I think in order for one to fully understand how much I LOVE my current church, you have to know where I've been.
I grew up Catholic.
We sat in the front pew every Saturday night for an hour. It was up, down, up, down as Catholic churches go with all of the kneeling and singing. I went through the sacraments of communion, confession, confirmation and whatever else the Catholic church had you do. I attended Sunday School classes each year (on Sunday nights) and was even an Altar Server. But, I never really got it. It could be because the church had 1 person play the guitar and sing and she happened to be my elementary school PE teacher so I envisioned a lot of "head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes and eyes and ears and mouth and nose, head, shoulders, knees and toes" songs while she stood up there. Or maybe I didn't get it because it was so complicated and so much to remember and even though I sat through the entire hour long mass each week, it just didn't click. It was way over my head and very Biblical. It wasn't a warm church. As soon as you walked in the cat got your tongue and you didn't talk unless spoken to by a higher up. So, you walked in, blessed yourself and knelt, walked to your pew, listened, interacted when it was communion time and walked out. You had to reach the sidewalk to the car before you talked again. That's rough! But, I do miss the flower displays at each holiday. That church knew how to decorate with flowers!
Then I was Presbyterian.
We made a little transition and attended the Presbyterian Church. We never joined as a family but I attended the BEST Sunday School class ever and oversaw the nursery. I think for the time I was in charge of the nursery, I watched maybe 2 babies...it was an "older" church so the only way I'd have something to do would be if people had family in town! I did end up one weekend watching my Sunday School teachers 1st grandson....who, 9 years later, I babysat for when I moved to NC! I adored my Sunday School teachers and it was just a joy to be in their class and learn from them. The Presbyterian Church was much more welcoming. I remember one Christmas Eve after the service everyone just hung out outside on the church stairs singing Christmas Carols....that would NEVER happen at the Catholic church. Our Sunday School class was heavily involved in Operation Christmas Child and we collected items and filled shoe boxes and then travelled as a class to the distribution center that was about 2 hours away and helped all day Sunday. Our teachers were in their 60s and were awesome. They invited us to their home and made us a great breakfast and we all watched Left Behind. We didn't stay at that church very long as during my senior year of high school our teachers left to return to NC and the church was kind of "old" so the members were declining.
So, we became Methodist.
The church had just gotten a new Youth Pastor and it was all the buzz in town. We checked it out and eventually we joined the Methodist church as a family. I don't really remember when we first started attending the church but it was a great fit for us. It was very contemporary and met in the Fellowship Hall of the church building. We eventually outgrew Fellowship Hall and overtook "big church" and worshipped there....drums, guitars and all. The lyrics were displayed on a screen and it was pretty awesome. Everyone was happy and welcoming and it was like one big family. After I graduated from college and moved home for a bit, I became a Youth Leader for the High School Youth Group. We had a lot of fun with the kids and the other leaders were my YoungLife leaders so we had a great time bringing back the old lessons and games and craziness! That church has undergone some staff changes and it's in a bit of a "dark" place as I call it at the moment. The Youth Pastor left, the Associate Pastor (who was the counseling Pastor) has left so the main Pastor is alone with some new people, and well, the new people aren't adapting well. However, when I go home, this is the church my mom still attends.
College Church
I attended the campus Chapel Services each Wednesday night and it was nice. The sermons were different and rotated between the Dean of the Chapel and the Bishop in Residence. Occasionally there would be a guest speaker from an area church. It was a short and sweet service. The chapel choirs sang and they always had a nice fellowship spread afterwards. Some of my favorite Chapel Services ended with a group of us going to Tex and Shirley's for $2.00 all you could eat pancake dinners! I attended a "big" church on the weekends that my college apartment neighbors Dad oversaw. It was fun to go there because it was a (what I thought) huge church and they had an awesome contemporary service.
Now Church!
And now I attend what I think is the best church I've ever walked into! I am proud to say that I attend one of the four campuses of Elevation Church. Not only do I attend, but I joined an awesome small group that has since ended but I met some amazing people and I became a greeter! It truly is a phenomenal church where for once, I GET IT! It all makes sense! I actually understand the sermons and know how to apply them. Going to church is seriously the highlight of my week! I know Elevation isn't for everyone, but it's right for me. You can check it out at www.elevationchurch.org
I hope you attend a church that's right for you! It's hard to find one sometimes, but once you do, it's the greatest thing ever!!!
and yes...that van decided the random trailer was a cruz thru!
No picture yet, but we also have numerous yard sales along stretches of main and country roads because if it's an open space or the edge of a field, why wouldn't you unload your house/attic/garage/closet and sell what you can to passerby's?
