August 5, 2007 - Of Songs and Church and Re-entry....
We went to church this morning. We've been to church three times since we got back, ... which means that we've been to church three times in the past 3 years! Not very good attendance, I'm afraid! Seriously though, we are looking for a church now that we're back from the Middle East and want to take our time. We won't ever find a "perfect" church, because there isn't one! But we need to find one where we can fit it as a family.
There are a few funny things about church after not having gone for so long. First of all you don't know any of the songs. Except for the one during the children's talk which is "Jesus Loves the Little Children"....and which your eldest son is too embarrassed to sing because it is a little kids one :) (yes, he's at that age...!) Then it is all the "rituals" which were once so familiar and normal, and you now look at with different eyes. At the last church service our youngest son wanted to know what the bags were for that they were passing around :) Uh oh, we're bringing our kids up as heathens! Thankfully we will get back into the swing of things and get to know people and the customs again. It is almost like adapting to a different culture.
When we were overseas we adapted to the culture there as much as we could. We were patient with things that we thought were silly. We were willing to learn. When we come back to our own culture, we often think it will be easy, we'll just slot back in. But no... things have changed while we were gone. Someone is sitting in our spot at church! Not just that, but they have changed the seating arrangement. The songs are new! The worship is done differently! Why are they reading out the prayers instead of just praying ad lib? I can't find the toilet anymore!! How easy it would be to criticize.
We need to treat our re-entry into our home country with as much patience as we treated our adaptation into the new culture we just came from. After a while we will no longer look confused when we walk into a shop and see the huge variety of choices. After a while we will no longer look confused at church when we sing and partake of the Lord's Supper (do we eat and drink together, do we wait...?). After a while we will no longer look at the money and wonder what the 20 coin looks like. After a while we will learn the songs. After a while we will make new friends. After a while we might even dress like everyone else :) And then the culture that we adopted over the past years will slowly fade away.....
Comments
August 7, 2007 - church
Posted by ajl3
It was so nice to read your entry. Church is (in my opinion) one of the most important choices you can make. I say this because I am a pastor's wife. We are pastoring at a little country church where we only have an organist as our music and she only plays in two keys. As you can probably tell our worship time is very old fashioned. I'm saying this to you because this little church has taught me that anything anyone does to the best of their ability and does it for God will be blessed. Our little church in the country has doubled in size in the last 4 years. Why? Not because of the music, it is old fashioned, not because of the programs, we have few, and not because of the traditions but because we are joyfully doing our best. Look for a church who isn't trying to win you with bells and whistles. Sometimes these are the churches that only want to entertain you. Look for the church that is strong and steady even if it is old fashioned. Look at the people. Go for a couple of weeks and if the pastor doesn't know your name after the second or third visit maybe try a new church because the focus of this church is not the people. You'll find something that works for your family if you make it a priority. Set the example for the kids and they will follow suit...maybe with a little kicking and screaming at first. Remember this is new to them. Good luck, stay strong and keep looking. You'll make the right choice;)
