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my near-death stage experience

Whenever Jim (our senior pastor at Mountainview) speaks, I handle the “turn and greet” as well as the communion meditation.  He does the same when I speak.

Rather than go up to the stage, I usually settle on the third or fourth step.  Not usually a problem.  Except for this Sunday.  After I finished the communion meditation at the 8:20 service, I prayed and then began walking down the steps to the front row of seats.  All was good until I missed the next step and lost my balance and began tumbling towards the floor.  My first thought was, “I’m going head-first into the seats.”

Landing on one leg, I hopped twice and regained my balance, just in time to sit down.  Nothing graceful about it.

After communion was finished and it was time to collect the offering, I resumed my spot on the fourth step and said, “It’s bad enough that some of you are afraid of lightning striking you when you come to church and now you have to worry about a pastor landing in your lap.”

What else can you do?