Memory for Today - Fellowship of a Different Kind

I hesitate to write this post because I am concerned that some of our Calvary friends might take it the wrong way. We love Calvary Baptist and it is a wonderful church that has many outreach programs to the community. For two years though Carl and I have been struggling with what kind of church we want to attend. We have always attended traditional American churches with Sunday Schools and Youth Groups and plenty of kids activities. We just could not ignore the Lord's leading any longer to move us to a different kind of fellowship. We made the agonizing decision to leave the church we have attended for 5 and half years. It was very hard. We have been looking at a particular church for about a year now and have done research on their doctrinal statement and their practices. They are a Family Integrated church which basically means there are no kids programs. The families participate together. It follows more of a New Testament church model of small gatherings of families worshipping and fellowshipping together and discipling each other to go out and share the gospel.
I was nervous to go this morning. How would the kids act? Would Sam and Caleb scream? Would I have no one to talk to? All these thoughts ran through my head. I prayed all morning long that the Lord would just calm my anxious heart and allow Carl and I to know if this was the right place for us. We got to the building where the services were held early (we later found out that we are one of the closest families to the building). We watched cars pull in the parking lot and one family had a small bus as they have 11 children (8 girls and 3 boys - Esther is excited). We walked in and were greeted right away with people telling us what to expect and how things ran. As the service started and things progressed I almost cried. It just felt like home. The men were encouraged to talk and lead and when the Lord's supper was observed Carl and I watched every father and husband take the bread and juice and pass it out to their families. I was astonished at the fact that the men were encouraged to do that. Carl was taken by surprise and had to pass Caleb off to me real quick before the plates were passed to him. There was music, teaching, discussion with the men sharing things that they had learned that week. We closed with a sharing of prayer requests and prayer. All of this was led by the men. After the service was over we had a sweet time of fellowship around a meal. Everyone brings food every Sunday. It was wonderful to talk to women who homeschool their many children. I did not feel like an odd ball. Women encouraged me and shared with me their stories of finding the church. Imagine my surprise when one woman came up to me and started talking to me. I knew she looked familiar. I had heard her speak at our Homeschool Conference many times. Her name is Melanie Young and her husband is Hal Young. They are the authors of Raising Real Men. An awesome book about, you guessed it, raising boys. They have plenty of experience. They have six boys and two girls. It was awesome to meet her and talk to her about some of the things we have been dealing with lately. The kids had a blast as when they were done cleaning up from the meal all the kids went outside to play. When Carl and I found them about an hour later they were all playing a game of soccer. We had a hard time getting them in the van. As we were leaving several boys ran up to the van waving goodbye and asking us to come back next week. It was awesome. It was wonderful to be in a place that values children like this church does. All the men and women kept coming up and playing with the little ones and saying how blessed we were to have them. I was almost in tears on several occasions as this is not the normal reaction we get to our family. It was just a sweet time of fellowship and worship. I am not saying that this is where we will end up going on a full time basis. We are going slow and waiting to see where the Lord wants us to be. For right now though this church just feels like home and until the Lord moves us I think we might go back.
I'm sorry Tara and Melanie if this makes you jealous but you are more than welcome to come down any time and visit. I love you guys and miss my Maryland girls!