We went to church

We attended a worship gathering yesterday. Quite literally, in fact!

It's been a month or so since we last "went to church." We intended to start going regularly again. I think we were going to do a tour of sorts, where we just took in a different place each week. I suppose it lasted about a week.

Anyway, yesterday we went to the former megachurch just a few blocks from our house. Fellowship used to run like 2,000 people for worship each week. Now there are more like a few hundred. The founding pastor was there a couple decades and attendance had started to dwindle even before he stepped down. His successor was only there a couple years and succumbed to the events of the past year. They are still without a pastor at this time. We have been there a few times here and there over the years - mostly because of its proximity to our house. In fact, it's about halfway between our house and the Feipel house (they were there yesterday too).

Right away when we came into the giant foyer I ran into a friend who comes in and works out at my Y. He and his wife have been part of the church for over 20 years. I know a few more people who are involved there too, as well as some who used to be on staff.

Of course, wouldn't you know it, yesterday was an "all worship" Sunday! They said that meant there wasn't going to be a sermon. What it actually meant was that the worship pastor gave the message instead. Ha! It was okay though. I'm sure you know I had plenty of negative thoughts swimming around my brain. I didn't want to let them win though! It ended up being a pretty good experience.

In spite of the fact the worship pastor reminds me of Franklin Graham, he had a good message and seemed like a genuine guy. Their music style isn't my preference either, but I do have to say, it moved me to tears several times. It's also this big, corporate-looking building with an organizational structure modeled after the biggest of businesses... but still... something stirred.

So, whether this is the place for us or not, I do not know. In fact, I don't really care. Not that I don't care... but I want to try to keep that beside the point. It was a good Sunday of worship. It felt good to be in church. I think I sensed the Spirit moving among us. Why make it anything more than that?

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John 17:20-21

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."