Gertrude's Bible

I was searching for a book to read when I found Gertrude’s Bible. It brought back so many memories of my religious education. I was christened as an infant in the Roman Catholic church but never had my first communion. I attended mass with my father, who was Catholic but not my mother who was a nonbeliever. When I was child mass was in Latin and all I remember was the smoke from the incense, kneeling, then sitting and then standing, a lot!

Gertrude was a member of the Christian Science church, so when I was with her I went to her church. My maternal grandfather was a Lutheran and I also remember going with him to his church. When I was at home with my parents and my father did not go to church anymore because of the disagreements with my mother over religion. So, I went with a neighbor, who was an Episcopalian. Gertrude never commented to me about other peoples’ religious beliefs.

When I married my husband had been raised a Southern Baptist and we attended church with his parents. His older sister was a Presbyterian and when we were with them we attended their church. His other sister had married a member of the Church of Christ and you guessed it we went to church with them.

My husband was in the military and when were stationed in Texas, we joined a Methodist church. Why? I am not sure, maybe it was a compromise. All I can tell you is that I realized it did not matter what the denomination, they believe in the same thing.

Sometimes as an adult, I wish more people had grown up the ecumenical way I did, with exposure to many different denominations. We all believe in the same thing but we each denomination has different rule, all man made!