Urban Promise

Yesterday (Sunday) was an incredilbe day for me. I finally got my butt to church (after getting a postcard from the pastor asking where I was - a sure sign you better get your butt to church!). Man, am I glad I did. Our normal pastor was out that day (holiday?) so we had a guest preacher Bruce Mains from Urban Promise. I have heard of Urban Promise before though I can't describe what they really do or are at the moment. All I know is that they help people.
Bruce gave am amazing sermon, that was passionate and full of life. (This idea of being passionate about something always strikes me, If you are passionate about used pizza boxes, I'd probably be impressed). Bruce gave a great sermon on having a "hunch" about becoming more active in church and or community. But... the real higlight was a group of singers from the Urban Promise (4 guys and 2 women)... This group was FANTASTIC! I was completely blown away by their talented singing, their ability to be so loud with no PA system, and the "passion" with which they sang. I wish I could tell you more about them (names, name of the group, etc...) but unfortunately there was not much information given out in the bulletin. I did make sure to speak a few of them afterwards to tell them how much I appreciated their music (and bought CD - that they will mail to me). When I get their CD, I'll be sure to post more about them. I went to the Urban Promise website as well, and there was no mention of the singing group :( When I get more info, I'll be sure to post a follow up.

Then after leaving church, I was starving, and didn't want the same old "hamburger" or fast food choice. I wanted something new. I decided to go to a local chinese restaraunt but then saw in the same shopping center a new japanese restaraunt. Bingo! So I went in, sat down and ordered 3 rolls (I was hungry!) A spicy Tuna (I've had before), An Oshinko Roll (had no idea what it was), and and Ebi Avacado Roll (again had no idea what that was). I figured out what Ebi was = Shrimp... so that tasted very much like a california roll. The Oshinko I had to ask what it was... She said it was a pickled radish. (I looked it up on the web, and most links say it's a Chinese Pickled Cabbage), but this didn't look like Cabbage, so I think she used a radish. (Daichon?). A good meal! And I got some tea with it, which I was able to recognize from my previous green tea sampler pack from Adagio Tea, was Genmai Cha Tea... Green Tea, with toasted rice, and popcorn. Pretty good, and distinct. I think I impressed the waitress when I told her I tasted rice.
Then I came home, and took a nice long afternoon nap.
The perfect Sunday :)