Another Sunday...Another church

The church which we have been attending for 9 years closed June 29th. That was a very sad day for us. It was also the start of formally looking for a new church home. Today's visit was to The Orchard.

Sojkas began attending this church about a year ago and have invited us to come many times. This was the week we came. As it seems with just about everywhere we have been we are greeted with the same, "Oh, you are visiting...Well this week we are doing something different" So we have yet to see a 'regular' service anywhere.

The sermon was good. I noticed that there are several kinds of sermons. There are the 'fluffy' ones that barely have anything to do with the scripture. I definitely do not want that kind. Then there are the 'meaty' ones. Very true to scripture but basically factual. That was what today's was. Then there are the ones I have heard over the past 9 years which were a wonderful combination of both. They were strongly rooted in scripture, but there was a personal element which made it easy to connect the facts and apply it to everyday life - not in an abstract way, but in a personal way. But I realize I may not be able to get that, so 'meaty' is something I am willing to work with.

They are in the process of constructing a building, but for now they meet at a auditorium of a local school. I don't have a problem with that in theory, but in actuality, I end up looking around and being distracted by the stage and the catwalk. Where as a sanctuary helps me focus on why I am there, an auditorium distracts me from it. Once again I know that is not a permanent situation so I am willing to work with that too.

The biggest strike against it, is the music was awful! The regular pianist was on vacation and I didn't think much of the musical ability of the substitute. I like praise and worship songs. I like the traditional hymns. What I can't stand is where everything sounds like a funeral dirge - and that is what it sounded like today. If everything else were 'perfect' I guess I could eventually get used to it. However we were told that it is usually much better than this. I hope so.

All in all this is definitely worth another look, but that won't be for a while. I have a few other commitments and hopefully, by that time, they will be back to normal.