tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post6564388458796105660..comments2023-10-31T05:04:03.273-04:00Comments on A Suburban Saga: The church hunt...continued...Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08837261146374200032noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post-9816763809358725052007-11-29T08:27:00.000-05:002007-11-29T08:27:00.000-05:00Basically you should move back to Northern Virgini...Basically you should move back to Northern Virginia and come to Sovereign Grace again!!! I miss seeing you around! -Sorry, I know that's not very helpful, I'll have to think of something more encouraging to say! =)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post-80556896008651175792007-11-26T22:42:00.000-05:002007-11-26T22:42:00.000-05:00Oh Ellen, how I identify with your quest and the f...Oh Ellen, how I identify with your quest and the frustration (and sometimes hopelessness)that can ensue! We settled for 2 1/2 years...and we were lonely, tired, frustrated (bordering on bitterness), and empty. We felt like God dumped us in Wichita Falls as if to say, "Here's your valley. No more being spoiled by a church you actually 'belong' in." Of course, God's heart is not for us to be alone, but we felt so abandoned. In the most unlikely of places we heard of the church we now belong to, and we knew upon our first visit that it was where the Lord was calling us. Honestly, I don't think we would've been ready for it at the beginning of our 2 1/2 year dry spell. God grew us in ways we would never have known we were lacking through our loneliness and desparation. Our church borders a bit on the legalistic side, is packed with homeschoolers, (although we're not the only public schoolers either), and many of the women ONLY wear skirts (all the time!); it's very traditional...but oh, how they love the Lord! They recognize their tendencies to make rules for Godly living, but they prayerfully and carefully deal with them if/as they become issues capable of breeding disunity. They have a heart for the lost and are passionate in seeking after God's own heart. We still have minor frustrations from time to time, but no church is perfect. We've truly found our family here. I know you'll find the same in God's time...maybe there's something He's longing to show you in the journey. I know that doesn't make it any easier to go through (as I'm typing this, I'm having deja vu...someone probably told me these things way back when!) I'm praying for you and David; don't lose heart!Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09973859198481333200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post-78143367930409661322007-11-26T20:39:00.000-05:002007-11-26T20:39:00.000-05:00Hey Ellen-Man, do I feel you on this. We are cravi...Hey Ellen-<BR/>Man, do I feel you on this. We are craving a home-away-from-home church. We have visited and then think we have it narrowed down and then we don't. It's very discouraging. <BR/>I believe that Kelli said that you and David went to a little Reformed church in DC. Have you tried checking the ARBCA website (Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America)? Our church is an ARBCA church and we love it. Another good resource is www.farese.com. When you go to his website you'll see the menu on the left. Click on RB Churches and it brings up a directory. I'd check for you but I'm not sure where you're located. <BR/>I'll add you and David to my prayer list as you are without a home church. <BR/>And oh, gracious! Seth is adorable!Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14562436819531372514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post-48796068400719209782007-11-26T19:37:00.000-05:002007-11-26T19:37:00.000-05:00Hey, Andrea. I'm afraid that Vision Forum and anyo...Hey, Andrea. I'm afraid that Vision Forum and anyone affiliated with them would consider me a rabid feminist. =) I actually believe in higher education for women, and that they should be able to live away from their parents and hold jobs when they're single. That makes me a dangerous radical, you see. That and the fact that I would really enjoy the opportunity to wear jeans to church, since I did it pretty much my entire life. =) I would be extremely careful before I got involved with anyone affiliated with Vision Forum. Just a word of caution...Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08837261146374200032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21469458.post-74074326426225505032007-11-26T17:55:00.000-05:002007-11-26T17:55:00.000-05:00Hi Ellen,Todd & I are right there with you & David...Hi Ellen,<BR/>Todd & I are right there with you & David in this. Sometimes it seems the church you're looking for would be the one without the website, but how would you find it, unless by word of mouth? But then...if you don't have like-minded friends or family nearby, how are you to hear of the type of church you're on the hunt for?<BR/><BR/>Not sure if this would help you out or not, but we've found this link through Vision Forum to be somewhat helpful. http://www.visionforumministries.org/projects/ncfic. They list family-oriented churches, their beliefs, size, etc. and homeschooling is a biggie with Vision Forum. This may branch more towards the legalistic side you were talking about, but maybe you'll find a gem within the search results. (um, but if you do try out one of these, and maybe this isn't an issue with you, but make sure you're wearing some sort of skirt or dress...I felt like a modern feminist walking in with my wool pants...I liked the church a lot, but left feeling ridiculous because of what I wore. It would have flown in any other modern day church...but the modern day church isn't what I'm looking for...anyway.) <BR/><BR/>I thought it interesting that you did bring up the balance of faith & legalism, for that's exactly the verbage I used with Todd the other day. Too many churches seem to lighten up the message to reach the unsaved, yet we ought to be showing them how to live as Christians, not come down to the level of unbelievers. I could go on and on...<BR/><BR/>We'll be in prayer for your family as you search for the right church fit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com