My husband and I have been restless at church for awhile. We love our homebase church in England, the Frensham Baptist Fellowship; but for those months of the year we have started to come to Florida, we hadn''t yet found a place we called "home". We kept finding fault with the music, or the way scripture was read etc; and finally we realised- the problem was us! We LOVE the people in the Venice church we have come to know, for the two months or six months we were setting up a home in Florida- but we didn't really fit in.
So, one day my husband and I decided it was time to seek out an American church that was US. My husband was raised English Brethren and I was raised American/Southern Baptist. While I loved the church I was raised attending, we both had reservations about our childhood churches. Leaving the church we always attended when in Venice, Florida was so sad. We dreaded having the "why we are not joining, but leaving" discussions with the pastor!
A core issue on this Senior Gap Year, my sabbatical for moving my life into alignment for intentional living in a new stage of life; would be to find my Tribe. This I knew, my Tribe would be faith based. With a change of churches, was God leading me to my Tribe?
Question: Have you ever changed churches?
Yes I have changed churches and it was very hard to leave the one we were going too before. They were a wonderful church family and we still love them. God had to reposition us for many reasons of which now we see the big picture and how the various moves actually impacted us greatly. New seasons, that changed colors of worship, new people who filled in the gaps we did not even know existed. Bless you both as you find home and hearth in a new church. In Christ!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Your comment is a blessing, indeed. I love your words, "colors of worship;" as I picture a short curtain rod, with wide ribbons draping down six or more feet...each colour representing a fabric making up the tapestry of this stage of life-Praising God for the Sage Stage of Life!
ReplyDeleteMy first 7 years of marriage we lived in a closed country, so church chooses were limited to one and they were always good. We moved about six years ago to an open country in Asia where the possibilities of where to go are endless. We have had such a hard time finding the right church. It took us about three years, but we've found it. Although, we are in the process of prayer over what to do next. My husband has been asked about maybe taking a position at a different church, soooo it looks like it might be another church move in our future. I have mixed feelings, but know that I want to be where ever God wants us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! I keep thinking about what you have said about when you lived in a place where the choice was "limited to one." AND the church was always good. My sister in law lives in Saudia Arabia (please know that no details will be given concerning locations for any who write from interesting places) and sometimes the grace of God let's us see the possibilities for overcoming what we would not choose when we live in a place that does not have three churches on the corner.... Edinburgh has its Holy Corner in Morningside which is beautiful, so I am not knocking it....just good to share how we explore the possibilities of worship when living in a "foreign land".
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