The Event ~ A New Church Community

Switching churches is not an event to take lightly.  Belonging to a church family is an important element in a healthy and happy lifestyle.  Fellowship with other believers stirs the soul and spirit within me.  It has been part of my life forever.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Terry, MT

I was raised in a Lutheran Church and I have many memories of church functions as a child and I can vividly recall many of the congregants during my first 18 years.

Faith United Church of Christ, Bayard, NE

Following marriage, I joined Tim's church, Faith United Church of Christ, in Bayard.  For 16 years, we were active members of that church family.  Neither churches really fed my soul or nourished my spiritual development, but church has always been a priority in my life.  I didn't know what I was missing until I truly let Jesus into my life as a personal friend.

Emmanuel Congregational Church, Scottsbluff, NE

For the next 25 years, because of a move from the farm to the city,  our family was faithful members at Emmanuel Congregational Church in Scottsbluff.  The people within became our church family.  Many memories were made there. I grew in Christian dicipleship, knowledge, and faith.

However, no church is without some spiritual warfare within, but many churches know how to disengage it and continue to grow and continue in positive spiritually health.

Emmanuel Congregational fell victim to much spiritual warfare within it's walls, and lack of spiritual welfare outside its walls.  Tim and I patiently stood by our church family, tried to be part of a solution rather than part of a dissolution.  But, alas, the day came when we walked away from our church family and wandered lost through the valley for several months in early 2012.

This was not an easy decision for either of us.  We struggled a long time, feeling a loss of community.  But we soon discovered new joy in the fellowship and family at Monument Bible Church.  We have made new friends, renewed old friendships, become involved in Bible studies, and now realize how much had actually been missing in our desire to worship in harmony with other believers.

Changing churches is not an easy thing to do.  One just doesn't do it on a whim.  There is no perfect church.  A church body is made up of all kinds of people with lots of different opinions, even differences on church matters.  But respecting differing beliefs, opinions, traditions,  of others while worshipping the same one true God goes a long way in living in harmony and fellowshipping with others who believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. 

A change can always be good, and in our case of changing churches  the beginning of 2012 and taking nearly nine months to feel that it was the right step for us, we know this change is good for us in our life right now.  We feel a genuine belonging to a church family again, a better and healthier church community.  What a blessed event to share!