Technological Church

We tried another church this morning. I was nervous, b/c the kids said they didn't want to, that they wanted to go back to the one we had been visiting; I really felt the weight & responsibility of providing them with stability & comfort and didn't want them to feel like they were being ripped away from anything else. But our neighbors here invited us for the 3rd time to theirs, it sounded like a church we'd be receptive to, and I sold the kids by saying, "It's Walker & Lacy's [neighbor BFFs] church."

The most fascinating aspect of this one was the technological connectivity! The pastor uploads his sermon notes to YouVersion, so everyone can follow along with (& save) on our smartphones his scripture references, notes, and even an opinion poll using the YouVersion mobile Bible app. How cool is that? I've been using that app for a Bible for two years now, and I've always made a big deal of holding my phone during services so that everyone can see I'm not texting or FBing; and here? The app is standard. A very young, hip congregation, but that's who we are right now, too. :-)

The kids came out saying, "This one is 100% better!" Ha! I mean, really - I didn't see a big difference at all in the children's program, but hey - whatever anxiety I had felt for them evaporated.

I'm not sure if "this is it" - but quite honestly, I almost think, "Why not?" I understand the search for a home church being a bigger deal if you are in your "forever" (or at least long-term foreseeable future) home; but we're going to be here probably 18 months. What does being nit-picky get us, other than wasted time we could have felt connected? I feel like we can find happiness & opportunities to serve in every church we've checked out; I guess I don't see what the big choice is b/t them - pick one, plug in, & be happy. :-)


I'm also still loving thoughts on being in the wilderness with God during this Lenten season on Journey to the Cross:

When we look in the mirror, sometimes we’re looking at our clothes, or the expressions on our faces. Other times, we’re just saying hello to ourselves.
Sometimes we avoid the mirror because we don’t want to face ourselves. In the Bible, the wilderness acts like a mirror where the people of God learn to look at themselves from God’s perspective.
Think of these upcoming quiet moments as a kind of mirror, an opportunity for learning and growing.

When we find ourselves alone with God in the wilderness, it’s natural to fear the process of erosion that works on our hearts and minds. Erosion is not just a powerful force that washes away, it is also a life-sustaining force that deposits and rebuilds. Being friends with God is a gift of rejuvenation and reconciliation.
Watch for the ways God might build you up; open yourself to the gift of God’s friendship.

Clay is often a metaphor for being human, like when Paul compares God’s people to clay jars. This Lent, remember that you are at the same time fragile and sturdy, breakable and repairable.
Go, seek the trusting hands of Jesus – the potter – who will unearth and shape God’s treasure within you.

Dear God, fill me with a hospitality that I have not known before. Open the doors of my soul to abundant life. Amen.

May it be Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen. ~From St. Patrick’s Breastplate, 5th century


I got an email from our MI church that they're doing these 2-word "What's Your Story?" shirts. These are the options, and I really got a lot out of just reading down the list and thinking about how each applies to me:

Loved? Loved.
Satisfied? Satisfied.
Accepted? Accepted.
Free? Free.
Secure? Secure.
Purpose? Purpose.
Peace? Peace.
Forgiven? Forgiven.
Empowered? Empowered.
Hope? Hope.
Confident? Confident.
Significant? Significant.
Joy? Joy.
Fulfilled? Fulfilled.
Valued? Valued.
Strong? Strong.
Rescued? Rescued.
Alive? Alive.