Church

As long as I can remember I've been in church. My parents made sure of that, and I GREATLY appreciate that. For the past 13 years I've been going to Lake Russell Baptist. That church is a huge part of my life...I love it. The people there are fantastic. They are absolutely family--each and every one. I equate LRBC to home, and honestly that's what it feels like for me to be there. Church is an important thing to me. It's important to Jeff. Our shared faith and feelings toward church was a big factor for each of us as we begin to date. Jeff's attended Brushy Creek Baptist for about two years now, and has been a member of the singles class. When I'm visiting him on Sundays that's where we go. Sadly, there's been a big unravelling of the singles ministry that's left it nearly non-existent, which is sad to both of us, and many involved. Today in Sunday school there were two other people from our previous class, and one from the older class. Anyway, all of this unrest has left many people including Jeff (and I) with a feeling that maybe it isn't the place for us. We're planning on visiting Newspring when they open their Greenville campus on July 13th. When we're married we'll be attending some church, but where I don't know. We'll of course make those trips to LRBC occasionally. Knowing that we're looking for a church is a little frightening to me. Lake Russell is a small church, I know everyone, it's home. Brushy Creek, Newspring, some other church that we may attend in Greenville--they're huge. I'm sort of worried that I'll get lost there. I have a notion that church is a small community...everybody knows everybody, everyone is willing to help out, and everyone lends a hand. That's how is is at LR. I know things I've been blessed with to serve the Lord, and what if they already have someone doing that at one of these massive churches? Am I going to find my place, am I going to feel at home, will I get lost in the shuffle? I'm worried about going somewhere and not being able to do things -- VBS, puppet ministry, children ministry. That I'll be too new to begin in anything right away, I'll want to get to know people, or feel out of place and just put off helping the way I should. I know that I shouldn't...that I should do what the Lord wants me to do...volunteer to do what I feel Him leading me to do...even if I don't know people, or don't feel I have things in common with them, but it's a hard thing to overcome. I know that I should just trust God with that...that where ever we end up there will be something for me to do. I just worry about becoming complacent in a new bigger church...and that's the last thing I want. I also know that 20% of the people do 80% of the work in most cases...at least that's what I've always heard. I know that Brushy Creek are always looking for workers...so there's no shortage of jobs...they'll be something I can do. I just am REALLY going to miss being part of Lake Russell Baptist Church every week.