Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/category/at-your-service/)
It was with a pang of regret that I published the 24th and last chapter in my At Your Service series last Monday. I began thinking of such a series something like 20 years ago, figuring it would be fascinating to visit some of the many churches in Billings and hoping that my “reviews” of the services might be of interest to others. At the time, though, and for many years after, I couldn’t imagine where I might publish such a series. (more…) Continue Reading →
Mary Queen of Peace, 3411 Third Ave. S.
Service: 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Length of service: 39 minutes. Length of sermon: 6 minutes
For this, my final church visit, I decided to go back to my roots. As I explained in the essay introducing this series, I used to attend Mass six days a week as a young Catholic. (more…) Continue Reading →
Elevation Church, 711 Fourth Ave. N.
Service: 11 a.m., Sunday, March 15, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 22 minutes. Length of sermon: 40 minutes
During the first 22 minutes of the service at Elevation Church, my sympathies were with an elderly woman sitting in the row of chairs behind me. She had her hands over her ears all that time, while the Rev. Dave Carroll and his band cranked out the four loudest songs I had yet encountered on my church visits. (more…) Continue Reading →
Billings Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3200 Broadwater Ave. Service: 10:45 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 25 minutes. Length of sermon: 11 minutes
Walking up to the front doors of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church on a fine Saturday morning, I suddenly had the thought that I might be barred from entering the sanctuary. I can’t even say why, except that in the absence of knowledge it is easy to entertain silly fears and half-formed stereotypes. Continue Reading →
Open Bible Christian Center, 302 19th St. W.
Service: 11 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 10 minutes. Length of sermon: 33 minutes
Give the Open Bible Christian Center credit for being what they call proactive. I hadn’t been seated for more than a minute before the church secretary, Cindy, sat down beside me and welcomed me to her church. Continue Reading →
Faith Evangelical Church, 3145 Sweetwater Drive
Service: 11 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 5 minutes. Length of sermon: 31 minutes
There were two surprises at Faith Evangelical this morning. For one, the band was playing bluegrass instruments. Pastor Brent Nymeyer said it was a special treat. Continue Reading →
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, 401 Lewis Ave. Service: 10 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 30 minutes. Length of sermon: 7 minutes
For the first 20 minutes of this service, I was mesmerized. Continue Reading →
Emmanuel Baptist Church, 328 S. Shiloh Road
Service: 8 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015
Length of service: 1 hour, 6 minutes. Length of sermon: 35 minutes (more…) Continue Reading →
Word of Life Fellowship, 1737 King Ave. W.
Service: 10 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014
Length of service: 1 hour, 8 minutes. Length of sermon: 26 minutes. I was a little nervous on my way to the Word of Life Fellowship. Continue Reading →
Billings Association of Humanists, meeting at First Congregational Church, 310 N. 27th St. Meeting: 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014
Length of meeting: 1 hour, 30 minutes. Length of sermon: none. Scouting through the Gazette’s “Faith & Values” section, trying to decide what church to visit next, I came across a notice for the Billings Association of Humanists’ Socrates Café, apparently a regular discussion group. Continue Reading →
