovely at the English service, and the guitar music at the Spanish service is lively and energizing. We have attended both and enjoy each for its special attributes. For me, it is sometimes easier to enter into worship in my mother tongue because I don't have to concentrate so hard on understanding the words of songs and text. At other times, I just let the music and words in the Spanish service float over me and I pretend it's Pentecost!

Church of the Ascension is another church in nearby Surco. That service is in Spanish with contemporary guitar music and lots of praise and worship time. The priest is building a lively family church in the midst of a suburban community. Pictures of this parish appear in a previous blog.

Last week we went up to St.Andres church on the outskirts of Lima, an area called the pueblos jovenes. We climbed the hillside up to where they have built a church. It was a steep climb past doorways to homes, local dogs and friendly residents. About 30 children attend the church and about ten of them were awarded prizes that day for memorizing Bible verses. I felt privileged to be the one handing out the colorful books to them. They were patient with my Spanish and loved saying "Good-bye" to me in English. Their mothers were so proud of them, and their joy was contagious.