There’s a great story about a young bride who learned that her new husband loved meatloaf. Her mother’s meatloaf was always the favorite dish at the church Potluck, so she called her mother and got her recipe. She came home early from work and prepared dinner to surprise her husband. As she laid the platter laden with meatloaf on the table, she noticed a momentary hesitation. She asked him what was wrong. “Well,” he explained, “my favorite part is the end of the meatloaf, where it is extra crunchy. I guess you like that part best too!” To which she replied, “No, I cut it off and threw it away. You can’t eat that part!”
A lively discussion ensued about the edibility of the ends of meatloaf, which brought them to the point of calling her mother. “Don’t you have to cut off and throw away the ends of the meatloaf, Mom?” she asked. “Of course, dear,” her mother replied. In the background, the young husband vehemently argued that there was no reason to cut off the end of the meatloaf and challenged his mother-in-law on the where-a-bouts of her practice. As it turned out, her mother always took her famous meatloaf to potluck at church, and she had never dared serve it with the ends on.
The young bride called her grandmother. “I made your famous meatloaf,” she reported to her grandmother, who was filled with pride, “and I cut the ends off and threw them away, but my husband thinks they were edible.” To which her grandmother replied, “Of course the ends are edible, in fact, I like to sneak a bite when I cut them off!”
Confused, the young wife asked, “You don’t have to cut the ends off?” “No, dear,” came the reply, “My best platter isn’t as long as my meatloaf pan!”
Over the next several weeks, we will learn about the traditions in worship we follow and learn why we follow them. What makes us uniquely Presbyterian? What symbolism is important in our Sanctuary? Why do we have the Bible in the center? What about the architecture, furniture, and worship service point back to Scripture and visually teach us what it means to be CHURCH? Join us for a closer look!