Day of Worship

Some Sundays I'm up and about early enough to go to early service (9:30 am) and other Sundays I take my time and get to the late service (11 am).  I always sit in the same spot at church, like all creatures of habit, we have our "spot" or area of the church we all normally sit in.  So, when I attend early service, as I did today, I sit in the same pew with an older Korean couple.  They are probably in their early 70's, I would guess.  Always very quiet...with the exception of when the older gentlemen casually falls asleep and he snores a little.  The older woman comes just about every Sunday, but the gentlemen (I think depending on his health) comes every so often. 

I have briefly thought in the past what a coincidence it is that the few Asians, Koreans even, in this congregation are sitting next to each other.  It would make sense from other parishioners just casually observing that the Asians in the congregation would tend to stick with one another.  But, for many years I never spoke to the couple...just the customary "hello" every Sunday.  However, several months ago as the older woman was passing by me to sit down, she asked me if I was Korean.  I told her "yes."  Apparently, that was all she wanted to know of me.  She hasn't asked me any other questions since or looked to be very interested in getting to know me any more than that.  Does she sense something about me is different or is she truly not interested in getting to know me?  I have no idea.

But, today as I sat in the pew beside them I looked over a couple of times to view their features, how they've aged, and really wondered how they ended up in this primarily all white church.  There are many different ethnicities represented at my church, but the majority is white.  Again, that's "my normal" but since they are older I would assume more inclined to attend a Korean church...which there are many around...so I've been told.  And assuming that most older Koreans are very traditional about their culture...and religion...I wondered when/how they came upon this church as their own.  I pondered this question for most of the service today.  I'll probably never know, but it just dawned on me today...even though I've been sitting next to them for years.  These are the times when I wish I knew a "wise old" Korean individual that I could ask these questions to and get a satisfactory answer from...and maybe one day I will!  Until then, blessings to you today and everyday!