diary of a church hopper, pt. 10

Church-hopping might make a good book, yes?

Church-hopping and a profile of my boss after he dies. Those are the two books on my list to write. That and a collection of vignettes based on kitchen memories.

Anyway...

Amanda and I met up not far from the big RCA church. Recently it's been on my mind that I simply need to make a choice -- that I cannot have everything I want in a church. I cannot have a traditional service and lots of families and and age variety and lots of groups and ministries. I cannot have those minisries and families without a contemporary service, which I am far too cynical of right now. Anyway, decided to trek down to the area early and try to speak with the RCA pastor briefly before lunch.

And I did.

This was the guy who looked like Jerry Van Dyke's son in the service. He looked less like him up close, but he was still sugary sweet and clean and shiny. Thought my cynical self, like someone wearing a mask. So I set that aside and was honest with him -- that I'd visited, wasn't sure it was for me, tried lots of things. Wanted to know where they were looking for help.

He pushed small groups, and said they were looking for help in the children's ministries. Children's ministries are something I have experience with and would probably be good for me to plug into, somewhere.

I asked if he had advice for church hoppers. He said he encouraged just sticking with someplace for six months or so. Six months! That's...a long time. But he's probably right.

Told Amanda about the situation. She advised that she'd heard the church recently had a big split on a big issue, may be unstable. (Does this sound familiar?)

So, time to make a choice. Sunnybrook feels more familiar, but the Baptist church is closer and I have met someone there who was nice. But Sunnybrook is more welcoming. But I liked the Episcopal liturgy. But I can't make up my mind.

Come, Lord Jesus, and show us life.