Brooke: We actually had this matter in the sermon this evening. (The preacher didn't know about this thread.) A question of examining the heart. And keeping one's eyes on the Lord.
Yes, the kids are there EVERY service.. They LOVE going. I don't like it so much. YES I am uncomfortable around crowds. I feel like I don't fit in anywhere and tend to stay to myself and have one close friend that is like minded. I go on Wednesdays to help with the kids at church. I really enjoy doing it. Sunday mornings are so crowded that there are sometimes not enough seats for everyone. Hince the new balcony project that will begin next month.. I LOVE the people at the church. I am not an outgoing person, never have been. I'm just quiet and stay to myself.. I really don't like that I'm this way. I have tried to be more outgoing but that's just not the way God made me and I'm not going to be someone I'm not I've prayed and prayed about this... I've done A LOT of soul searching this past week. I still don't feel that I have to GO to church on Sundays but I do feel that it's important to set aside this day as a day to rest IN THE LORD. I have come to the realization that I have not been doing this. I haven't kept the sabboth day holy.. I didn't physically go into a building to worship today. I stayed home and prayed and listened to sermon on the internet..
Personally, I dislike some of the changes that have happened through the years at our church. The way I've got around this is to spend time serving. I can avoid the music, for example, by preparing the meeting area for the meal we enjoy together later. During the sermon, someone must sit in the foyer to keep an eye on who enters/leaves the bathrooms and children's classrooms (basic security), greet late visitors, and so on. I can hear the sermon over the speakers, so I'm not missing out. The point is that there are plenty of tasks to be done that most prefer not to do and that hardly anyone notices. By doing them, I can contribute while quietly taking myself out of situations where I feel uncomfortable. Could you resolve your issues by taking a similar approach?
We just had a discussion about this in Sunday School today. The key is not in the attending Church everytime something is going on there but instead to be in regular community with a group of believers. We have many elderly and infirmed who are members of our Church and can not attend service or events but they are incontact with members from our Church. These folks recieve communion once a month and folks contact them and check in. You could attend every event at a Church but that would not make you a Christian but if you are a Christian you need to make the effort to be a part of the community. We are called to Church not so we can get something out of it (although that is nice too) but instead to serve other Christians and support them.
