One of my Feature Series has been on Church and how essential my Church Community has been specifically to my family and on my youth and growth. There have been a lot of Seasons in my life although, yes many think I am still a teenager a blessing from genetics given to me from both of my Grandma’s.
Church is so incredibly important and crucial to socializing and worshiping together. Covid frustrated me and I’m grateful we were where we were at Bethel Baptist because frankly we did as God would want us to do and not the government or health officials. Too many Church members or perhaps non members left the Church for the livestreams which is simply not the same.
If one death in my family couldn’t stop any of us from continuing to go to Church I wasn’t going to let a virus. Over 18 years ago Grandpa died at Church, maybe if it had been any other family not so well versed in the Bible or in knowing him personally we could have walked away from Church altogether because of what happened.
Grandpa knew I didn’t really have a class once I graduated from high school and was trying to see where I fit in as a young woman and college student. He said he would be proud to have me sit with him and Grandma in their class. So for a couple of years I guess I did that and I loved being in their class listening to Bill McNew and David Landis or whatever Missionary might be around that day.
For two years I became disheartened and the only college age girl at the Church. I may not have been in the Church when he gave his final testimony and then walked to the back of the Church where minutes later… he met his Savior. However, I had an imagination and being in the choir or performing specials without seeing that beautiful not completely bald head sitting in his seat made me heartsick.
Fast forward a bit to this year.
We may have our own history, but there are other families with even a longer timeline and roots in the Church still there and those gone in other directions. Preachers are human they make mistakes like everyone else. Fellowship has been through a storm and there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. However the storm came to me and everything I had heard from others was what I was piecing together right in front of me.
I could feel the palpable pain and frustration of my loved ones talking about what was going on in this beloved Church and yet I believed I was safe from going through a second upheaval I was wrong. What truly got me was that I had already felt beat up from an ulcer and then more worry and stress hit me within days or a week of finally letting go from the pain that started the ulcer.
I guess once again I’m finding out that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
The word ‘trouble’ and anxiousness filled me the last of December and January. When I heard who had led the pack I knew it was like God was protecting me keeping me from a distance from them. I truly believed they would move on after a couple of weeks; but that didn’t happen.
Although I had not met the interim preacher of my former Church there was a feeling in the pit of my stomach; this was a very real threat. Everything seemed to happen quickly yet I was still going through my own challenges at the same time. Just before my accident at home not feeling well God was working steering me toward a livestream service. Something I don’t like doing because I would rather be there in person, however, I wasn’t feeling well. God used a little girl, my third cousin to get my attention.
With some 20/20 hindsight I truly believe God allowed my accident to be a wake-up call for me. If anything had been any different, heaven forbid my niece was with me or I hit oncoming traffic, something worse could have happened. Yet God preserved my body and my vehicle. Why?
Each Church in my life has had meaning and a specific purpose. As I have been trying to show in my Church Series, where God Has a way He Has a Will.
One of the lessons learned from the first upheaval was that my fellow congregants didn’t fully understand what was happening behind the scenes. Sometimes people have to feel the pain before comprehension comes. Once again, like deja vu this year I felt like an island unto myself. How do you not be happy with children around except knowing that it’s not the children it’s the adults and what they believe coming into the Church.
Charmers are very real and dangerous. Listen to God and pray for his guidance don’t take a man or woman’s answer to be completely absolute. Still don’t forsake the coming together with other Christians. This is exactly why Christ gave us His Holy Spirit to work inside of us to discern the characters of those around us.
There are times I really miss Grandpa Freddy. Just now I got a text from Bryan, my encouragement and challenger. I wish they could have met. God’s timing is always best so I find this to be an excellent way to finish this article. Bryan said, “Your power has always been in your pen.” My previous thought from the message before said this. “I’m the storyteller of the story behind the story. Sometimes I have to just marvel at that irony coming from the shy girl who was afraid to ask questions as a schoolgirl.”
Grandpa Freddy prepared me to be an outspoken journalist long before I knew this could ever become my niche. Spending hours listening to my elders getting the full context of Bible Stories and now having his Bible Books. Hearing Bible Stories with different variances at different Churches has given me a broader scope in which to analyze for myself. I have been greatly blessed by my family’s Church Communities and once again to be back at Fellowship.
Jewells of Thought 
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