Sorry I have not been more on the ball with these posts but our church search has taken some interesting turns and some were hard to deal with. A church we were going to and liking kind of fell through over a belief that they had and that I do not really agree with. This whole experience got me thinking of what Lindsey and I should be looking for in our new church? I am sure Lindsey and I will be talking about this soon but I wanted to put this out there to our adoring fans, What do you look for in a church? What are your list of must haves for a church? What kind of things would make you not want to attend a church?
We look forward to what you have to say
Todd
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Emmanuel & Covenant
Did anyone miss our posts?
This past Sunday, 7/17, Todd and I did not attend church. The church we were planning on going to, we will be going to this upcoming Sunday.
The Sunday before that, 7/10, Todd and I went to Emmanuel United Methodist in Scaggsville. I grew up in a Methodist church and really have no desire to go back to one. However, we went because that is the church we will be married in!!! Both Todd's parents and my parents (and grandma) were visiting us, so they came along to.
The church is very beautiful. It has pews! And stained glass! And a small platform! And projectors with screens! That is why I picked it for our ceremony. (Not to mention the price... but hey, this is NOT a wedding blog, so back to the topic of church searching.)
We went to the second service which still has the traditional Methodist rituals but with contemporary music. They had a full band and even had a very small child of about three playing his mini play guitar. Super cute! Unfortunately, due to some communication issues, there were no lyrics on the screen. It seemed that the two girls who sang were probably high school age.
The sermon was short and sweet and focused on John Wesley. I prefer sermons to be based on the Bible but it was a nice refresher on Wesley.
The congregation was a good size too; there were about 100 people in attendance for the first service.
And to back track even more... The Sunday of 7/3, Todd and I were visiting his parents in North Carolina. We went to church on Saturday night, 7/2 at Covenant Church in Winterville.
The church has a big stage and giant screens that had the song lyrics and live video of the service. The sermon was given by the lead pastor, Branson Sheets and it was entitled "Stand Fast: All About Rocks". The pastor had a great visual for his sermon; he had lots of rocks that eventually were stacked on the stage. The four "pictures" to focus on were 1) Remember your foundation, 2) Remember your identity, 3) Remember your community/people and 4) Remember your mission. Overall, very easy to follow and understand.
Hopefully this Sunday's entry will not take as long!
This past Sunday, 7/17, Todd and I did not attend church. The church we were planning on going to, we will be going to this upcoming Sunday.
The Sunday before that, 7/10, Todd and I went to Emmanuel United Methodist in Scaggsville. I grew up in a Methodist church and really have no desire to go back to one. However, we went because that is the church we will be married in!!! Both Todd's parents and my parents (and grandma) were visiting us, so they came along to.
The church is very beautiful. It has pews! And stained glass! And a small platform! And projectors with screens! That is why I picked it for our ceremony. (Not to mention the price... but hey, this is NOT a wedding blog, so back to the topic of church searching.)
We went to the second service which still has the traditional Methodist rituals but with contemporary music. They had a full band and even had a very small child of about three playing his mini play guitar. Super cute! Unfortunately, due to some communication issues, there were no lyrics on the screen. It seemed that the two girls who sang were probably high school age.
The sermon was short and sweet and focused on John Wesley. I prefer sermons to be based on the Bible but it was a nice refresher on Wesley.
The congregation was a good size too; there were about 100 people in attendance for the first service.
And to back track even more... The Sunday of 7/3, Todd and I were visiting his parents in North Carolina. We went to church on Saturday night, 7/2 at Covenant Church in Winterville.
The church has a big stage and giant screens that had the song lyrics and live video of the service. The sermon was given by the lead pastor, Branson Sheets and it was entitled "Stand Fast: All About Rocks". The pastor had a great visual for his sermon; he had lots of rocks that eventually were stacked on the stage. The four "pictures" to focus on were 1) Remember your foundation, 2) Remember your identity, 3) Remember your community/people and 4) Remember your mission. Overall, very easy to follow and understand.
Hopefully this Sunday's entry will not take as long!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Forcey Memorial Church
Forcey Memorial Church (or Forcey Bible Church) was the church that Todd and I attended this morning. We met up with Todd's friend, Bobby, before the service. The church building is located in Silver Spring and it is also a school. The sanctuary was beautiful. The past several churches I have gone to have been boring "boxes" or school auditoriums. This sanctuary reminded me of my grandparents church; it had dark wood, angled ceilings, hanging pendant lights, red cushioned pews and stained glass in deep reds and blues. The church has two services, one blended worship service at 9 am and a contemporary service at 11. We attended the contemporary service. I know that Todd enjoyed sleeping in however I had to find activities to occupy myself before we left because it is nearly impossible for me to sleep in.
The service started with two songs with a full band- drums, guitars, singers and keyboard. I appreciated the words on the screen and the backgrounds weren't horrible. There were a lot of people who came up to pray, share and give announcements. It felt a bit stiff and... formal. They shared about the amazing success of VBS (Vacation Bible School) and the upcoming eight week day camp. A couple who were on a missions trip came up and shared as well.
During the offering, a woman sang a solo. I appreciated the gold offering plates; haven't seen those in awhile.
The main pastor did not preach today. A guest who has been speaking for the past couple of weeks(?) spoke again today. Dr. Homer Heater is the President Emeritus of Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary. He is an older guy but still a good and relevant speaker. The title of his sermon was the "Impact of Sin on Ministry" and was based on 2 Kings 5:20-27. He made several good points.
The service concluded with two more songs, one of them being one of my personal favorites, "Blessed be Your Name" and a short prayer.
The couple in front of us introduced themselves and another woman came over to talk to us as well. The people were really nice and friendly. Not to mention that the same woman came over to talk to us again in Chipotle, which was where we went for lunch.
Why do we keep visiting churches when it is either a special Sunday or when there is a guest speaker? I guess we may have to go back again!
The service started with two songs with a full band- drums, guitars, singers and keyboard. I appreciated the words on the screen and the backgrounds weren't horrible. There were a lot of people who came up to pray, share and give announcements. It felt a bit stiff and... formal. They shared about the amazing success of VBS (Vacation Bible School) and the upcoming eight week day camp. A couple who were on a missions trip came up and shared as well.
During the offering, a woman sang a solo. I appreciated the gold offering plates; haven't seen those in awhile.
The main pastor did not preach today. A guest who has been speaking for the past couple of weeks(?) spoke again today. Dr. Homer Heater is the President Emeritus of Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary. He is an older guy but still a good and relevant speaker. The title of his sermon was the "Impact of Sin on Ministry" and was based on 2 Kings 5:20-27. He made several good points.
The service concluded with two more songs, one of them being one of my personal favorites, "Blessed be Your Name" and a short prayer.
The couple in front of us introduced themselves and another woman came over to talk to us as well. The people were really nice and friendly. Not to mention that the same woman came over to talk to us again in Chipotle, which was where we went for lunch.
Why do we keep visiting churches when it is either a special Sunday or when there is a guest speaker? I guess we may have to go back again!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Again Sorry for lateness
Sorry again about the lateness loyal fans, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks. Besides dealing with some sickness, I am happy to announce that Lindsey and I are now engaged!! Yes I popped the question and she said yes. She didn’t even need to think about it too, I guess I am a catch. So now we continue our journey of finding a church not as boyfriend and girlfriend but as an engaged couple, sweet.
Well like I said last week we did not go to church because we were both feeling ill but I will post about Greater Baltimore Church of Christ. Now I have to start by saying that because this is a Church of Christ a lot of the service was like MCCC. They really did not stray from the formula. Pretty much all the things I don’t really connect with were true with this church. The acapella worship is still cool but not my favorite and they had half the communion time in silence which is always just awkward to me. They did have an intermission mingle time which was interesting. We got to meet some people and I do enjoy some mingle. Overall I would say GBCC and MCCC were so similar, if you have been to one of them you get the idea.
The only thing I would like to highlight is the guy who talked because, while his talk was long, he had a very on fire talk that was just great to hear. His name was Phat and he was a younger guy who talked about his life and how we are an adulteress people who need to turn back to God. It was just a great journey to take with this guy and to hear about his life.
That’s really all I have for this post but I would leave off with a question for everyone.
What is your favorite book of the bible that is not one of the gospels? I exclude the gospel because Jesus is just that awesome and he should be everyone’s favorite.
Let the discussion begin and tune in next week, Lindsey and I will be going to a new church this week.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Greater Baltimore Church of Christ
This morning, Todd and I attended the Greater Baltimore Church of Christ which meets at Long Reach High School in Columbia. It is a sister church of Montgomery County Church of Christ which we have attended in previous weeks.
Overall, the service was very similar to Montgomery County Church of Christ. We were greeted by at least five teens who were greeters/ushers as it was their teen Sunday. One woman came over because she thought we were new visitors. Every teen who spoke for each section of the service applied scripture and shared their reflections on what the scripture meant to them. The unfortunate part was that it was very hard to hear what people were saying because of the microphones.
The music was all hymns again with no music. They even sang some hymns that I recognized from Montgomery County Church of Christ. No one had hymn books because the lyrics were on a screen on the stage. I really appreciated that. One song, "Awesome God" towards the end of the singing was done to pre-recorded music. I enjoyed that because it was more the type of music/style that I am used to. During the second half of communion, several women/teens came on stage and sang a really beautiful song. I am not a music person so I do not know how to correctly describe what they were doing but each pair sang a different harmony with different words at the same time.
The first half of communion was silent... That is, except for the squeaky chairs. (Did I mention how hard and uncomfortable they are?)
They announced Fellowship Time which I took to mean a time of greeting people around you. I was a bit confused as everyone was out of their seats and there was no explanation other than it was called Fellowship Time. I think all the children/middle schoolers left then as well.
The sermon was delivered by a guy named Phat Vuong and it seemed like it was his first time speaking. He was a bit awkward at times but his message was strong. He spoke about the book of Hosea and gave these three points: (1) God loves you (2) You adulterous people (3) Return to the Lord.
After this, there was a closing song. They called it the closing song but then several people came up on stage after to talk and share. Two women shared about another woman who was about to be baptized. It just felt really long after being told that we just sang the closing song. Also it felt long because by the time the service was over, it was two hours later! I am used to an hour and a half service.
... What does God have in store for us next week?
... And how much later on in the week do you think Todd will get around to posting?
Overall, the service was very similar to Montgomery County Church of Christ. We were greeted by at least five teens who were greeters/ushers as it was their teen Sunday. One woman came over because she thought we were new visitors. Every teen who spoke for each section of the service applied scripture and shared their reflections on what the scripture meant to them. The unfortunate part was that it was very hard to hear what people were saying because of the microphones.
The music was all hymns again with no music. They even sang some hymns that I recognized from Montgomery County Church of Christ. No one had hymn books because the lyrics were on a screen on the stage. I really appreciated that. One song, "Awesome God" towards the end of the singing was done to pre-recorded music. I enjoyed that because it was more the type of music/style that I am used to. During the second half of communion, several women/teens came on stage and sang a really beautiful song. I am not a music person so I do not know how to correctly describe what they were doing but each pair sang a different harmony with different words at the same time.
The first half of communion was silent... That is, except for the squeaky chairs. (Did I mention how hard and uncomfortable they are?)
They announced Fellowship Time which I took to mean a time of greeting people around you. I was a bit confused as everyone was out of their seats and there was no explanation other than it was called Fellowship Time. I think all the children/middle schoolers left then as well.
The sermon was delivered by a guy named Phat Vuong and it seemed like it was his first time speaking. He was a bit awkward at times but his message was strong. He spoke about the book of Hosea and gave these three points: (1) God loves you (2) You adulterous people (3) Return to the Lord.
After this, there was a closing song. They called it the closing song but then several people came up on stage after to talk and share. Two women shared about another woman who was about to be baptized. It just felt really long after being told that we just sang the closing song. Also it felt long because by the time the service was over, it was two hours later! I am used to an hour and a half service.
... What does God have in store for us next week?
... And how much later on in the week do you think Todd will get around to posting?
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Getting back on track
Sorry for the wait loyal fans, life has been hectic but that’s no excuse. Lindsey has been great about keeping up with posts and I have just been a chump. We are getting back on track now so keep tuned.
Now on to the stuff you all come for, I will be going back two weeks ago for our last time we were at Montgomery County Church of Christ. It was great to have my parents there and for my good friends Zak and Kat to come, we had a very lovely Sunday. All of the things I have said that I like about MCCC were in full effect great community, encouragement for the people who are talking, and the giving of some of their offering to missions around the world. I am still not sure how I feel about the hymns, I respect it but I am coming to the point where I believe it’s not for me. Another thing I am starting to notice that is a big distraction for me is silence during communion. I understand the connect with God during communion but its just odd for me to wait the 10 minutes to get through communion in absolute silence. A big highlight of the morning for me was finally hearing the lead pastor talk and it was very good. The pastor’s name was Ruben I thought he was very insightful. I look forward to hearing him again, he also sings in their band so I guess he is a very talented guy. I got a chance to talk to him after the service and it seems we might meet soon to talk and I do look forward to that. I believe Lindsey and I will still visit other churches but we have really enjoyed our time at MCCC so we are keeping it on our hearts.
Last Sunday Lindsey and I went to Gallery Church Baltimore. My friend Les invited us; it’s his church that he has been going to for a while. This Sunday was the first time they met in their new meeting place, which is at the Pier 5 Hotel. Getting there and understanding the parking situation was a little confusing but nothing we could not handle. Props to Les for giving me a heads up on where to park. The first thing we experienced was worship which was very amazing, it was just guy on guitar and girl on violin and they both sang. I loved the worship so much because it was just soothing and made worship time very easy for me to connect with God. The violin lady was really talented, I guess you would have to be to play and sing with a violin.
Next we heard a very long talk from a lady who works with refugees from Burma. She just got back from a missions trip to India. It was very interesting to hear what she had to say and to learn about these places that have huge Christian populations and are persecuted for it. She talked about Christians who are persecuted in Burma so they flee to India and they are persecuted there. It was very sad to hear and makes me realize I take for granted my religious freedom. It was a really long talk but my only critique is there was no application really. It was kind of like hear about this awful stuff that is happening but not too much of anything was presented for you to serve or anything.
Next the pastor came up and followed up for a couple of minutes and he talked about going beyond being a good Samaritan. It was really short because he had no time but still no application was presented. I realize he had no time but I was kind of on the edge of my seat to hear how I could change things and go above and beyond but it did not come.
At the very end they slipped in a service thing that was coming up but it was just talked about for a quick second but in my opinion it needed to be a huge part of the morning because the morning was basically about serve others and don’t even think about you. I did really enjoy the service but it missed the application part of everything they were talking about. I know we will go back again because I would like to hear the main pastor speak so look for a follow up on this church in the future.
Again sorry about the lapse in posts but we will get back on track. Also look for a new question of the week in a couple of days. See ya!!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Montgomery County Church of Christ & Gallery Church Baltimore
[[Just a clarification: Things I write about that I do not like about a church or church experience is not meant to be taken as "church bashing". I just mean that it is something that I do not connect with.]]
Montgomery County Church of Christ
Last Sunday, Todd and I attended Montgomery County Church of Christ and were finally able to hear one of the main pastors speak. (Please see previous entries to read about previous visits.) Todd's parents were here for the weekend, so they came with us. Todd's friends, Zak and Kat, came with us too. It was good to get other people's perspectives, in as, other people who already know us.
I thought the sermon was pretty good. I looked down at my watch towards the end and was surprised at how long it was (45 minutes?). It did not feel that long though. I would like to go back to hear him talk again.
Gallery Church Baltimore
Today, Todd and I went to Gallery Church Baltimore. We heard about it because one of Todd's good friends, Les, goes there. Today was it's first meeting at it's new location- Pier 5 Hotel in Baltimore. There were signs up but it was still a bit confusing to get to. This could also have been due to us not having very good directions and not knowing what to really expect at all. I appreciated the greeter at the door asking if we had any trouble finding the church.
The congregation seemed to be comprised of mostly young adults. The format, music and graphics were very contemporary. The air conditioning was on... a lot. It was super cold but the church didn't really have control over that. The next time we go back, I will need to layer on the clothing!
The first half hour was all worship (singing). I really enjoyed it, once I got the hang of the type of mellow songs they played. It definitely reminded me of the brother/sister duo called LaRue. (Definitely check out their music on Amazon to hear a sampling- just click on the link!) There was a guy who played guitar and a girl who played violin. They both sang. I was very impressed by the girl's voice and the fact that she could switch so easily between singing and playing the violin. They said they usually have a drum but they did not have it this week for some reason. It wasn't really needed though.
The pastor did not do a sermon today. Instead, a girl named Jenny spoke about her experiences in missions. She worked with refugees in Baltimore and also spent time in India with refugees from Burma. The stories she told were heartbreaking and incredibly informative... but long. Her sharing could have been done in ten minutes but she managed to drag it out into a half hour! I think it felt so long because I was freezing (see above). After she was done, the pastor spoke for about five minutes, kind of about what Jenny spoke about.
There will be a Gallery Church Baltimore Part II... Why do we keep missing when the pastor speaks when we visit churches?
Montgomery County Church of Christ
Last Sunday, Todd and I attended Montgomery County Church of Christ and were finally able to hear one of the main pastors speak. (Please see previous entries to read about previous visits.) Todd's parents were here for the weekend, so they came with us. Todd's friends, Zak and Kat, came with us too. It was good to get other people's perspectives, in as, other people who already know us.
I thought the sermon was pretty good. I looked down at my watch towards the end and was surprised at how long it was (45 minutes?). It did not feel that long though. I would like to go back to hear him talk again.
Gallery Church Baltimore
Today, Todd and I went to Gallery Church Baltimore. We heard about it because one of Todd's good friends, Les, goes there. Today was it's first meeting at it's new location- Pier 5 Hotel in Baltimore. There were signs up but it was still a bit confusing to get to. This could also have been due to us not having very good directions and not knowing what to really expect at all. I appreciated the greeter at the door asking if we had any trouble finding the church.
The congregation seemed to be comprised of mostly young adults. The format, music and graphics were very contemporary. The air conditioning was on... a lot. It was super cold but the church didn't really have control over that. The next time we go back, I will need to layer on the clothing!
The first half hour was all worship (singing). I really enjoyed it, once I got the hang of the type of mellow songs they played. It definitely reminded me of the brother/sister duo called LaRue. (Definitely check out their music on Amazon to hear a sampling- just click on the link!) There was a guy who played guitar and a girl who played violin. They both sang. I was very impressed by the girl's voice and the fact that she could switch so easily between singing and playing the violin. They said they usually have a drum but they did not have it this week for some reason. It wasn't really needed though.
The pastor did not do a sermon today. Instead, a girl named Jenny spoke about her experiences in missions. She worked with refugees in Baltimore and also spent time in India with refugees from Burma. The stories she told were heartbreaking and incredibly informative... but long. Her sharing could have been done in ten minutes but she managed to drag it out into a half hour! I think it felt so long because I was freezing (see above). After she was done, the pastor spoke for about five minutes, kind of about what Jenny spoke about.
There will be a Gallery Church Baltimore Part II... Why do we keep missing when the pastor speaks when we visit churches?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
New Post
Sorry for no post last week from me but it was a crazy week with a death in the family. I just never had time for it. We did go back to Montgomery County Church of Christ with not only Kat and Zak but my parents as well. That's right everyone, the Domers were in full force this week. I will be posting later but I welcome any posts from the people who went to church this week with Lindsey and I. I would like to keep everyone interested as we work on our posts so I will leave you all with a question of the week.
Does worship need instruments?
Let the answers begin!!!
Does worship need instruments?
Let the answers begin!!!
Monday, May 23, 2011
No pictures
Sorry fans, I forgot to take any pictures this last Sunday. I know I have let you guys down but I will still work on it. Look for my post later in the week and also don't forget to look at this weeks question which is still happening. It's not too late to throw in your opinion (Brain Siemens, I am talking to you). That question again is, is a good campus important for a church, why or why not? Thanks for following!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Montgomery County Church of Christ | Part II
Today, Todd and I went back to Montgomery County Church of Christ for their teen-led Sunday service. It was pretty awesome!
Once again, the music was acapella. Although the songs were hymns, they were upbeat and there were several teens singing on stage alongside the adults. I really enjoyed the music but I wish that the words were on a screen. A couple in front of us noticed that we didn't know the words, so they gave us their hymnal. I am still confused on how to obtain a hymnal.
I really enjoyed the teens that spoke during the service. Two teens came up and welcomed the congregation. Two other teens gave their conversion stories (aka testimonies). Two more teens called the congregation to give before the offering. All the teens referenced scripture and then gave their interpretation and personal reflections on it.
During communion, Emelie sang the Britt Nicole song, "Hanging On". She did a fabulous job and I really appreciated the music during communion. The previous Sunday we had communion there, there was no music.
Two other girls also performed a song acapella that they composed themselves. (I think the song was called "Solid Ground".) It was also incredible! I was so impressed not only with their voices but with their song-writing ability.
For the sermon, a guy named Richard spoke. Richard works with the teens. His message was based on a topic he has been working through and reflecting on during the past few months. The topic was grace and he made some really great points while still being funny at the same time. He did very well for his first sermon. Another student came up after him and shared about two men in the Bible.
If I had to narrow it down, I think my three favorite parts of the service were:
1. How encouraging the congregation was to each teen up on stage.
2. How welcoming and friendly everyone was to Todd and I.
A woman came up to us at the beginning of the service and welcomed us and gave each of us a hug. She noticed that we were new and she remembered that it was our second time visiting, even though we skipped a week. Several people came to talk to each of us afterwards and I could barely keep up with everyone who wanted to talk to us!
3. The two teens who gave their testimonies.
Todd and I still need to go back to hear the lead pastor speak and to experience the band that Emelie mentioned. Perhaps Part III next week?
Once again, the music was acapella. Although the songs were hymns, they were upbeat and there were several teens singing on stage alongside the adults. I really enjoyed the music but I wish that the words were on a screen. A couple in front of us noticed that we didn't know the words, so they gave us their hymnal. I am still confused on how to obtain a hymnal.
I really enjoyed the teens that spoke during the service. Two teens came up and welcomed the congregation. Two other teens gave their conversion stories (aka testimonies). Two more teens called the congregation to give before the offering. All the teens referenced scripture and then gave their interpretation and personal reflections on it.
During communion, Emelie sang the Britt Nicole song, "Hanging On". She did a fabulous job and I really appreciated the music during communion. The previous Sunday we had communion there, there was no music.
Two other girls also performed a song acapella that they composed themselves. (I think the song was called "Solid Ground".) It was also incredible! I was so impressed not only with their voices but with their song-writing ability.
For the sermon, a guy named Richard spoke. Richard works with the teens. His message was based on a topic he has been working through and reflecting on during the past few months. The topic was grace and he made some really great points while still being funny at the same time. He did very well for his first sermon. Another student came up after him and shared about two men in the Bible.
If I had to narrow it down, I think my three favorite parts of the service were:
1. How encouraging the congregation was to each teen up on stage.
2. How welcoming and friendly everyone was to Todd and I.
A woman came up to us at the beginning of the service and welcomed us and gave each of us a hug. She noticed that we were new and she remembered that it was our second time visiting, even though we skipped a week. Several people came to talk to each of us afterwards and I could barely keep up with everyone who wanted to talk to us!
3. The two teens who gave their testimonies.
Todd and I still need to go back to hear the lead pastor speak and to experience the band that Emelie mentioned. Perhaps Part III next week?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Pictures!!
As promised here are some pictures from this past Sunday. I may have a post from Zak soon but we will see if he will follow through and don't forget to respond to the question of the week. Also please feel free to let us know if we are not talking about or doing something that you might want to see or hear about. Thanks loyal fans!!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Lifepoint
This week Lindsey and I went to Lifepoint church with Zak and Kat Eltzroth. I have been to this church but I only went to their youth department, which was very enjoyable. Zak and Kat have been to this church for the last two weeks and they invited us for this last Sunday.
The first thing I noted about this church was the beautiful campus they have. You are going up and down these hills and just POW there it is, down a hill in a wide open space. I know this is not an important thing when looking for a church but it was just nice to see. We were clearly told where to go to park and there was no confusion in that matter. Again not too important but it’s really nice to have.
Going into the building I have to agree with Lindsey, the welcome was not really there. If they had a welcome team they were not on point and it was a little awkward. That being said there were hundreds of people so I can understand being missed.
The place was packed but one incredible thing was they had ushers who would know where open seats are and they would take people there. We got there a little late and it seemed like there was nowhere to sit but they had these ushers around and you could say how many people in your party and they would take you there. I have never experienced that and I must say it was a genius thing to do. Take the awkwardness away of finding a seat, brilliant.
Next on tap was worship and I have to admit I was disappointed. They had a really talented band with incredible singers but they played 5 different songs that all sounded the same and were all slow and reflective. I know those songs have there place and I do enjoy them but even after the talk, they played a really slow song that did not leave me jazzed for the day, it made me ready for a nap. All the songs were formulaic and very similar. I guess I just had high expectations and they did not deliver.
Next was the main talk of the morning and this was the weakest part of the morning to me. It was clear that the congregation loves their main pastor but his talk was one of the most confusing talks I have been a part of. At first I chalked it up to being there for week three of a three week series but I have been assured by Zak that none of it has been easy to follow. The main problem, I felt, was he had no continuity in his talk. He was all over the place with ideas and points but had no real life application. I left confused and in the realization that this talk did nothing for me. I hope the rest of Lifepoint feels differently but it was not for me.
The best part of the morning was when they had a going away video package for Lance their youth pastor. I have met Lance several times and he is a really funny and awesome guy. This video package was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Apparently Lance is moving to be a lead pastor in another state. I wish it was close to hear because I would love to go to that church but I guess its just not in the cards.
All in all I was not very impressed with Lifepoint but can see why so many people go there. I know that we will find where we are supposed to be.
Also do not fret loyal fans, I do have pictures and I will post them on Thursday. Also to keep you enticed I have it on good authority that Zak will be sending me a guest post so stay tuned for that.
I have decided to do a question of the week from now on and I encourage everyone to respond and share their opinion. This weeks question is:
Is a good campus important for a church, why or why not?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
LifePoint Church
This morning, Todd and I attended LifePoint Church in Reisterstown with his friends, Kat and Zak. It was pretty far away from my house. We had stopped for bagels (!!!) before church so we were 5-10 minutes late for service. Worth it? Of course- I love carbs. :)
Walking in, no one greeted me. The usher by the door was too busy talking to a friend to notice that I was waiting for a bulletin. (Don't worry, I got one. See below.) It would have helped if we had gotten there on time or if I had been there before because upon walking in the auditorium area, I was immediately confused as to where to go. It was very dark and crowded- the majority of the seats were already filled. We ended up sitting on the side of the stage but in the front. It was not an optimal place to sit.
The service began with 2-3 contemporary worship songs. The singers were phenomenal! They also had a full-out band including drums, guitars, a keyboard and a flute! All the words to the songs were on the screen, unlike the church we attended last week. I knew about half the songs... from the radio. Although the music was great, it was incredibly LOUD! It was the kind of loud where you can hear the drums vibrating in your chest. I couldn't hear myself sing.
After worship was the sermon. It was Part 3 of a series entitled "eMotion: Surface for Air". I tried very hard to listen and concentrate but by the end, I was still somewhat confused. I even took extra notes because I thought it might help sort out what he was saying... but it didn't. It probably also would have helped to listen to the previous parts of the series. The "points" of his sermon totally didn't make sense to me until he explained them- mainly, the point of "Don't hide behind a hyper-spiritual smoke screen." I understood what he meant after the fact but nevertheless it was still confusing. Don't get me wrong- he was a good public speaker but the content was, as I said, confusing. (What's another word for "confusing"?)
And I should admit that I was partially distracted by the countdown in the back of the room. There was a countdown that started at 20:00 minutes so that the pastor would know when to stop his sermon. He went five minutes over.
He also sounded kind of "country".
Maybe that had something to do with the fact that the majority of the congregation was... uh... white. I don't want to come off sounding racist but I enjoy some diversity so I don't feel totally out of place.
They closed the service with a couple more worship songs, offering (or was that before the sermon?) and a video that was created as a tribute to someone (which was, by the way, hilarious).
I do have to admit that although it was a new building (I am partial to older buildings), it was done decently despite the fact that you couldn't see the full stage from sitting on the side of the room and the acoustics in the main foyer. However, after the service was over, the blinds were pulled up and it was bright! I miss how in older churches, light is important. Nowadays in newer churches, churches tend to go for the "let's put on a show" type vibe and make everything dark except the stage. This makes me feel like I am to just observe worship instead of take part in it sometimes. Just a side note.
Another kind of side note was their graphic design. They seemed to have extremely good graphic design for a church. I have been to numerous churches and not many have had good design. I find that good design contributes to the experience and that poor design can take away form the experience. (I am a visual person and get distracted with the misuse of fonts, margins, Photoshop filters, etc.)
(Sorry for the weird shadows. My dining room has poor lighting.)
Todd took some pictures and I am sure he will post those to you "loyal followers" as he calls you readers. (And me- after all, I am a follower of my own blog.) Not sure about the quality of his pictures. And I do have to say (before Todd says something) that I did take 2-3 really bad photos but in my defense (1) it was not my camera, (2) we were in a moving car, (3) his camera delays a couple precious seconds after you press the button to take a picture (which doesn't help in a moving car) and (3) his camera takes yet more precious seconds before you can take another picture (which also doesn't help in a moving car).
All in all, another interesting church experience. The style was more of what I am accustomed to however it wasn't anything special.
Wonder what is in store for next week...
Walking in, no one greeted me. The usher by the door was too busy talking to a friend to notice that I was waiting for a bulletin. (Don't worry, I got one. See below.) It would have helped if we had gotten there on time or if I had been there before because upon walking in the auditorium area, I was immediately confused as to where to go. It was very dark and crowded- the majority of the seats were already filled. We ended up sitting on the side of the stage but in the front. It was not an optimal place to sit.
The service began with 2-3 contemporary worship songs. The singers were phenomenal! They also had a full-out band including drums, guitars, a keyboard and a flute! All the words to the songs were on the screen, unlike the church we attended last week. I knew about half the songs... from the radio. Although the music was great, it was incredibly LOUD! It was the kind of loud where you can hear the drums vibrating in your chest. I couldn't hear myself sing.
After worship was the sermon. It was Part 3 of a series entitled "eMotion: Surface for Air". I tried very hard to listen and concentrate but by the end, I was still somewhat confused. I even took extra notes because I thought it might help sort out what he was saying... but it didn't. It probably also would have helped to listen to the previous parts of the series. The "points" of his sermon totally didn't make sense to me until he explained them- mainly, the point of "Don't hide behind a hyper-spiritual smoke screen." I understood what he meant after the fact but nevertheless it was still confusing. Don't get me wrong- he was a good public speaker but the content was, as I said, confusing. (What's another word for "confusing"?)
And I should admit that I was partially distracted by the countdown in the back of the room. There was a countdown that started at 20:00 minutes so that the pastor would know when to stop his sermon. He went five minutes over.
He also sounded kind of "country".
Maybe that had something to do with the fact that the majority of the congregation was... uh... white. I don't want to come off sounding racist but I enjoy some diversity so I don't feel totally out of place.
They closed the service with a couple more worship songs, offering (or was that before the sermon?) and a video that was created as a tribute to someone (which was, by the way, hilarious).
I do have to admit that although it was a new building (I am partial to older buildings), it was done decently despite the fact that you couldn't see the full stage from sitting on the side of the room and the acoustics in the main foyer. However, after the service was over, the blinds were pulled up and it was bright! I miss how in older churches, light is important. Nowadays in newer churches, churches tend to go for the "let's put on a show" type vibe and make everything dark except the stage. This makes me feel like I am to just observe worship instead of take part in it sometimes. Just a side note.
Another kind of side note was their graphic design. They seemed to have extremely good graphic design for a church. I have been to numerous churches and not many have had good design. I find that good design contributes to the experience and that poor design can take away form the experience. (I am a visual person and get distracted with the misuse of fonts, margins, Photoshop filters, etc.)
(Sorry for the weird shadows. My dining room has poor lighting.)
Todd took some pictures and I am sure he will post those to you "loyal followers" as he calls you readers. (And me- after all, I am a follower of my own blog.) Not sure about the quality of his pictures. And I do have to say (before Todd says something) that I did take 2-3 really bad photos but in my defense (1) it was not my camera, (2) we were in a moving car, (3) his camera delays a couple precious seconds after you press the button to take a picture (which doesn't help in a moving car) and (3) his camera takes yet more precious seconds before you can take another picture (which also doesn't help in a moving car).
All in all, another interesting church experience. The style was more of what I am accustomed to however it wasn't anything special.
Wonder what is in store for next week...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Challenge Accepted!!
First off, I would like to say sorry to Emelie for spelling your name wrong in my post. It was great to meet you and you helped us out a lot and I feel like a fool for spelling your name wrong. Sorry.
After hearing the outcry of our generous fans we will be taking pictures of the churches we go to from now on. I hope you all feel great for stepping up to the first challenge.
This week Lindsey and I will be going to a church with Zak and Kat, stay tuned for our posts and maybe I will see if Kat or Zak would like to submit something.
After hearing the outcry of our generous fans we will be taking pictures of the churches we go to from now on. I hope you all feel great for stepping up to the first challenge.
This week Lindsey and I will be going to a church with Zak and Kat, stay tuned for our posts and maybe I will see if Kat or Zak would like to submit something.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Montgomery County Church of Christ
Sorry this is so late but here it is.
Sunday Lindsey and I went to Montgomery Country Church of Christ and right off the bat I have to say it was a great experience. They meet in a high school but have a pretty decent size congregation and we were greeted by one of the pastors who spoke as we were walking in. After a couple of good mornings we made our way to our seats for worship. Again the music was hymns which I was happy about at first, because I am new school not old school (Another shout out to the Zak man), but they were having an acapella worship experience that was very soothing to my soul. I still did not know the words but Lindsey and I were greeted by one of her students that came to say hi and she brought a hymn book with her. The students name was Emilie and it was a joy to meet her, she ended up sitting with us for the rest of the service. I really appreciated it because any questions I could just ask her and she was able to answer them (Emilie if you are reading this thank you so much and it was great to meet you). While the acapella hymns were great to experience I do not know if I would love it every Sunday but thanks to Emily I know that they have a band that we have just not heard yet.
After Worship was over we had several men come out with their mothers and both the mothers and the sons shared who there favorite mother in the bible was. I thought this was a great idea and I liked seeing a mother son duo talk and share, after they were done a man talked to us about an organization called Hope Worldwide. They offer support to places that are in need and they partner with this church. There were two offerings, one big plate but in the plate you could give to the church or give to Hope Worldwide. I really enjoyed the option of where I wanted to send my offering if I was giving. I don’t know this to be true but I would have a lot of respect for this church if they continued to meet in a high school and did not have much technology because they gave a decent part of the offering to Hope Worldwide on a consistent basis. After that talk was the main sermon which was good, not great but good. The guy, who was not the lead pastor, spoke on the idea that we can see God’s heart through mothers of the bible. I like his idea and the scripture he used, he just was not the most gifted speaker but he was good. The last part of the service was young girls sharing how grateful they are for their mothers. This was great to watch and be a part of. Just a nice warm you heart experience as you saw girls get emotional, moms and daughters.
After the service we got to meet a bunch of different people who came up to us and they really made us feel welcomed. I got to meet Emilie’s parents which was nice and yes Emilie I talked to your mom for a while, are you embarrassed? I got to learn more about the youth group there and talk to a young youth volunteer. This was nice for me because wherever Lindsey and I end up, working in a youth group again is in my future.
I only had a couple of things that I did not really like about the church and the first was the hymn books. I just grew up with the words on the screen and it is awkward to me to have to look down at a book and look back up, I am not a fan. Another thing was the child care situation, I am not too sure what it is but I felt like most little kids were in the back of the room and there was so much noise it was distracting. The last was the sound technical side of everything. No one really stood up on the microphone or moved it too close to them. A lot of times it was just hard to understand what people were saying, even when it was the pastors who were talking.
All in all it was a great experience and Lindsey and I are excited to go back again and see a non holiday service. Maybe now since we have some followers we will start taking some pictures of the places we go. I will say if at least three people leave a comment to this post demanding pictures we will do. That might be a lot considering Lindsey is one of the five followers but the ball is in your court fans, tell us what you want.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Our first follower
Congratulations to Alec Livieratos for being our first follower on our blog! You are the man, and a great friend.
On a side note, sorry I am running late with my post. I will try to have it up by tomorrow night. I don't want to disappoint our loyal fan.
Thanks again Alec
On a side note, sorry I am running late with my post. I will try to have it up by tomorrow night. I don't want to disappoint our loyal fan.
Thanks again Alec
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Montgomery County Church of Christ
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!
Today, on this lovely Mother's Day, Todd and I attended Montgomery County Church of Christ. We were invited by one of my students! The church is located in Silver Spring and meets in Springbrook High School.
Upon entering, we were quickly greeted and welcomed by the ushers. We were a couple minutes late so when we entered the auditorium, worship had already begun. The congregation consisted of around 200? members. (I am really bad at estimating numbers of people.) Have you ever watched The Sing Off? That was kind of what worship was like this morning. There were several people on stage with microphones and all the hymns were sung acapella. Yes, I said it. Hymns. We had a hymnbook and everything and the words were not on the screen. I enjoyed the music; it sounded good. I don't know if I would enjoy it every Sunday though. Apparently, they have a band that plays once or twice a month as well. I would like to go back and experience that. For one of the songs, one of the guys played a guitar but it didn't change the sound much.
The student that invited us, came and sat with us during the service. She talked us through some of the things that were going on... kind of like a tour guide. I noticed that all her friends- all the youth- were sitting up front, as a group. It was great to see them sit together of their own accord!
About two of the speakers who came on stage to make announcements and whatnot, brought their mothers on stage for Mother's Day. I just thought that was a nice thing. I also noticed that no matter what was talked about, Scripture was appropriately referenced.
One thing I noticed was that before the offering, the speaker at that point gave a small talk on the poor. I have been to many churches but I have never heard anyone give a small talk before an offering like the one I heard today. He made the point that people tend to compare themselves and what they don't have to people who are more well off. We need to be comparing ourselves and what we have to those who are not as fortunate as us. It is a good point and one that I have thought on before.
Communion is done every Sunday, which is nice. Not much more to say on that portion of the service.
I don't think the main pastor spoke this morning but the guy who spoke was pretty decent. It was a short "devotional" type of message for Mother's Day. Basically, he said that a mother's love and compassion and teachings are reflections of God's love and compassions and teachings. It was a nice perspective.
Several young teens came up to thank their mother's. It was really great to see and hear several young ladies talk about their mothers with such gratitude. It brought tears to the eyes of many in the congregation. One of the women even played a song on the piano to thank her mother. It was beautiful!
After the service, Todd and I stayed and talked with my students who attend that church and their parents. We were introduced to some other people as well. We stayed and talked for a good twenty minutes or so. The people seemed to have such a great sense of community.
I would love to go back on a non-"holiday" Sunday. I really enjoyed the people and service. As previously mentioned, I would like to experience the worship when the band is playing.
Maybe we will have a Montgomery County Church of Christ Take II next week!
Today, on this lovely Mother's Day, Todd and I attended Montgomery County Church of Christ. We were invited by one of my students! The church is located in Silver Spring and meets in Springbrook High School.
Upon entering, we were quickly greeted and welcomed by the ushers. We were a couple minutes late so when we entered the auditorium, worship had already begun. The congregation consisted of around 200? members. (I am really bad at estimating numbers of people.) Have you ever watched The Sing Off? That was kind of what worship was like this morning. There were several people on stage with microphones and all the hymns were sung acapella. Yes, I said it. Hymns. We had a hymnbook and everything and the words were not on the screen. I enjoyed the music; it sounded good. I don't know if I would enjoy it every Sunday though. Apparently, they have a band that plays once or twice a month as well. I would like to go back and experience that. For one of the songs, one of the guys played a guitar but it didn't change the sound much.
The student that invited us, came and sat with us during the service. She talked us through some of the things that were going on... kind of like a tour guide. I noticed that all her friends- all the youth- were sitting up front, as a group. It was great to see them sit together of their own accord!
About two of the speakers who came on stage to make announcements and whatnot, brought their mothers on stage for Mother's Day. I just thought that was a nice thing. I also noticed that no matter what was talked about, Scripture was appropriately referenced.
One thing I noticed was that before the offering, the speaker at that point gave a small talk on the poor. I have been to many churches but I have never heard anyone give a small talk before an offering like the one I heard today. He made the point that people tend to compare themselves and what they don't have to people who are more well off. We need to be comparing ourselves and what we have to those who are not as fortunate as us. It is a good point and one that I have thought on before.
Communion is done every Sunday, which is nice. Not much more to say on that portion of the service.
I don't think the main pastor spoke this morning but the guy who spoke was pretty decent. It was a short "devotional" type of message for Mother's Day. Basically, he said that a mother's love and compassion and teachings are reflections of God's love and compassions and teachings. It was a nice perspective.
Several young teens came up to thank their mother's. It was really great to see and hear several young ladies talk about their mothers with such gratitude. It brought tears to the eyes of many in the congregation. One of the women even played a song on the piano to thank her mother. It was beautiful!
After the service, Todd and I stayed and talked with my students who attend that church and their parents. We were introduced to some other people as well. We stayed and talked for a good twenty minutes or so. The people seemed to have such a great sense of community.
I would love to go back on a non-"holiday" Sunday. I really enjoyed the people and service. As previously mentioned, I would like to experience the worship when the band is playing.
Maybe we will have a Montgomery County Church of Christ Take II next week!
Friday, May 6, 2011
City of Hope 2
Lindsey and I visited City of Hope church this past Sunday May 1, 2011 and it was an interesting experience. I will start with what I liked about this church and there were some very good positives about City of Hope. The best thing this church has to offer, in my opinion, was their community. We were greeting by many people while we were there and it was not a greeting team that did it, it was the community of this church that noticed new people there and went out of their way to make us feel welcomed. As my lovely girlfriend said in her post (read her's first if you have not, its better) this church has a small body. She said 50 but I think it might have been smaller so it was not hard to notice new people and I stick out but we felt right at home and very welcomed. The next part of this church that I really enjoyed is they had a praise/prayer request portion of the service. In this portion of the service everyone is encouraged to share anything they need prayer for or share something they just are happy about and want to praise God for. This was very cool to experience. I have only done this in a bible study but done on a larger scale is a reason why they have a great community because everyone can pray and share their lives with each other.
Now on to the things that were just not for me, the first of which was the very traditional service that was this church. I just am not used to the traditional praying every 5 minutes and so much standing and sitting and reading scripture together aloud. I am not saying its bad, I just have not experienced it so it does not help me connect to God in a church service. The next thing that was not for me is all the hymns, I am not used to hymns and don't have much experience with them and it just was awkward. I am of the mind set that hymns had their place in time and its not this time. As my good friend Zak has said "they are of the old school and we are of the new school". Now I do enjoy an occasional hymn to bring us back to where we came from but just not a full worship service of them. The last thing that I did not connect with was the sermon. We were yelled at for most of the sermon and I know its just how some pastors get the message a crossed but its hard to take away a message when you feel like you have been scolded and you lose yourself in that bad feeling. He started his sermon with a comic book reference, which I was all about because he loves the Vision from Marvel comics and that's just an obscure love, but it never tied into his point at all. His talk was about walking by faith and he repeated that many times but just used different words. I just could not connect with it.
Well that's it for City of Hope, little church that I feel has tons of potential and I hope they reach it. I am sure we will find our home someplace and we will continue to let God lead our search. Thanks for reading.
Todd
Now on to the things that were just not for me, the first of which was the very traditional service that was this church. I just am not used to the traditional praying every 5 minutes and so much standing and sitting and reading scripture together aloud. I am not saying its bad, I just have not experienced it so it does not help me connect to God in a church service. The next thing that was not for me is all the hymns, I am not used to hymns and don't have much experience with them and it just was awkward. I am of the mind set that hymns had their place in time and its not this time. As my good friend Zak has said "they are of the old school and we are of the new school". Now I do enjoy an occasional hymn to bring us back to where we came from but just not a full worship service of them. The last thing that I did not connect with was the sermon. We were yelled at for most of the sermon and I know its just how some pastors get the message a crossed but its hard to take away a message when you feel like you have been scolded and you lose yourself in that bad feeling. He started his sermon with a comic book reference, which I was all about because he loves the Vision from Marvel comics and that's just an obscure love, but it never tied into his point at all. His talk was about walking by faith and he repeated that many times but just used different words. I just could not connect with it.
Well that's it for City of Hope, little church that I feel has tons of potential and I hope they reach it. I am sure we will find our home someplace and we will continue to let God lead our search. Thanks for reading.
Todd
Thursday, May 5, 2011
City of Hope
This past Sunday, Todd and I attended City of Hope Church in Columbia, MD. It is an extremely small Presbyterian church that meets in the Long Reach Village Center. And when I say small, I mean small. There were less than fifty? people in the room! Because it was so small, there was such a sense of community. Todd and I were greeted by a total of five people/couples that day, which is (sadly) five more than we normally get greeted by at other churches we have visited.
The service started out with testimonies and prayer requests and praises. People in the congregation just stood up and shared. It was a very intimate, caring environment- just like a large small group. It was great! I have never seen or heard this done in a church service before.
The overall service was a bit more traditional. There were liturgical aspects such as group chanted prayers and praises. Although the music was created with a guitar, drum and keyboard, the songs were traditional hymns. I thought it was refreshing to hear hymns I heard and sang when I was growing up however I don't think I could get used to only hymns every single Sunday. I don't think Todd was a fan of the hymns either.
The sermon was delivered by the main pastor. I have to say that this was basically the only thing I disliked about the experience. It was intense. It was loud. It did not fit in with the whole intimate environment. I kind of felt like I was being yelled at at some points. The content of his sermon was repetitive; he spent about thirty minutes restating the same point.
Overall, it was a good experience. I enjoyed visiting a more traditional church to take me back to my childhood church days. However, I don't think I could take traditional on an every Sunday basis. I also need a pastor who I can connect with when I listen to them preach.
Always hope... Maybe next Sunday!
The service started out with testimonies and prayer requests and praises. People in the congregation just stood up and shared. It was a very intimate, caring environment- just like a large small group. It was great! I have never seen or heard this done in a church service before.
The overall service was a bit more traditional. There were liturgical aspects such as group chanted prayers and praises. Although the music was created with a guitar, drum and keyboard, the songs were traditional hymns. I thought it was refreshing to hear hymns I heard and sang when I was growing up however I don't think I could get used to only hymns every single Sunday. I don't think Todd was a fan of the hymns either.
The sermon was delivered by the main pastor. I have to say that this was basically the only thing I disliked about the experience. It was intense. It was loud. It did not fit in with the whole intimate environment. I kind of felt like I was being yelled at at some points. The content of his sermon was repetitive; he spent about thirty minutes restating the same point.
Overall, it was a good experience. I enjoyed visiting a more traditional church to take me back to my childhood church days. However, I don't think I could take traditional on an every Sunday basis. I also need a pastor who I can connect with when I listen to them preach.
Always hope... Maybe next Sunday!
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