Weekend Experiences

I've been visiting different churches over the last few months and have yet to find a church that I really like and feel accepted. Well, since I was dog-sitting in Edmond this past weekend, I took the opportunity to visit Crossings Community Church...and I liked it..kinda....

I have visited Crossings in the past and had a really hard time feeling accepted. In fact, the two previous times I had been, I had come and gone and not one person talked to me. But that was over 6 years ago. Yesterday was really no different. I went to SS first, then to church. If it hadn't of been for the friend I went with, and subsequently, an old friend of mine that I haven't seen in a while that now attends there, I would have had the same experience I had over 6 years ago.

The SS Director's wife did come up and introduce herself to us, but then proceeded to work the room and greet everyone else, you know, the regulars of the class. What bothered me was that my friend and I still sat at this table alone, keeping ourselves company. I kept wishing and hoping that someone would come welcome us and sit by us, but to no avail. I mean, the Director's wife could have gone to the regulars and said "hey ya'll - we have some first time visitors here in class and I would really like to introduce you; maybe you can even sit by them". That didn't happen.

Maybe this is why I have such a burden for single people. We are not welcome anywhere. By the time you get enough courage to even visit a new church, you're so disappointed because you aren't welcomed and you just want to go back to your car, drive home and go back to bed. Or, girls like me are hesitant to go to a SS class because we are afraid the guys will notice us right off and we become the "bait". But then, as my friend said, girls aren't friendly to other girls because suddenly we are the "competition". No wonder so many singles do not attend church these days...and that is sad. I think I could be a good singles group leader. I've had all the bad stuff happen to me...so why not? At least I think I would make people feel welcomed and accepted.

As far as the church service was concerned, I really enjoyed it. I'm a traditional girl and I like the traditional service, hymns and all. And that is exactly what they did. It reminded me of my old church - it had a choir and orchestra, and the auditorium was full. The Pastor preached a really good sermon and I thoroughly enjoyed the music. The Music Minister was absolutely amazing! It seems to be exactly the thing I was looking for. Now if I could only do something about the Sunday School...