Sunday searching

My internal response to the previous post comments, despite the fact that I was asking for advice, was to internally start to argue with all of them, which says nothing about the comments and commenters and much about myself. I'm not sure what I was hoping for - perhaps a way to get past my daughters' request without pain to any of us.

I decided together with the kids (and no, we don't do it as a family as Rob doesn't want to be any part of an institutional church) that we would try out some churches and see if something fits. First Sunday we just went to the closest church that I knew of (besides the JWs) which was an EMC church that had very few young families, I soon found out. There were 7 kids in a Gr. 1-6 Sunday School class, mine included. I felt obligated to stay for the main service after that. This is not a format the kids are used to as their old church had the kid's time during the sermon. It was a bit disastrous and Ashlin was angry with me for staying. And I got nothing out of it. The sermon was on fasting - gee, never heard that before - and I had no ability to focus on it. On that Sunday we decided we wanted to concentrate on churches that has the kid's part during the adult part.

That evening a friend and I went to a different place, an Anglican church that is pastored by someone I used to work with. I'd heard quite a lot about it from a number of people, that it was a blending of classic litergy with fresh music and sermons that are real. Conor, who had slept through that morning, insisted on coming with me, and handled it okay. I really liked it. It was simple and it was beautiful, and it was the most meaningful thing I'd encountered in a long time. The kids would hate it. The priest (I think that's the correct term) said that a lot of people consider it their second church because their kids need/want something else.

So the next Sunday we went to a church a bit further away that we knew about. It tries hard to be very modern - worship band, coffee shop in the foyer, lots of technical and decorative touches. I have no idea what denomination, if any, it is. It is very popular, having three services. The kids liked it, and I realized I could go there for years without anyone knowing who I am. So we went again last Sunday. The best possible solution: the kids get what they want, and while I might be bored, I will not be hurt.