My Perfect Church

This entry is heavily inspired by an article in Relevant Magazine. I don't know much about the magazine, but the article's worth reading if only for the acknowledgment of similar frustrations.

Of course, I'm not in the same age bracket as the author, but there are some things on his top ten list that I'd love to see. But instead, I'm going to work on a list of 10 things I like about my church.

1. When we decided to start a food program, there was no vote, no forms to fill out, just people who showed up and worked.

2. Members of our church started a thrift store. The money they make goes to help people who can't pay their utility bills, or don't have enough food. When they decided they needed a bigger building to do this work, the church voted unanimously in favor of spending the money. They've been doing this for more than 10 years.

3. A man who once spent many of his nights living under a nearby bridge now has a home in his name, and a life that he enjoys. This is entirely due to the grace of God and the people whom he worked through in our church.

4. There are many Sundays each year when three generations of several different families are present for worship.

5. Many of our members have had their weddings in our sanctuary, and some have had their funerals there as well. Funerals in a church sanctuary somehow seem so much more reassuring, perhaps because we don't gather there ONLY in times of death.

Ok, so that's 5. This might be a good blog tag sort of thing. Pass it on.