In April my wife and I started our latest search for a church. We chose 10 congregations within 6 miles of our home, and committed to attending at least one worship service with each.
In May I shared our experiences visiting the first five churches on our list. Now, I’m delighted to share our experiences with the final five visits.
Visuals
The first grouping of images in this post showcases #ViewFromThePew photos taken during our Sunday morning worship experiences in four of the congregations we visited.
The second grouping of images features the congregation with the largest membership and greatest number of worship offerings each weekend.
Variety
The variety within these worship services extended the number of people present or services offered, including:
- style: 1 service was blended and 4 were traditional
- sacrament: 2 services included Communion/Eucharist/Lord’s Supper
- length: services lasted between 57 minutes and 1 hour and 20 minutes
- denominational affiliation: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Presbyterian (PCUSA), United Methodist, Unitarian Universalist, and non-denominational
So What?
Our first visits and the preparatory research that preceded each served as a means to eliminate some communities of faith from additional consideration. From this second group of five, one congregation resonated in significant ways and therefore warrants another visit. When we add this congregation to two that emerged from the first five visits, we have three finalists.
The next phase of the search will take as long as is necessary to participate more deeply in the life of these congregations, to better understand their identity and mission, and to engage with members and other active participants.
- How many visits (an approximate number is fine) did you make to your current congregation before you joined as a member or chose to affiliate more informall
- On your second, third and additional visits to your current congregation what experiences helped you conclude this was the faith community for you?