I am looking for a church to attend in the East Valley, preferably in Gilbert near the Higley/Guadelupe area.
We were attending a Nazarene church in Chandler, but I have not felt comfortable there for a while for a variety of reasons, so we haven't been lately. My MIL was disappointed that we didn't show up for church on Easter Sunday.....but I felt like a hypocrite making an appearance on an important day when we aren't in regular attendance. I feel like we need to find a church that we can become involved in.....I would like to get my son into a youth group. He attends a Christian school in Tempe, but that church is so far away. I would prefer a smaller church....I am not a fan of the megachurch concept where the service is more like a concert than a sermon. Smaller churches seem more genuine to me.....I wasn't raised as a Christian.....as a matter of fact I was raised as an atheist, and to beleive that religion is a crutch for the weak(which I don't feel is the case) but I have to confess I feel intimidated and lost while at church sometimes, like somehow it's obvious that I wasn't brought up in the fold and I don't know as much as everyone around me....that probably doesn't make sense to a lot of you.
Any suggestions?
I was at a Nazarene church
I was at a Nazarene church for a year and switched to Cornerstone and LOVE it!!!! It is so fabulous. It's off the 202 and Alma School. Lots of opportunity to connect and sunday service is excellent.
Actually, I do understand
Actually, I do understand the feeling of not knowing as much as the people around you. I was the youngest in my family and once I earned my bible (in I think 2nd grade) we pretty much became an Easter and Christmas family, then stopped going altogether due to sports and other activities that took place on the weekends. Anything I learned in Sunday School up until then is gone. It does feel weird when a six year old Sunday-Schooler knows more bible stories and songs than I do.
It may be farther than you want to go, but the Chandler United Methodist church just moved to a new facility on Chandler Hgts and AZ Ave. Bigger than the old church building, but not on the mega church scale. It is friendly, and has good Children's Church and youth group programs.
I suggest you pick out 3 or 4 and give each a try, with your son. There are plenty of churches to choose from. A lot of people find a good church home that way. They end up at the one that "just felt right" or "like family".
Now that you mention it,
Now that you mention it, NSMom, I remember that the Gideons actually came to school and gave us pocket Bibles. I do remember that my Mom had to sign a permission slip, and that the Bible had my name stamped in it, but mostly I remember that we had to shake a guy's hand, and that he didn't smell very good. My friend from across the street had to have her grandmother sign, because her parents were out of town, but I was able to tell the teacher that she was in my Sunday School class, the teacher called my Mom to confirm, and my friend got her Bible.
It was just a right of passage. Granted, there was an assumption of Christianity; we actually sang Silent Night and Little Drummer Boy at the Christmas concert. We all felt bad for classmates who were Jehovah's Witnesses, and regularly scheduled fun and/or took treats over on a playdate to make up for the fact that they didn't get to celebrate holidays. We pretended not to notice when they weren't allowed to say the Pledge of Allegience.
We were also taught to be flexible and loving to our peers who were Jewish, LDS, Nazarene (no school activities on Wednesday nights), Catholic (no meat on Friday), yada, yada. Our girls' varsity and JV teams had uniforms that were a little more modest than competing schools, so the LDS girls could participate; we didn't mind. It wasn't a big deal. If you had a Jewish friend over, you didn't offer pork or shellfish, and you didn't put meat and dairy together. Mom bought 7-up instead of Coke when we were entertaining a friend who was LDS. In return, those friends were careful not to offer us whatever we'd given up for Lent, and shower us with a bunch of it after Easter.
Of course, we made mistakes. When a high school classmate was dying, I took a bunch of girls to crash an evening mass at my Church, and one of the LDS girls didn't know that communion included wine. Today, that would probably constitute a legal challenge, but, back then, all the parents and clerics chalked it up to us being naive kids. Going forward, though, of course, we weren't allowed in the Morman temple or Jehovah Witness Hall, but we showed up for one another's Rites of Passage in other Churches.
We participated in Young Life and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Heck, I even got Ann B. Davis (yup, Alice from the Brady Bunch) to come talk to us about the difference between religion and faith. She remains incredibly generous; I'm amazed that she still remembers who I am after almost 30 years, but, just a couple of years ago, when I asked for a picture as a keepsake, she signed it, "Love, Ann".
It's so too bad that more people haven't been able to get to know her and/or learn from her and the way she's chosen to live her life. I could go on, but she has obviously chosen not to let her agent, publicist, etc. capitalize on her faith, and I'd be violating a confidence if I didn't respect her privacy; I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't give you any personal information about me. I can tell you that, in the day, she could knit at turbo speed, and her observations about what it must have been like for Bill Bixbie in the Incredible Hulk made me feel like it was okay to be sitting next to her on the couch watching TV.
I do have a point, and not just a rant. Deciding to get with God, no matter how you do that, will change your life for the better. You just need to figure out where it feels safe and right to get with God. It might feel more right to dress to the nines and wear a hat, or more comfortable to put on a jumper. You might want your son to hear that homosexuality is a sin, or you might want him to receive communion from a homosexual bishop, so he'll know that homosexuals aren't a threat to him.
That's what is so incredibly cool about Jesus. Thousands of theologians (I'm just counting those who are currently alive) can't agree on what He thinks, so you're free to ask Him directly.
Bless you, and go with God.
We attend the Sun Valley
We attend the Sun Valley Community church in Gilbert and love it! It is on Ray Road-456 East Ray Road to be exact. It is on Ray and Lindsay Roads and it is a very welcoming no pressure church. We have searched for quite a while and feel like this one fits our family nicely. My two daughters who are eight and four love the children's programs that go on during the service time so if you have kids it would be a good place for them as well.
My brother and family use to
My brother and family use to attend here until they moved to Glendale. I know they really loved this church also.
DHC
I've been called a theology
I've been called a theology geek, but, in the end, Christianity is awfully simple. Get a Concordance Bible in modern English. Contrary to what my Auntie Juanita said, God doesn't prefer the King James version of the Bible; most of it was actually written in Hebrew. With a Concordance, you'll see four different accounts of Jesus's time on earth (the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). You'll see three parallel accounts, and one that is a little more out-there.
If you zero in on what Jesus said, and what Jesus did, you'll realize that Christianity is, simply, a life-long journey in which the Christian tries to figure out how to live and love better. Just because I may have more vocabulary, have listened to more homilies (called sermons in some Churches), know a lot of Episcopal priests (and Canons and Bishops), am familiar enough with the hymnal my Church uses to sing badly with gusto, or ... whatever: I'm no further on my journey than you are on yours.
Do some Church shopping. If you want, I can tell you all the reasons that I think the Episcopal Church is perfect, but I all I really know is that it's been perfect for me. I have an ex who would only go with me on special occasions; having been raised by hellfire and brimstone tent preachers, my ex thought that the rituals, familiar hymns, and alternatively standing, sitting, and kneeling was an empty formula. I've always been uncomfortable with (my experience) agreeing to attend a service at another Church, and ended up being hounded to go to the altar to accept Jesus, or to make that Church my Church home. Episcopal "evangelists" are more likely to invite friends to stop by Church on their way to brunch. In my Church, people don't just up and make a major faith decision (baptism, first communion, confirmation, etc.) because a preacher touched their hearts; it's a more studied and solemn process.
You can learn a lot from checking out Church websites. Unfortunately, Christian denominations tend to separate themselves on a single criterion: sin (talk about giving the Devil more credit than Christ). While Christians agree that certain behaviors are sinful (i.e. sleeping with your best friend's husband), they have a lot more to disagree on. You need to find a place, at least right now, where you feel like you and your son are being taught how to stand up for your values. As you continue on your journey, you might discover that your opinion on a topic has changed.
In the end, just trust in what feels right. That's the Holy Spirit guiding you into a place where you will be more than comfortable; it will be a place where you suddenly have a much, much bigger family.
If, by chance, it happens to be a Church in the Greek or Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Episcopalian variety, let me know. I'll give you the lowdown on how to keep up with the mass, and when and why you genuflect, make the sign of the cross, bow, kneel, etc.
Bless you. Go with God.
I attend Central Christian
I attend Central Christian Church and I really enjoy it. It is a large church, which you said you aren't always comfortable with, but a new location opened this year at Lindsay and Germann. Because there are so many new families, it's a nice time to check it out. There are many different people from many different backgrounds and it's a very welcoming place. But whatever you decide, I pray you find a place that brings you growth and peace.
I was going to mention this
I was going to mention this church too. This is the only church that I have enjoyed attending and I've tried several.
It really makes me feel comfortable when I'm there. I even left crying after one service because the preacher was just absolutely touching in his preaching. You must try it. The one I attend is located on Lindsay and Brown.
DHC
I think it is great that you
I think it is great that you are looking Katy. In any given congregation you can find people who think they know it all, but fail to apply it, people who know little, but seem to live what they know, and everyone in between... Remember the Pharisees (right not_the_mama?) were the best educated, most read and yet the least receptive to Jesus and his message. So, don't let the level of time in church affect your thinking, the fact you feel a need to be in relationship with God is what is important.
There is a book called "Religions for Idiots", might be fun to check out of the library to give you a run down on most relilgions - the differences between Christian Religions - Protestant branches and Catholic branches and other religions. Maybe one will strike you in philosophy, although honestly each church will be unique even in the same denomination (some are very social justice focused, some follow conservative philosophies even under the same religion for example.)
My involvement with my youth group was fundemental in my high school years, I want my kids to have that opportunity too, and my current church doesn't have a strong youth program. We might be looking around soon ourselves. We are close to North Phoenix Baptist, but I am actually a little creeped out by a church that has a roller skating rink, it seems too self contained to be healthy to me, but I imagine LOTS of people are happy there. Shop around and find a good fit. God luck! (That was a typo, but I think I'll leave it!)
Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.
Amen, lovemy4. I've never
Amen, lovemy4. I've never heard of that book, but I'm going to check it out, because I have the occasionally opportunity to suggest helpful texts.
Also, I currently have a subscription to an academic book/journal/magazine/newspaper service (Questia), and I can search on and copy articles on almost anything.
Yeah, a little bizarre, but, while I was "taking tea" with Bishop Desmond Tutu, I confessed (as a rural country teen) that I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to do or say. A very kind man, he replied, "Do you like tea?" I hesitated, and he asked, "What do you like to drink?" Somebody brought me a soda, and the Bishop asked me questions, and answered my questions, and I pretty much felt like I'd had about 45 minutes with a caring uncle. You know what? He quoted one little thing I'd said (I was 15 or 16) in his next sermon. Of course, he's done this over how many tea-times, how many days, how many months, and how many years? In addition to that, how many of those wonderful little crustless sandwiches, mini-scones, and sweets that I've never seen in the Western US since?
I just offer this as an example of how getting to God doesn't require climbing a ladder. C'mon, Bishop Desmond Tutu repeating something I'd said once as a youth?
We're all equal parts physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, but talking about spiritual has become verboten. Isn't that totally ironic? Most of us say that God made us, and has at least some control and authority over us, but we can't talk about Him?
I attend an LDS church on
I attend an LDS church on Power and Guadalupe, it is always uplifting, and I find much support there. There are great classes for all ages. There is also one near Higley & Guadalupe. If you're interested let me know. You are always welcome to just attend or we have missionaries who can teach you the doctrine for youself.
my aunt and uncle run this
my aunt and uncle run this little non-denominationl church, but unfortunately it is out in surprise...however if you ever feel like making the drive....the church is just lovely and it is very comfortable there.....you feel like everyone is family....it is a smaller church and they have sunday school for kids at any age...if you are interested let me know and i can give you an address and number...if not, good luck in your search.