(This post is continued from the previous post below...)
This is just an old picture of me getting my hair done last year to trick you into thinking that this post is not really just a lot of long rambling words and thoughts
and to start reading.)
I don't consider myself a church-hopper, actually. I am rooted...in two churches.
Church #1...I work in the office, I taught bible studies the last two years, I worked on the women's curriculum, I am starting lay counseling training in January, and I've been asked to be part of the high school leadership and a college girls small group leader in the New Year. (!) I've been at this church for 3 years and they have taught me how to teach, given me ministry opportunities, and taken care of me financially. I love the emphasis on Scripture and teaching, though there is a big hole community-wise for people my age and demographic (nothing in between college and young married/family groups). I plugged in through my bible studies and women's ministries. It has felt like home in the past, though not so much very recently because I have been around less.
Church #2...I've been attending for the last year, mostly the Sunday night services, but more recently Sunday mornings. This church feeds me differently, and is more in line with my family's ... uh ... worship style and tradition. The worship fits, I would go there for that alone. Except they are doing amazing things in the community, such as the human trafficking issue. And a few professors from Talbot are on staff, so the teaching is generally strong as well. I have done some prayer counseling (on the receiving end) there, and they have a ministry and prayer style and ministry opportunities that I really value.
Yesterday Janell and I attended the trafficking conference with ladies from Church #2. I'll just cut to the chase...the women's ministries director asked me if I would teach a study. Any day I want, morning or night, on any topic I want. She also asked if both Janell and I would want to teach workshops at the women's retreat in May.
SCRREEEEEEEEEEECH! (That's me slamming on the breaks. Like, "beep beep back the truck up!") How does this happen?!? Everywhere I go. My whole life I was asked to teach and always weaseled my way out of it because I didn't feel I knew how. At Whittier Hills I learned, and now I know how. And the moment I spend some time with church #2 leaders and they learn a little (tiny!) bit about me, it comes up again. It follows me. I cannot escape. Perhaps it is my CALLING. :) haha
I took this year off from teaching at church #1 so I could finish up school (and I just needed a break from stuff). So I'm not going to jump into anything. I told her the things that I like teaching, and that I'd pray about the workshop, etc. But here lies the problem with trying to be part of two churches. You can't be involved in both, not the way that I'd like. My Sundays could be Church #1 in the morning, Church #2 at night. I could fill 3-4 weeknights with high school group and bible study at church #1 and a women's study at church #2. Oh, and also the lay counseling training and another training I'm going to be doing at #2 for working with victims of trafficking. But WHY would I want to do that? HOW would I do that? WHAT DO I DO?!
I'm not leaving church #1. But I also really love church #2 and it meets some different needs for me. I am praying about bringing some of this trafficking education to #1; I've already been asked to talk to the high school group about it, and I'd love to do more church-wide awareness stuff. I know there is no church that is going to have everything, but I feel the importance of finding a home and settling there. Both churches are good, strong, and doing great things. For now I am going to keep involvement at church #2 to a minimum, since I feel committed to #1. And I'll stop rambling now.........
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