Church

I go to one of the neatest churches. I have some experience with a variety of churches. We have moved several times, and each time we had to do the "church hunt" thing. In the six months we lived in Texas, we never really found a church home, though we did finally find a church we regularly attended the last two months we were there.

I grew up in the Methodist church. I sat with my Nanny every Sunday. My mom played piano so she sat up front. Daddy was a shift worker, so often he was either at work or sleeping. The Sundays he had off, he sat in the back row. The church was a small, country church. The attendees were either cousins and/or neighbors. I learned the hymns of the faith at that church. The songs are imprinted on my heart and in my head. These are the songs I hum as I go about my chores. In the Sunday School program I memorized many of the common verses to believers: Psalm 23, John 3:16, etc.

When I started dating Charlie, I started going to his church. This was the PCA church in the small town where I grew up. Whether it was maturity on my part or the gifts of the different pastors, it was at this church that I finally began learning from the sermons preached. It opened up a whole new avenue of getting to know the Lord.

Once married, I moved away and we finally settled in the mid-west. We found a PCA church in this town, and started attending. I credit this church for teaching me about the community of believers. We worked together on the church building, we went tubing together, and we ate many meals together.

After many years in the mid-west, we moved back east. For the last 13 years we have attended the PCA church in our town. I credit this church's pastor for much of my Bible learning. When we arrived at this church, we had the honor of sitting for 5 years under the teachings of a man who is a gifted teacher. His sermons on Sundays not only taught us about the Lord, but he had practical application to go along with it. He was also someone who made sure you knew you were part of a church body. Since then, other pastors have come and gone at this church, but none have been quite as excellent of a teacher as he was.

Today, my family and I are still members of that church and they still attend that PCA church. I am attending another church in town. It isn't a great situation to worship seperately, but it is working for now. The church I go to is a Christian church. I LOVE the ladies at this church. They are supportive, loving, and caring. I am constantly extended the right hand of fellowhsip while at this church. The leadership of this church all know who I am and know my name. They even know my circumstances. My Sunday School class is full of compassionate and loving people. When my children have been with me, the church opens its arms to my children and wraps them in love and fellowship. I haven't seen anything like it ANYWHERE I have been in churches.

I have not only had the honor of sitting under the teachings of the pastor on Sundays, but also some lay people. All of it has been good. The Lord has blessed this church with the gift of teaching and of community. As a body, they live out what is presented in scripture. Where scripture speaks, they act. Where scripture is silent, so are they.

All of these churches have contributed to my growth in my relationship with Christ in many ways. All of these churches have been so much more than I described. I have been blessed by the teachers of these churches, and in many of the churches, by the fellowship of the saints.

There are other local churches that have made a difference in our lives. Our neighbor church has freely opened its doors to us. Our children have played Upwards soccer and basketball at this church. This church has also opened its doors to our children with its AWANAs program. The pastor and the pastor's wife were both wonderfully supportive and caring while we went through a suicide at our home church. The adults at this church have embraced and nurtured our children through the AWANA program. They were also the only church leaders to send my children sympathy cards when their Great Grandmother died. The leaders had listened to the children during prayer time and knew how close they were to Nanny. I know these workers may never see the fruit of their labor, but I see them laying a foundation of Christ and the love of the fellow saint in my children's hearts, and that is a wonderful thing.

We are blessed by the many ways the local churches love and support us in our community.

Living and Learning,

Beth