My Name is Angela. I am a Child of God.

My church has a Friday evening service that caters to parishioners that are often found on the fringes of our middle-class world. They are in the bottom end of the socio-economic ladder and many are fighting demons of alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness.

Last night was the first time I had attended that particular service, even after 10 months of being involved with the church. My good friend, Cheryl, is an active participant of Friday Church and can't seem to get through a single conversation about it without tears and a smile, and often a complete lack of words. Soooo, I decided I needed to check this stuff out.

I was struck by several things. The first was probably that the service itself was much like the "high church" I attend each Sunday morning. The music was a little more happening, with guitar and drums. I didn't stand out quite so much with my blue jeans as I tend to do on Sunday. But there was a Call to Worship (led by a parishioner), there was a time of confession and prayer. There was an offering time, a passing of the Peace, a sermon, a time of response. In addition, there was a hunger, an authenticity, a presence that was palpable and, like Cheryl, I'm unable to find adequate words to describe the way I felt. . . perhaps another day, after many more worship experiences at Friday Church.

The part I can put words to was the way the service was also much like a 12-step meeting in that each person, before he spoke, said his name, stated that he was an alcoholic, some added, "I am a child of God." Once that was said, the scripture was read, the prayer request was made, the service continued.

 I couldn't help but wonder if we would do the same thing at "high church" what would our response be. I mean, seriously, if you had to say outloud what you were and then carry on. I've probably been through enough "recovery" stuff to be able to say, "I'm Angela. I'm an Anorexic. I'm a Child of God." Not sure what everybody else would do sitting in the pews.

 But what if we had to go even deeper.

 "My name is Jeff. I'm an asshole. I'm a Child of God."

"My name is Bo. I'm a worrier. I'm a Child of God."

"My name is Sue. I don't speak to my sister. I'm a Child of God."

"My name is Bob. I care more about money than anything. I'm a Child of God."

"My name is Adam. I am a doubter. I'm a child of God."

"My name is Becky. I'm a liar. I'm a child of God."

I've got a feeling that most of us wouldn't be so quick to talk if that particular greeting was mandatory. But for those of us listening, it would serve to remind us that we are really more than our demons. . . . each of us is a child of God. That's big stuff. Stuff worth the trip to Friday Church.