Searching for a Christian church in Bali? Start here!
My nerves had calmed down significantly since the Sunday before when I ran to church in Ubud like someone was chasing me. I asked the concierge at the Oberoi, where Pam and I stayed after Surf Goddess, if she knew of any Christian churches in the beach area, and ta-dah! Dhyana Pura Protestant Christian Church was about 10 minutes walking distance from the hotel.
Making my way through some windy alleys, I eventually came upon the church, conveniently located right next door to the first hotel where we stayed – Puri Saron. I was one of about 12 folks in the congregation, and the pastor’s wife singled me out instantly. She insisted I sit next to her, use her fan to keep cool and stay for refreshments and chat afterward. She introduced me to everyone in the room including her sweet kids, and I was happy as a clam the rest of the day.
Even though the service was in English, the pastor’s accent gave me a bit of trouble. I thought he was saying, “Peace and grease to you all.” But in hindsight I think he said, “Peace and grace to you all.”
My favorite part of this service was the song selection. When I know the songs at a church 10,000 miles away from home, it just makes the world feel so much smaller! We sang a few I didn’t know, followed by God Is So Good and Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam. I just couldn’t help but grin listening to all 12 congregants singing along in their Balinese accents. It was a good Sunday.
