As a family, Mike and I have struggled with attending church. It became increasingly difficult after Blake was born. Mike and Blake are both baptized Catholic, so we attended Catholic churches. Or at least we tried. I cannot tell you the number of times I felt like I was going to be struck down for the things I was thinking about my child in church! Catholic churches, or at least the ones we have attended, have NOTHING for kids to do. I tried sitting in the "cry room" but couldn't hear the mass because the other parents in there were chatting and helping their kids with homework. Then I tried sitting in the actual worship area. When Blake was a baby that wasn't *so* bad... but as he became older and more mobile it became a problem. I do believe the last time I attended church was on Palm Wednesday and Blake spent the majority of the time trying to throw my palm into the baptismal fountain, and the rest of his time crawling under the pews from our cozy seat in the back of the church up to the front of the church! (Imagine my thoughts).
So for many years we did not attend church on a regular basis.
Then a girl at work kept telling me we should try Mount Pleasant Community Church (MPCC). We attended one Sunday and we were hooked! It ended up being the Sunday right before losing Lilly, so we didn't go back for a couple of months. But once I had healed physically, we returned.
MPCC has AMAZING programs for kids! We drop Blake off in "Kidzone" and then we attend worship. I can actually make meaning of the sermons because I am not trying to pry my child out from under the confessional door. And Blake LOVES it too. Kidzone has their own worship for the kids, plus teaching and activities in the classrooms. Yes, classrooms. Plural. There is a nursery, a toddler room, a preschool room, a Kindergarten room, a 1st grade room, a 2nd grade room, a 3rd grade room, a 4th grade room, AND the 5th and 6th graders have their OWN area of worship called "Middle Ground".
If we go out of town, Blake asks, "Will we be home in time for church?"
Ok... so .... the whole POINT of this blog is an email I got tonight from the Pastor's wife. This is what she wrote:
Dear Jolene,
Saw a bit of Blake’s soccer game today…wow! He really can hustle! We also saw him take one for the team and then get up bravely…all of us were impressed!
:) Have a great week,
A.M.
Ok. So not only did they notice that Blake was playing, but they took the time as a family to stop and WATCH him play. And THEN... she took the time to email me and comment on Blake's game! How amazing is that?? How do you NOT love a church with leaders like this? Leaders who GENUINELY care about the people of the church.
As for "taking one for the team"... Blake had the ball, was running with it, someone tried to get it from him and tripped him. He went down HARD on his elbow. He was down for a bit, but then he was up and ready to play again :)
So... if you ever happen to be in Mt Pleasant Michigan --- join us at MPCC on Sunday morning. It's worth the trip :)
Jo
1 comment:
I knew that I was at the right church this Sunday because when especially up beat song began Abby asked if she could move to the aisle to spin. I let her, and that girl started doing the wildest dancing, with the crazyiest hips, you've ever seen in church. All along the aisle she got nothing but smiles. I think most people wished that they were out there dancing with her. Talk about the Joy of the Lord. :-)
Post a Comment