I have seen my governor do a handstand. Not many people can say that, right?

I go to Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie. I usually attend the Sunday night contemporary service called The Gathering. It’s a great service – the same excellent teaching as the regular Sunday morning services, but with a more user-friendly, less formal environment (with some great music). It encourages dialogue and audience participation.

The Sunday before last, that audience participation included a demonstration of balance. The sermon of the night was on the relationship between faith and deeds in the life of a Christian. To demonstrate this balance, the pastor asked for four volunteers from the audience to do handstands on the stage while she gave announcements. After three teens volunteered for the job, she asked for an over-30 volunteer. She happened to get Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

I couldn’t see Pawlenty very well from where I was seated, but after some time trying to get his balance, he did eventually get his feet up in the air. Afterward, he got quite the applause.

I wish I had brought my camera. The cell phone pictures my friends took didn't do the whole series of events justice.