Disclaimer: Different churches suit different people at different times. Today I share our impressions based solely on where we are right now in our walk with God and as parents of two small children.
summary so far
Here we were, trying out churches in the heart of the
Advent season. In not one of these services did we sing a single
Christmas song. None. The mega church did have a choir of backup singers dressed in red shirts, but that was as close as we got to bringing together Christmas and music in any of the three churches we tried. In fact, you would hardly have thought we were anywhere near Christmas. People did mention, 'the end of the year,' and 'the holiday season,' but it was almost as if it was kind of a problem, rather than one of the highlights of the Christian calendar.
try, try again
We decided to try a Christmas Eve service. As I told my parents, if we went to a church that didn't sing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve, I was going to walk out. Maybe not, but I'd be thinking hard about it!
Subiaco Church of Christ had been on our list of places to try for a while. Mainly because we really like
Subiaco, and we like the church's web site. The pictures of the staff are of real people, and we like going to church with other real people!
The Christmas Eve service was fantastic! Packed with kids and people of all ages, we sang carols, listened to a choir and orchestra (I was thinking of you,
Megan!), and enjoyed a skit about an oak that wanted to be a Christmas tree but was all the wrong shape. In a fun twist, we were each given a
glow stick at the door, rather than the traditional candle. Very fun to see a packed sanctuary full of people waving neon and praising God.
but what about real church?
We went the next week to Sunday service at Subiaco Church of Christ, and our good impression continued. We all worshiped together as a family, and our kids were settled enough that we all made it through 97% of the service. We chatted with people after the service and were introduced to others.
The next week, we again all worshiped together as a family, then Nikki and Baba went to check out Children's Church. I stayed in the service, even though Michael wanted to wander. I sat near two Asian women watching a toddler with a golden bell around his ankle. No accident that bell - that kid was everywhere, though to his credit he was quiet except for the bell. Michael quickly made his way into the good graces of our neighbors who shared the
Barrel of Monkeys game they had brought along with him.
I felt I was on the borderline - almost distracting those around me. I only stayed since I was near the Asian ladies. Something I noticed in the Cairo church and now here is that they tend to keep their children with them, but quiet, in circumstances where Westerners would often have retreated. I tend toward that same philosophy. But maybe next week Michael and I will try out the baby room and see what that's about. Nikki and Baba enjoyed the Sunday School - a nice big group with lots of fun interactions! Baba was especially impressed that the Sunday School was set up in a mini-church format, including offering, prayer, Bible stories and sharing Christ's love with each other through stickers.
