So I havent felt like posting lately. I've been in a really mopy/feel sorry for me kind of a mood lately. I'm pulling out of it, stress just got the best of me for awhile.
Ive decided I need to meet more people or get involved in more things in Omaha. So I decided to continue my quest to find a church. Before Christmas I visited 3 UCC churches in the area. None of them were bad, but none of them were too friendly. I visited one of them twice before Christmas. Then last week I visited a another one of them for a second time and today I went to the third one for a second time. I think I like the third the best but I'm bothered by how unfriendly the churches are. They all have a fellowship time after the service but no one personally invited me. At each of the services the minister stood at the door shaking everyones hand as we left. At each church the minister would talk to people around me, but to me they just said "hi" and shook my hand. Really I'm the new person, I do not feel the need to be super outgoing in a strange place. I was talking to my parents about this and they agree that the churches should be more welcoming. Seriously. I jokingly said I should email the ministers of each of the churches and tell them they arent friendly. My dad was like yeah you should contact them, either call or email...... This is how I end up doing stupid things. So I'm opening this up to my loyal reader (It's spring break so I'm doubting Rebecca will comment) Should I a)give it another try at the churches, they all have good points I'm just bothered by the fact that no one trys to start conversations with me at all. I'm a visitor they should make me feel welcome. b)take my dad's advice and email the churches (what excatly should I tell them anyway) c)give up on those churches and try different onesd)go to different services for the churches...they all have multiple services every sunday and I havent tried every service e)any other suggestions....
I'm odd. But anyone that knows me already know that.
3 comments:
So I love how this was basically Becky what should I do, but I'm totally the wrong person to ask. I'm the girl who hasn't been to church in, oh, a long time, even though church is important to me, because I gave up in Platteville. Also, the whole fellowship and talking to people you don't know at church is a new concept to me. Maybe Catholics don't do it very much (pretty much get outta there as soon as it's over) or maybe because at my church in Benton we already knew everyone. My guess would be the former. At Ripon Community, Pastor Mike always stressed how we needed to do that, but people really didn't. But I never felt like I'm the new person and nobody's talking to me because we were all new. It was really only after joining a small group that people other than college kids talked to me, even when I was there alone.
So now that my comment is longer than you post, my answer is a combination of C, D, and A. I think you should try at least the one you liked the best again and maybe at a different service, but also try other churches you think you might like. As for emailing them, the feedback would probably be good for them, but I wouldn't do it. "My dad is a minister, and he's way friendlier..." Do they have any sort of comment/ communication cards? Because you could write on there that you were visiting and didn't think they were very friendly (anonymously), so then they could work on it but wouldn't have to know who you are.
You could try a different church. Do you know anyone there who could recommend one to you?
Alice, I think that you should also consider going to different kinds of churchs. In a lot of the Protestant Churches, there aren't really huge theological differences anyway, and by trying them out, you might just be able to find a better fit for you and your lifestyle. You have always seemed to me like a person to whom Church is relatively important, so I would say broaden your circle of churches, see if you can find one that you like and that you feel comfortable at. What do you have to lose?
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