On the seventh day...

Sundays create a specific mood that is difficult to describe; the bittersweet feeling of a weekend mixed with the anxiety of a new week of work ahead.  Don't get me wrong, I love my job (most of the time) but continue to struggle grieve the unfulfilled goal of being a stay at home mother.  To focus on the positive, a three day weekend is on the horizon so things can't be that bad.


Like most Sundays in our house, we were faced this morning with the unspoken question (and later mentioned debate) of if/where we would attend church this week.  We have been irregular attenders of a church in the neighboring community for the past four years.  Last fall, a new pastor came,  bringing with him some changes here and there.  While this church is a spirit-filled house of God that bring many to Jesus, there is just something about it that isn't a fit for us.  I can't quite put my finger on it. 

This morning, we piled in to our van and headed out to church...deciding where to go along the way.  Well, it was too late to go to one church and we had already driven past another so finally we chose the one at the end of our small town.  It is a large church with a brand new building.  The music was good and the pastor was informative and fairly interesting.  Overall, a positive experience was had by all except for that not quite right for us feeling.

Much like the church we had been attending, with so many people there, we attended an entire service without having a direct interaction with anyone.  We have hopes of being involved in a church and participating in programs for our children.  My husband and I also would like to get connected with other couples and develop a social life.  While big churches have a lot to offer, they are much like big cities.  How can one feel disconnected in such a crowded place?

In hopes of finding a church home sooner than later, my husband is attending an evening service at the church literally down the block.  He has already texted me three times from the service.  Apparently, everyone there is grey/white-haired and the music is all old hymns.  The service is really more of a bible study given there are 16 people filling 68 seats in the sanctuary.  I guess my hopes of going to church in our community are looking dim.

For those who actively attend church, how did you decide where to go?  Are there red flags or certain things to avoid or look for?  Any suggestions are welcome as we really need to find a home church.

Until next time...