Here is my dilema, and if this turns out to be long then I apologize.
I have spent my life allowing people to control me. I don't voice my opinions around family because they seem to always find a way to make me feel less. This happens with religion and church too. Usually they just humor me. Say things like " her little church thing" and my grandmother, well, she wants me to go to church more often. But here is what I am facing.
It seems that a lot of the people I meet go to this certain church in town. My husband and I have been invited quite a few times to attend a service at this church and to see what we think. I usually would decline the offers because I know what I would face in trying to explain it to my grandmother. She thinks because we are members at another church, we shouldn't even contemplate changing. She also thinks this other church is a cult. It's not as far as I can tell.
I have been very sad about my husbands seeming lack of interest in all things religious. I have tried to talk to him about it a few times, and he always seemed to brush me off. Then slowly he started to say a little more. He said he doesn't feel like he belongs at our church. I feel the same way! He went there all his life but now feels he isn't getting what he needs although he isn't sure exactly what he means by that. His brother and his girlfriend came over for dinner last night, they have been going to this other church for a few months now, my brother in law is taking some counseling through them and my husband picked up a paper his brother was working on for the counseling and read all 7 or 8 sheets of the papers. HE NEVER READS! Then he decided he liked what he was reading and told his brother he would go to the men's service that they have early sunday mornings, and it was agreed that I would go with his girlfriend and we would all meet up for the regular service. This is a mostly young church, young families, young people. They are not afraid to talk about their beliefs and I am so excited. The church is growing bigger rapidly and this is the second time in a few years taht they are needing to build a larger church. In our church now, the only time Jesus or God is mentioned is during the service and then all the talk is about regular life. I just don't feel like I fit in, no one talks to me, however the pastor is a wonderful wonderful man. He is retiring though and I think that is why I am so ready to look around. I'm just afraid a little of what we will face when we start to tell family we are changing churches, if we change. I just feel so conflicted right now but so excited too. There is so much I don't understand and both my husband and I after talking last night agreed that we both want to know more and understand more. This church has popped up into our lives a number of times and I think we are agreed that we will take the cue and try it out.
I just don't know how to deal with the inevitable guilt trip and statements of the church being a cult.
I have spent my life allowing people to control me. I don't voice my opinions around family because they seem to always find a way to make me feel less. This happens with religion and church too. Usually they just humor me. Say things like " her little church thing" and my grandmother, well, she wants me to go to church more often. But here is what I am facing.
It seems that a lot of the people I meet go to this certain church in town. My husband and I have been invited quite a few times to attend a service at this church and to see what we think. I usually would decline the offers because I know what I would face in trying to explain it to my grandmother. She thinks because we are members at another church, we shouldn't even contemplate changing. She also thinks this other church is a cult. It's not as far as I can tell.
I have been very sad about my husbands seeming lack of interest in all things religious. I have tried to talk to him about it a few times, and he always seemed to brush me off. Then slowly he started to say a little more. He said he doesn't feel like he belongs at our church. I feel the same way! He went there all his life but now feels he isn't getting what he needs although he isn't sure exactly what he means by that. His brother and his girlfriend came over for dinner last night, they have been going to this other church for a few months now, my brother in law is taking some counseling through them and my husband picked up a paper his brother was working on for the counseling and read all 7 or 8 sheets of the papers. HE NEVER READS! Then he decided he liked what he was reading and told his brother he would go to the men's service that they have early sunday mornings, and it was agreed that I would go with his girlfriend and we would all meet up for the regular service. This is a mostly young church, young families, young people. They are not afraid to talk about their beliefs and I am so excited. The church is growing bigger rapidly and this is the second time in a few years taht they are needing to build a larger church. In our church now, the only time Jesus or God is mentioned is during the service and then all the talk is about regular life. I just don't feel like I fit in, no one talks to me, however the pastor is a wonderful wonderful man. He is retiring though and I think that is why I am so ready to look around. I'm just afraid a little of what we will face when we start to tell family we are changing churches, if we change. I just feel so conflicted right now but so excited too. There is so much I don't understand and both my husband and I after talking last night agreed that we both want to know more and understand more. This church has popped up into our lives a number of times and I think we are agreed that we will take the cue and try it out.
I just don't know how to deal with the inevitable guilt trip and statements of the church being a cult.
