little bunchie...
...is hopefully 'singing' (making sounds) herself to sleep currently...hopefully we can have ‘nap part 2’. She woke up unexpectedly. Andy biked to his parents house to do some garden stuff (sowing seeds!) and we were going to meet him there after our nap.
Went to that Kids Swap yesterday. My mom and I came away with some tupperware...a consultant was cleaning out her spare room for good deals.
Yesterday AA and I had a good discussion re: church stuff. I am feeling more and more so craving of light and color in the setting of our corporate worship. Along with this, it seems there are so many learning styles/expressions of worship that are not or under-utilized. I give my ideas…I am told we need people to make it happen…and need to pray those people into ‘existence.’ Lately, I rarely look forward to going to church, yet I feel a 'badness' about changing churches. Do I feel I’m ‘giving up?’…been ‘hanging in there’ for a long while now. I dream of a place where the various forms of expression to God (in addition to through music and the spoken word) are facilitated, guided, welcomed…where there is space and light, color.
I understand how people can say that they ‘are not being fed’ (and then subsequently change churches). I used to think that saying this showed an inward and perhaps selfish (?) focus. Perhaps it does at times, but I think I understand the deep truth behind this statement. Can being part of a church that doesn’t utilize/facilitate your style of learning contribute to soul stagnation? Is part of the reason there are so many different churches to reach people of different learning styles/expressions?...but why am I not familiar with churches in our area who branch out much further than music and sermons? Well, there are *some* thoughts about that.
She's not sleeping...let's go join Andy in the colorful (green and brown :) garden, breathe deep the fresh air and feel the warm sun…and there we will worship too.
posted by Cara @ 2:55 PM
4 Comments:
I hear you Cara. My spirit/soul craves the same - light, color, movement, interaction. Also - I am, lately, hungry for cooperate worship that is almost entirely God focused. I know who I am - I am weak, inconsistant, tired, afraid...I need to be filled up with - taken over by thoughts of Him and his ableness. May God guide us all.
Love,
Mom
"I need to be filled up with - taken over by thoughts of Him" This reminds me of something we talked about at camp...how we need "truth injections" (i.e. of God's word). The world's not going to help us get the truth...it's our and the churches responsibility.
Hey Cara,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I understand/share your thoughts and feelings. I have asked the same question you asked, "Can being part of a church that doesn’t utilize/facilitate your style of learning contribute to soul stagnation?" In my case I have been drawn to the liturgical church for the past several years but have felt a sense of "guilt" for trading teams. However I am discovering that there is room for differences in styles and expressions. We are a tapestry or a mosaic. The catholic church would be pretty drab if we were monolithic.
I was having a discussion with my father-in-law about this very topic recently. I asked the question, "Is there room for all of us and our differences?" I think so. You asked "Is part of the reason there are so many different churches to reach people of different learning styles/expressions?" To that I say, "I think so".
Denominations, in and of themselves, are not bad: they are necessary to accommodate all our different personalities, learning styles and expressions. We learn from one another as we share with one another. The danger of denominations is when they become denominationalism-where we cast one another as enemies. So I think part of growing up in Christ is learning about who you God made you to be. And I think a big part of being faithful to God is being faithful to who He made you to be. Sometimes that may mean leaving the church you grew up in to find a church home that “fits”.
Well I’ll sign off before I ramble on anymore than I need to. By the way I am only trying to be descriptive of my thoughts and journey rather than being prescriptive. I have no certain answers. I am only seeking to be faithful to the Lord in “working out my salvation”.
Jeremy
Thanks for your thoughts Jeremy. I value these.
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