Church and Us Heathens...
Long story...new church...
So, since we moved to our new house 4 years ago, we haven't really had a church to call home. The church we had attended for 15 years had become a hotbed of controversy and since it was 45 mins to an hour to get there it was a good time to stop...although we remain friends with a number of people from that congregation. We tried several churches out near our home and nothing "clicked" with us. That is until last week. Now, just to be clear, Joe isn't interested in going to church at this point, he has some anger towards God that he needs to work out...he knows it, God knows it and I'm praying that they will fix it soon.
Deb (my SIL) and I decided to try Christ Community Church (CCC) about 20 minutes away. I had been there many years ago and did not love it, but because at that time they always did a "drama" before the sermon. I just can't get into that. But, I have a friend from my previous church who has been going and she assured me the days of drama were long gone. So...Deb and I decided to give it a go....and WOW, as I told Deb on the way out...it felt like home. Funny, she said she felt the same way!
That same day Jen had been home and went to our old church...she has always been so anti-change...but this time she came home from church and the minute she saw me and I asked her how church was she burst into tears. She said that she was so sad that church was not as she expected. She got nothing out of the praise and worship (which is HUGE for her, she LOVES that part of the service) and that she was sad that the congregation size had dwindled from it's normal 250+ to about 80. I told her that this has been coming, that the leadership of the church was really due for a change...as much as I love them, they aren't leading in a way that is pleasing to God (IMHO). She told me that she didn't feel she could return. Again...huge statement for her to make because all the while we were not going to church she WAS driving the hour to attend this church because it was her home, she'd been involved...seriously involved (as we all had) since she was 1.
Anyway, jumping to this week. I invited her to attend CCC with us and she agreed. To keep up...let me just remind you, Jen doesn't like change of any kind...and she doesn't like large churches. She likes to feel like every single person in the church knows her and is her family...which is how it used to be at our old church. So...Jen and Eric attend church with us and I'm expecting Jen to say, well it was fine but it isn't something she is interested in continuing, too big, yadda, yadda. BUT, what she says instead is she could really get into church there at CCC...it is large, but they have a huge network of community groups and she loved the praise and worship and the message really spoke to her...I was happily shocked!
So, Deb, Jen and I have found a new church home...I'm hoping Joe will go with me next week...we'll see.
Either way, I can't tell you how nice it was to go to church and feel refreshed in a way I haven't in so long.
So, since we moved to our new house 4 years ago, we haven't really had a church to call home. The church we had attended for 15 years had become a hotbed of controversy and since it was 45 mins to an hour to get there it was a good time to stop...although we remain friends with a number of people from that congregation. We tried several churches out near our home and nothing "clicked" with us. That is until last week. Now, just to be clear, Joe isn't interested in going to church at this point, he has some anger towards God that he needs to work out...he knows it, God knows it and I'm praying that they will fix it soon.
Deb (my SIL) and I decided to try Christ Community Church (CCC) about 20 minutes away. I had been there many years ago and did not love it, but because at that time they always did a "drama" before the sermon. I just can't get into that. But, I have a friend from my previous church who has been going and she assured me the days of drama were long gone. So...Deb and I decided to give it a go....and WOW, as I told Deb on the way out...it felt like home. Funny, she said she felt the same way!
That same day Jen had been home and went to our old church...she has always been so anti-change...but this time she came home from church and the minute she saw me and I asked her how church was she burst into tears. She said that she was so sad that church was not as she expected. She got nothing out of the praise and worship (which is HUGE for her, she LOVES that part of the service) and that she was sad that the congregation size had dwindled from it's normal 250+ to about 80. I told her that this has been coming, that the leadership of the church was really due for a change...as much as I love them, they aren't leading in a way that is pleasing to God (IMHO). She told me that she didn't feel she could return. Again...huge statement for her to make because all the while we were not going to church she WAS driving the hour to attend this church because it was her home, she'd been involved...seriously involved (as we all had) since she was 1.
Anyway, jumping to this week. I invited her to attend CCC with us and she agreed. To keep up...let me just remind you, Jen doesn't like change of any kind...and she doesn't like large churches. She likes to feel like every single person in the church knows her and is her family...which is how it used to be at our old church. So...Jen and Eric attend church with us and I'm expecting Jen to say, well it was fine but it isn't something she is interested in continuing, too big, yadda, yadda. BUT, what she says instead is she could really get into church there at CCC...it is large, but they have a huge network of community groups and she loved the praise and worship and the message really spoke to her...I was happily shocked!
So, Deb, Jen and I have found a new church home...I'm hoping Joe will go with me next week...we'll see.
Either way, I can't tell you how nice it was to go to church and feel refreshed in a way I haven't in so long.