New Church Baby Shower

Since moving to Acton, Jamie and I have been attending a new church in Georgetown. We were both quite nervous (especially Jamie) about starting over. We had always attended KRT in Brampton - a very large church. Georgetown Christian Fellowship is certainly much bigger than the church I grew up in back home but considerably smaller than Brampton.

Much to my delight (and Jamie's chagrin as he seems to prefer to kinda just be the "outsider") the people at this new church are SO friendly and welcoming. I really like it there. Years going to KRT with meeting barely anyone. And just a few weeks at this church and I feel as though I am already making some good friendly acquaintances.

My second Sunday in the church I was invited to a baby shower. I kinda know the girl for whom the baby shower was being held. Her husband attended the Pentecostal school in Deer Lake and I knew his ex-girlfriend. Anyways, I thought this would be a good opportunity to meet some of the ladies from the church. And it was a really good night. The Pastors wife used the baby shower as an opportunity to introduce new people (such as myself) to Becky (the new mom - who is also fairly new to this church). We had a good laugh, ate lots of your typical baby shower food, and I found out that there a couple of the younger ladies who do scrapbooking...and a couple of the 30-something and 40-something ladies who asked if I would teach them how. Any excuse to scrapbook, I'd be more than happy with.

The ladies had asked about Jamie. I told him that we are newlyweds (ahhhh, how nice) and explained that he wasn't really accustomed to regular church attendance before we got together but that he was very supportive of my being involved. They wanted to make sure he was comfortable and said to explain that they wouldn't be pushy, that they weren't interested in being super "religious" but wanted to be friendly and make him feel at home. Jamie's quite shy and nervous about this whole thing so I really wouldn't want him to feel pressured.

So I'm happy. Church has always been a part of my life. As a teenager it seemed less important but now that I'm on my own, I realize how great it really is. I'm convinced the founding fathers of our country would freak out if they now saw how many people hold religion in no significance in their life. And why complain about the various other cultures and religions coming in to "take over" our country if we are not willing to stand up for ours? Why would they care about our churches if we don't? It is so clear especially here in the GTA with the rate at which other religions are growing and building their own places of worship.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not just referring to MY religion as being THE ONE. Although I prefer my church, I also hold great value to christians who support and attend other denominations (be it Catholic, Anglican, Salvation Army, United, Baptists, whatever). We may be different but are so intertwined that it really is just ridiculous to fight over denomination. Some of the old traditions of the church in the past really were quite silly and I am seeing a big change. I remember the days of not being able to wear pants to church, no ear piercings or makeup, no going to dances, etc. It seemed that going to church meant you had to be perfect, that you couldn't have fun, couldn't have friends who were non-christians. But I don't believe these to be "Biblical" things and I am seeing a swaying toward following the Bible rather than just going along with what traditional "old time religion" taught us.

Anyways, enough of that (I wasn't intending to preach...lol) Religion really is such a touchy subject and sometimes full of so much bitterness and confusion for people. Just remember the future of our country and the future of your family and take God into consideration. We really are a blessed people in a blessed country and I would like to see it continue that way.