Monday, March 20, 2006

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a New Church

I am by nature a lazy person. Not lazy like I lie in bed all day and watch soap operas, but lazy like the day God handed out self-discipline, I was out sick. Which, you may recall, is why I needed this accountability blog. So far, it is helping keep me more focused (and painfully aware of my lack of self-discipline), but I still have quite a ways to go.
I have given a lot of thought to changing churches, have gone "church shopping." Christ Episcopal Church, where we're members is 30 minutes away, and for a lazy person, this can at times be an impediment to getting to church as often as I'd like, and causes us to speed down Wade Hampton Boulevard on Sunday mornings. Also, it's easy to get lost in a church of 4,000 members.
But we went yesterday, and I was reminded of why I love that church so much. I know that God is in every church--well, I guess there may be some exceptions, but that's something He'll handle, not for me to worry about--but in Christ Church, I feel Him there every time I walk in the door. I guess it's a personal thing for everybody, and when you find it, you shouldn't mess with it, even if you have to drive 30 minutes. Another thing I really love about Christ Church is our rector. You can look at Bob Dannals' face and know that he is a man of God. There's this glow about him, I don't know how else to explain it. But I believe that he is a trusted servant of the Living God, and I trust him to tell me the truth.
And the people? You may believe that because there are a lot of well-known (and some wealthy) members at Christ Church that people there are cold, unapproachable. You'd be very wrong. I have met some of the most open, friendly, Godly people in that parish that I've ever known. Certainly, not all of them are well-to-do, or names you'd recognize from The Greenville News--most aren't. But trust me when I tell you that Christ Episcopal Church is busy doing the Lord's work.
So, I'll be making that drive down Wade Hampton. I'll try to leave a little earlier so I don't get a speeding ticket on the way to church.
God's Peace.

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