On vacation my wife and I visited a couple of really big and healthy Episcopal Churches. Still, we found ourselves missing our own parish, which is growing but certainly not anywhere near as large as the others. We missed our worship and our folks.
There is a great deal of negativity surrounding church life these days–much of it quite warrented. Call this a research question: What is it about your church that you love, on a deep, heart level? Forget the ‘big this or that program,’ what is it about your parish that brings you into the presence of God and inspires you to serve Him?
The music…
I love the music…
I’d be inclined to think it’d be similar answers for most of us: the community, the sermons, the music, the fellowship, the strength and peace found in all the above.
I would say the genuine love. It is a feeling of being with family.
Willingness to accept everybody, even a progressive Democrat with a heart for the poor. I always tell my 8 year old the we are all precious to God, and He loves all people no matter what. I love what my children are learning-the same 8 year old has announced his latest career choice-travel the world in an RV feeding the poor and telling them about Jesus-and once he asked me if a family member was a false prophet (his words :-)) becuase “He doesn’t show the fruits of the Spirit, Mama.” We had been studying the fruits of the spirit in Sunday School, so he was applying what he learned; it was nothing I had taught him.I love being able to learn With a fabulous and charismatic pastor like we have, you do have to be careful to focus on the Master and not on of the servants. Lullabye time for the little uns.
I agree with Dan except for one thing – the sermons. Considering that I’m the preacher I suppose I shouldn’t say too much about the sermons! I do however get blessed very much and enjoy some wonderful times with the Lord in my sermon preparation.
The worship at my church is intense. Also I feel free to be myself there. I don’t feel like I have to fit into someone else’s mold of how a Christian is supposed to behave and act. My Pastor is an awesome preacher, but he is also a humble servant. I see him as someone who does not act as if he has “arrived” already, but someone who is deeply aware that he is making the same journey we are and who is working out his own salvation with fear and trembling just like the rest of us.Even though you always have those in any congregation that are fighting to be the big fish in the small pond, most of the people at my church are like family.