Greetings my friends. It is Sunday July 24TH 2022, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.
This week it’s a change-of-pace #SundayScripture. There’s no sermon or meme this week. Just me sharing some future plans with you. I’ve already shared some of these plans on past editions of #TravelThursday.
I’ll be partially moving away from my hometown of the past nearly 35 years early next year (2023). I’m not moving too far away – just 3½ hours up the road – 186 miles to be exact. Initially I’ll be living at my new home for half the week – from Wednesday evening to Sunday morning. I’ll be living at my current home for the other half – from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday morning.
On Sunday mornings I’ll continue with my current church family. The only difference is that instead of a 10-minute commute it’ll be closer to a 3-hour and 10-minute commute early on Sunday mornings.
I’ve been with my current church family for going on 7½ years. I selected them as my second church based on word-of-mouth alone from a longtime friend. She was quite surprised when I showed up on that first Sunday morning. It worked out well. I’ve loved this small church family since the very start.
I selected my first church of 8 years based on extensive research online – not knowing what it was like to be a part of a church family. I knew nobody at my first church before I set foot in it. It worked out well. I learned quite early on that the church is not the building. The church is the living and breathing body – the family of believers and followers of Christ. We don’t go to – or leave from – church, but rather we bring the church in everything we do and everywhere we go, for we are the church.
In both cases the church family has been my only family here in South Florida.
Once I’m retired and settled full-time at my new home near Sebring Florida I’ll select my third church. I’ve only done a little bit of research online, but going forth it’ll likely be the way that I select my next church.
My first church was a small non-denominational church with Pentecostal roots that became huge quickly, lost about half of its congregation almost as quickly, and then slowly grew back again.
My second (current) church is a small non-denominational church with Pentecostal roots that has stayed small and steady over the past 7½ years.
My third church will be a small non-denominational church. Having experienced both small and big church families I much prefer the small church family. There are advantages and disadvantages of a small church family, but I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I’ve matured and prospered in both. I’ll write about it again in a future blog post.
When I greet my church family during Praise & Worship I sometimes use Psalm 122:1 – I was glad when they said to me – “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Selecting a church can be a difficult process. Walking into a new church for the first time can be intimidating. Walking into my very first church for the very first time as a born-again Christian – well that was one of the most courageous moments of my life. It also changed my life forever. It certainly changed my Sunday mornings for the better.
If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !
Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:
The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
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