Thursday, January 03, 2013
For 22 years I attended the same ELCA Lutheran church.
Every Sunday we said the same liturgy, same prayers, and pretty much sang the same songs.
When I began working and camp and then attended a private liberal arts college I realized that worship was so much more than repeating the same ritual every week. My faith became more about Jesus and me, rather than just going to church and sitting in a pew. I learned there were worship songs that had rhythm, there were sermons with life, and there were discussions outside of the 4 church walls.
In my church growing up, I wouldn't say I was ever challenged to grow spiritually. The people I knew from church only talked about their faith AT church. I didn't see them out in the community acting on their faith. Everyone just kept to themselves, and stayed "content" with the same thing they had been doing for several years.
The ELCA church, as a whole, started to make some tough decisions. I sat back and listened to all sides of the issues. ISSUES. Not just one issue, but all of them. I realize that this is where I can make a stand. I can choose to stand up for my beliefs, stand up for making a change and stand up for my own faith, or sit back and keep doing things the way I had been for 22 years.
I chose to step away from the comfort of doing things like I always had and walk into the unknown with a group of people who were passionate about keeping their beliefs and making a change for the better. People who weren't afraid to share their faith with the community, people who weren't afraid to try new things, and people who would come together, rally around one another and become a second family.
This change was amazing. I had never felt CHURCH like this before. Every Sunday and even Wednesday I felt like I was coming home as we met in a small garden center out building, and then a drug treatment facility, and eventually an old farm supply store turned into a place of worship. All that ever mattered was giving God the glory for bringing us together in this trail.
I was never mad at my former church. I was never mad a the people, at the worship, or the building. I have often felt sad. I have been sad because so many people still there do not understand why I, and so many others have chosen to take a new path. We're still worshiping the same Lord and Savior. We're still serving the same community. As the next couple of years went by, I was loving my new environment, but I knew something was missing. I looked around and everyone had someone. Everyone, but me. There were the babies, the toddlers, the preschoolers, the school age kids, the young parents, the middle age parents, the grandparents, childless couples, and widows and widowers. There wasn't any other non married person in their 20s. It was me. I was leading the youth and working 3 other jobs. I only had enough time to lead one youth group a week, which had to include 7-12th grade students. I couldn't find much help. I was burnt out.
No matter what I said, no one was able to lend me a hand. I had so many ideas of how to make it work, but no one to help me put the ideas in place. I still loved every person in that congregation. I still felt at home, but I felt very alone.
I knew there was another church where there were so many people my age. There was upbeat worship, small groups full of people in their 20s, and a church that was on fire and passionate about their youth.
I had to weigh my options. I loved my "new" church home and family, but I also wanted to grow and be in a community with people my age. I wanted friends. It's hard being a Christian in a town of 10,000, especially when the church you attend doesn't have anyone your age.
I made my next "church hop". I felt welcomed with open arms the second I walked in the door. It helped that my boyfriend was very active in the church, and that I had known many of the members from a retreat. I immediately got involved with a young adult group. I joined a small group, and I am a youth sponsor. I am still worshping the same amazing God. I'm still loving my community. And, most of all, I still love and respect the people from both of my former congregations. It hasn't been easy. So many people still don't understand.
I know that the church is the body. We are one body, together. We may worship in different places with different styles, but we serve the same Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
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