New church
Yesterday was the big kick-off neighborhood party for the new campus of the church we have been attending. It's a little complicated, and I'm not sure I have completely worked out how it all works. There are now three campuses to this church, yet they all function as one. I wasn't convinced, but it seems to work. I think it's because the mid-week things all happen all together. The Bible studies, the youth groups, the service projects, all draw from all three campuses. It is not a live feed, sort of thing for Sundays, but the preaching is all on the same verses.
When you make a big move, such as we did, sometimes I have found that it can be easier to just make big changes, rather than find things that mimic your old life. We will never completely replace what we had, so I guess we decided not to even try. This new church, for the most part, is pretty uber-contemporary. (There is a traditional service, but coming from a service that had blended traditional and contemporary aspects, we found this a little too much on one side as well.) The setting is also pretty contemporary. We came from a 150 year old church.... stone, , pews, stained glass, carved dark wood. Here is what the new one looks like.
When you make a big move, such as we did, sometimes I have found that it can be easier to just make big changes, rather than find things that mimic your old life. We will never completely replace what we had, so I guess we decided not to even try. This new church, for the most part, is pretty uber-contemporary. (There is a traditional service, but coming from a service that had blended traditional and contemporary aspects, we found this a little too much on one side as well.) The setting is also pretty contemporary. We came from a 150 year old church.... stone, , pews, stained glass, carved dark wood. Here is what the new one looks like.
Sorry for the pole. I was standing in the shade, under the tent while people ate lunch.
No pews, no stained glass, though this campus has plenty of natural light, white painted walls, coffee in the lobby to bring into the service. No pipe organ. (I'm still having a bit of trouble with that.) We came to the realization that we could either have the architecture we were comfortable with or the theology we were comfortable with, but not both. We opted for theology.
And the people. We have really felt welcomed and accepted by everyone we have met. We are an unusual family and it can be difficult to meet the needs of everyone. No one has seemed put off or overly burdened by our more challenging family members. Just the opposite, in fact. People have really bent over backwards to make things such as Sunday school and youth group work for each child.
What we love most is that the people we've met here are really trying to live out the Gospel message. Sharing the love and power of Jesus is really central to what they are all about. For that I can miss a pipe organ.
So this party today... the third campus, the one we are attending because it is far closer to our house than the others... just held their second service today. The party was to invite the neighborhood it is in to come and check things out. There was a bounce house, face painting, food trucks, games, music, and tours of the new building. All free for the neighborhood. Here are some pictures.
L.
K., with H. in the background
L.
G.
R.
This feels like a huge piece of the moving puzzle has been figured out. We now know some people. When we go to church, there are people we know and who know us. I can make the check-in system work for Sunday School. I have people's names and phone numbers in my phone contacts. And I am now beginning to hear things such as, "Mommy! Can I go and play with my friends?" when we are at church.
That sound you hear? That would be me breathing a great, big, huge sigh of relief.
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