Yes, your husband’s sermon definitely fits. I’m sure it was an interesting one too and kept people listening! 🙂

Hearing that song as a child probably implanted that thought firmly in my mind. 🙂 It’s amazing what music can do.

I’m glad you found a church again where you felt like you belong, Lesley. It’s such an awkward feeling otherwise. I know there are still things we can gain and give in that situation, but it just doesn’t feel like “home” each week when we don’t feel we really belong. It sounds like you have a rich church history. I’m sure it’s given you a great perspective when you talk with others about Christ!

Ouch. It is very, very difficult to leave people you love. We left a sweet church after our baby died. It was a very small church, and it seemed that every woman of child-bearing age was having a baby around the time we lost ours. It was just too painful every week to be there with all the babies. It was hard to leave, but it made a huge difference in my sanity.

I never thought about mapping my church history and reflecting upon how the Lord used each of those experiences to place me where He has me today. Great questions and a great exercise.

Thanks for sharing.

I like your phrasing, Pam…several parts of the Christian family tree. That’s a beautiful way to signify different branches but still the same roots!

Yes, they definitely had their gatherings, assemblies, in NT days in however we want to translate ekklesia. I count it as just a terminology idiosyncrasy with how we use “church” today. I’m glad you found a new church home where you can really love the people. Small churches are still so vital and play important roles in community. Two of my four home churches were small (one of them did grow large) but both were very special and intimate. I still have friends in both.