Sunday 15 September 2013

Thinking About Church.

Since S was born, I've been thinking about going to church. Not because I'm terribly religious - I still have no real clue where I stand on the matter to be honest - but because I want her to feel part of a community, and to have the option of religion there for her if she chooses it. And because I think it might be good for me as well.

Single Mother Ahoy Church


Before I returned to work, we attended a baby and toddler group run by one of the churches in town. It was great fun, and always had lots of ladies from the church who were happy to sit on the floor and play with toys while the mums got a cup of tea and some home made cake. At Christmas we went to their children's Christmas party in the church, and although S was only 8 months old and slept through most of it, I enjoyed it.The vicar made a point of coming up to chat to me because he'd not seen my face before, and every single person I met there was lovely. No judgement, no face-pulling, no cold-shoulder or cliquiness like you can find at a lot of parent/toddler groups. Since then, more than one person has recommended that particular church to me as being very inclusive and welcoming. Looking back, I remember seeing a family at the party that many might find odd, since the son had an interesting hair cut, an unusual (not "cool") name, and a father who wore makeup and dressed as a woman. Nobody batted an eyelid; they were there for the Christmas party, the same as everyone else.

This morning, as I was wandering about town with S out of sheer despair as to how to keep her from screaming at the top of her lungs, we bumped into a friend. I say friend; she's someone I barely know, but find I really get on with, and whenever we bump into each other we spend ages chattering while our children sit in their pushchairs whining to go home. Any way, I asked her what she was up to, and she said they were just on their way home from church. She said she wasn't really sure where she stood on the whole religion/church thing, but that she'd found a local church she really liked, and that really welcomed children. She mentioned that in this church, several of the pews had been removed to make a play area for children, so that the parents could sit around them and join in with the service while children sat in the middle and played with all sorts of wonderful toys in the middle. It wasn't cold or stuffy or unfriendly or judgemental, in fact children were encouraged to join the service and nobody minded them playing happily.

Guess what: it was the same church I'd been thinking about going to.

I tend to think that things happen for a reason, and that sometimes your life just pushes you in a certain direction. At the moment that's happening in two areas of my life; things just keep happening which seem to support a certain outcome. So I might just take S to church next Sunday.



10 comments:

  1. You should do whatever you think is right. I am not religious but church does bring a lot of people comfort and happiness, x

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  2. I belong to a very similar-sounding church and I love it. I don't have children, but many people there do. Nobody even turns a head if there's a kid talking during the sermon or a baby cries. There are crèches and different groups the children go to during the service, and it really is wonderful to feel part of such a great community and learn more about God at the same time. I hope you enjoy it!

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  3. I know plenty of people, including myself, who really find community, friendship and support in church. I think there's been a real shift in recent years, churches are places to find yourself and work out your faith in a safe place, rather than a place for super religious people who are all about flower arranging! My kids love going, friends outside school & other adults who they've come to love.

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  4. This is the very reason I haven't got Rio christened yet! I want to get him done because I want to not because its the norm. Really considering an 'alpha course' ..their meant to be really good. A place for you to share opinions and get a unjudging response! X

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  5. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a big believer in fate. Go along and see what it's like - you have nothing to lose! :)

    ReplyDelete

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