Jon and I worshipped at the Episcopal Cathedral downtown this morning and it was lovely.Â? (Pisco, stop dancing around with joy.Â? You look like a dork!)Â? We sat apart (mostly so I could have the experience of worshipping anonymously without being distracted) and it actually worked out well.Â? I was able to do about 90% of the liturgy (including music) without looking at the prayerbook (they used a Sanctus that I hadn’t sung before) and other than not being able to get my kneeler down without it crashing (and making the handsome guy at the other end of the pew snicker), it was like being home.Â? Oh yes… unlike many Catholic cathedrals (and Mormon temples), the cathedral wasn’t HUGE — it was built kind of to a human scale.Â? The stained glass windows were also amazing — the one at the front of the altar area of the annunciation kind of distracted me with its beauty.
The sermon was also not too bad — the preacher stuck to the texts and while there were some veiled references toward same-sex marriage being approved, it was actually somewhat engaging.Â? Oh yes… I made an impression on the celebrant… by walking in the door, tripping on the step, and landing in her arms.Â? (Not that she mentioned it after the service as Jon and I were leaving.Â? Noooooo…)
After getting lunch at the Gateway Plaza, we got roundtrip rail tickets for the UTA system and headed up to Temple Square.Â? We were actually left alone by missionaries — Jon had stayed in his church clothes so he looked professional and people probably assumed that the dumpy woman with him was a convert.Â? (It’s my blog — I can rip on myself as much as I want.Â? Besides, I’m also feeling bloated and icky right now.)Â? I have to say… if the ELCA had the PR people that the LDS have, we’d be the biggest church in the USA.Â? All the missionaries on duty were impeccably dressed and very attractive young women from all around the world.Â? (TheyÂ?hadÂ?flags on their name tags and I don’t think there was a language not represented.)Â? The temple grounds were just immaculate — I would seriously go to the grounds to read or journal if I lived in SLC because it was lovely and quiet.Â? The visitor’s centers were welcoming, clean, and very light.Â? The displays were well-done and there was always someone there to answer your questions.Â? The temple itself was closed today (hellooooo Sabbath!) but I still got pictures of it from a distance.Â? It is massive — possibly on par with Westminster Abbey in terms of size and quite beautiful.Â? Unlike most temples, it actually looks like something churchy.
We rode the UTA to Sandy and back to try and see some more of the city and it was a nice ride.Â? We hit up $tarbuck$ before heading back to the motel and got to witness some SLC police officers dealing with a guy who hadn’t taken his meds and was screaming at everyone.
We’re going to do Applebee’s for dinner tonight.Â? (It’s at The Gateway Plaza and I know I can actually eat the food there unlike most places where portions are too big and the food is too greasy.)Â? God willing, I’ll make it there and back without a problem.
I get to see my kitties tomorrow!!!!!!!!!
