I have been learning how wonderful people are that would be considered “gentiles” by the Mormon Church. Going back to the story of Joseph Smith in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph states that God told him all the ministers in other churches are evil and have their hearts far removed from him. This is an insult to basic humanity, and it is just plain wrong. In Fresno I had begun attending the University Presbyterian church because I knew a friend there as well. Also I had been influenced towards Presbyterianism through my readings about Edgar Cayce, who was a lifetime Presbyterian. Since I have come to recognize that no church has the complete story for all mankind, I could attend whichever denomination I chose, and partake in some spirituality. My friend in the Fresno University Presbyterian church had been a friend I met in my years as a pharmaceutical salesman. This group of people epitomized for me sincere truth-seekers doing the best they knew how. My friend sang in their choir and we had several spiritual conversations that were uplifting and helpful to me. Their ministers were talented and very caring souls.
When I decided to move to Bozeman, Montana, this year, I went online to research Presbyterianism in that city. The First Presbyterian church here is a prominent player in doing much good for the community, including working with homeless and food shelters. I looked them up when I arrived in town. The two ministers are husband and wife, and they are truly good people. During the summer here in Bozeman they have a Vespers service on Sunday evenings at Rockhaven, a camp they own 20 miles south on hwy 191. They have a potluck dinner at 5:30 pm followed by a religious service at 7:00 pm. The setting is surrounded by the beautiful Montana mountains of which there is a never-ending supply. I began attending both the 10:00 am church services in town as well as the Vespers services from the first Sunday I arrived in Bozeman. They have accepted me with open arms and I have made 200 friends here. It is just like going to a ward in a new town and fitting right in, only it is better. One of my hobbies is cooking with cast iron dutch ovens, and they have come to look forward to my dutch oven offerings for the potluck dinner.
I realize that it could have been in any number of churches in town that I could have had a similar warming reception. Across the street from the First Presbyterian church here in Bozeman is a very interesting deal. The blocks are large, and this one is divided into fourths. One fourth is a common parking lot, and the other three fourths are occupied by three other churches, a Baptist, a Methodist, and one called the Grand Avenue Congregational Church. Another block away to the northwest is a very large Catholic Church. All these churches are in the middle of downtown Bozeman, which is a quintessential Norman Rockwell image downtown, complete with brick buildings and flower pots on the lamp posts. I’m certain that if I went to any of these other congregations, I could have 200 friends there as well.
Life is good for me in my post Mormon era, and I will have other posts in the future. Daniel Swearingen
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