On the hunt...

On the hunt…

Matt and I are church hunting again. We have done this a few times as we have moved a few times (ok, we have moved several times, six times in three years to be exact). Thankfully, we haven’t had to find a new church each time, but when you move to a new state, it is time to find a new church home. To add fun and excitement to the hunt, you need to know that Matt is a little more conservative than I, so things he will not compromise on, I might find superfluous, and the vice versa  is true as well. We both believe in the same the path to salvation, baptism by immersion, taking communion at least once a month, and tithing.

We have gone to small churches and mega churches, some packed to the gills others nearly empty.  We’ve heard sermons on all sorts of topics by preachers from all sorts of seminaries.  We’ve heard music ranging from centuries old hymns to Pink Floyd (yes, Floyd at church). We’ve gone to services that are home-spun as well as those mimic concerts with dramatic performances.   What kinds of weird things have we experienced? One pastor swore during his sermon (I think it was an accident); one pastor liked to quote scripture, but only parts of verses, to tailor make his sermon; one pastor used a live snake and mouse to give an analogy of God’s hands protecting us from the evil of the world (Matt had to keep his eyes closed for part of that sermon); we’ve had little old ladies send us “dagger eyes” when Sloane would giggle in church; for the most part, our first time visits have gone well, but  we never know what to expect.

In our journey to find a new church, we are following the same path we have taken in the past. Church hunting is very similar to house hunting.  You look up places that you’ve driven by as well as an internet search of churches in your area.  Using the sites, you can quickly eliminate anywhere that you know you won’t like or doesn’t suit your needs. Matt and I look at the “what we believe” section first (almost every church has this section) as this helps us weed out places we know we will not like. Then, it is usually onto the “about us” where you can find out key things like denomination (or not), dress code, kid-friendliness, service times, and anything else they may deem critical for visitors and members to know.

We both make sure to check out the Children’s Ministry section to see what they offer. Usually, it outlines their nursery policy and explains what programs they offer to kids of all ages. Some even let you download the forms you will need to fill out, so you won’t have to wait in line when you get there, always a plus!

Now that we have done this a few times, I have learned the following: nursery workers are volunteers (read they will be late), if they are, it gives you time to look around to see how clean they keep the place; it is someone’s job to greet visitors, they want to make sure you feel welcomed and have any questions answered, so if you have them, be sure to ask them; regular attendees will come up to say hi, don’t be shy, let them know you are new and that you are church hunting;  some people are hand-shakers, others are huggers, if you are offered a hug take it!; most churches now offer a continental breakfast, which you can eat during the service (I think this is kinda weird, but maybe I am old fashioned), some charge for it, some don’t, but if you are running late, it is a nice thing to offer!

If you have a church home, I would highly recommend   checking out your church’s website, facebook, and twitter accounts. See how up-to-date they are, and if they are really old, help to get them current. Do you have any interaction with visitors? All you have to do is say hi and shake hands – trust me it goes far!

If you are searching or thinking about going to church, I urge you to visit a church you have driven by, read about, or have been invited to by a friend. Don’t feel pressure to join, but give it a try, you may walk away with a silly story (swearing! snakes! mean old ladies!) or you may find a place to call home.