Things I am going to miss- ONE Community Church

I've been thinking more and more about the way it used to be.  We used to worship with our small group of villagers/ family members/ tribespeople/ whatever  and we had to see these people all the time.  If someone made you angry, you just simply had to face them.  If they did something you disagreed with you couldn't just un-friend them.  You would still see them everyday. 

Two Sundays have past since we've moved here and we haven't visited a single church in Goodland.

Not that Goodland has none.  In fact I think they have 8 or 9.  3 are on the same intersection all staring each other down.   

But we've been visiting and out of town, so haven't been around to go.  And I guess I feel a little nervous about it.  

It is crazy how many denominations there are!  The fact that Jesus died for everyone seems pretty all inclusive.  He wasn't up there on the cross saying "Father, forgive them... but not that guy, he drinks a little much... and that lady gets too wild in worship... oh yeah and not her either, she believes in evolution...and that guy handles snakes, definitively not him..."

Isn't that kinda what we do though?  We all have reasons and arguments for choosing who we will and who we won't worship the creator of the universe with.  We aren't talking big questions here like, um, is Christ your personal saviour.  We are more worried about the song choice and how often they discuss tithing.

Bushmen community at Gope, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana

And worship was a natural part of that.  I think if you took a bushman of the Kalahari today and told him about how we have created hundreds of slightly different ways to worship God, he would laugh.  

Worshiping together doesn't mean you agree on everything, heck it doesn't even mean you like each other.  It just means you both acknowledge the Creator; you want to praise Him, and you know there is something special about worshiping with others.

ONE Community Church, 5th birthday

All that being said, ONE community church was the church where my husband came to God, it was the first church our children went to, and I loved it.  The worship was great, the messages pushed you to go out and be God's hands and feet.  How do you find another church "home?"

Really, any suggestions?

Things I am going to miss- The Hope Women's Center

Hope Women’s Center serves women and 

teen girls facing any difficult life situation. 

Whether faced with drug/alcohol 

addiction, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, 

unplanned pregnancy, unemployment, 

prostitution, homelessness or family 

conflict, trained mentors and teachers are 

available to provide assistance, 

encouragement and support.

... or so says their website.  But for me, it has helped me meet women, make friends and grow my faith.  

I started volunteering at the center in January of 2011, and my first day was daunting.  

After going through the training I was asked if I would like to work in the store, at the desk, teach classes or mentor women with their problems.  Teaching and mentoring seemed so scary.  

The women who already worked there had this amazing biblical knowledge.  Client A comes in and says "I have a problem with this random issue"  then the mentor says "Let's look in the Bible, here is the exact passage that deals with your random issue."  I know I don't have close to that level of knowledge.

Teaching says to me lesson plans, homework, classroom management,  and out of my league.  I was kinda interested in doing it, but I wouldn't have admitted it.

But after just a short time, Terry and Glenda were asking me what else I would like to do.  Soon I was teaching and loving it.  Normally, after High School, you don't get the chance to really discuss things with people.  You talk about day to day stuff, but discussions on morals, life principles, even hearing someone's story.

Think of your friends you've made as an adult. In how many cases do you know their history?  What were their turning points?  Why were they saved?  What brought them to the point where they knew, KNEW, they needed God?

At Hope Women's Center, I got the chance to hear stories and even to affect the way they would end sometimes.  I got to hear people's problems with Christianity.  Those church experiences that made them decide they would never go back.  That person who called themselves a Christian who victimized them so much.

These aren't the things you get going to Meetup events or on Facebook.

Would you like to get involved with this dynamic group of women?  To spend a bit of you week serving and getting filled?  

On June 1 at 6pm is the Women with Hope Gathering.

They'll show you around and even give you a light dinner! (The one I went to was delicious) You can see if you want to get behind this mission and see if it's where God is bringing you.

Click here to contact them and sign up!