Which church is right for me?

I often wonder what it must be like for someone who is searching for a faith community.  There are so many things to consider.  Is the location close by?  Does the building look nice?  What programs do they offer?  What do they believe? Do I know anyone who attends there?  Will they be a good fit? There are so many things to consider that finding a church home can feel overwhelming.  

I confess that my journey into the Presbyterian Church (USA) was not complicated.  My parents raised me Presbyterian, my grandparents were Presbyterian.  In fact, there are Presbyterians as far back as Ancestry.com will take my family line.  But I didn't choose to become a pastor in the PC(USA) because of my family, or because it was easy.  I became Presbyterian because of what it means to be a Presbyterian.  Presbyterians are faithful reflectors.  As a part of the Reformed tradition, we are rooted and grounded in love, anchored in Christ, and implanted in the Word of God.  When I first began working in the church as a Christian educator, the denominational curriculum at that time defined the resource as: Biblically Grounded, Historically Informed, Socially Engaged, Ecumenically Involved, and Communally Nurtured.  I loved this description because it so aptly defines who Presbyterians are.  To borrow a phrase from the theologian, Karl Barth, when we approach the word of God, we have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.  Ours is a faith that is about more than seeking salvation and eternal life, it is a journey of following Jesus into places of worship, into historical study, into our neighborhoods and into the world - together.  We do everything in community, not in isolation.  

People often joke that the way we function is unique, but pretty boring.  That can be true, I suppose, but the fact that we are structured so that everyone has a voice and no voice is more important than another is exciting for me.  We don't have a Pope, or Bishops, or other leaders who control the church from the top down.  We are all in it together!  I value that because it means that the discernment of God's will, for this day and time, happens in a collective hive.  We listen to the voices of scholars and leadership at the same time we listen to the voices of members.  Together, we study, share our stories, pray, and listen for God speaking through the hive.  We are communally nurtured. 

As a woman, being part of a denomination that ordains women into leadership is a treasure.  I began to feel God luring me into ministry in High School.  It began with a sense that God was calling me into church leadership.  I was never told there wasn't a place for me.  Granted, I was initially told that I was being called to be a church educator rather than a pastor, but through a journey of prayer, conversation with colleagues and friends, I was welcomed into the ordination process where I have been blessed to share the gifts and talents for ministry God has given me.  In many denominations, this opportunity would not have been given, regardless of my strong sense of being called by God.  

Presbyterians are not perfect, we're just different from other branches of the Church.  Historically we have struggled to discern what God desires from us during times of slavery, civil rights movements, women's rights movements, and most recently in the issue of LGBTQIA+ ordination.  We struggle with standards and how to interpret the Bible.  I am thankful that we don't interpret Scripture blindly.  We enter into conversation with history and tradition, looking through the lens of reason and world experience, recognizing that we are part of a human institution that has been influenced by societal norms that often exclude people.  We understand that the context Scripture came from is important to the conversation.  We welcome the wisdom of the Jewish community from which the stories came, and we look to the voices of all who are impacted by  exclusion.  Ultimately, we hold the unconditional love of the gospel in tension with the rule of law as we find our way.  It is a process that takes time, but I believe that God speaks to us with fresh new messages of hope for all.  No exclusion.  

I love that Presbyterians stand with those who are in need.  Our service is more than providing food to the hungry and clothing to the naked.  We also work to change legislation that impoverishes people and denies justice to anyone.  Micah 6:8 is often lifted as an important representation of our mission.  "What does the Lord require of you?  To seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God."  The pathway to justice draws us into political arenas and out on the streets, not to impose a moral code, but to work to tear down walls that divide and impede justice.  

Finally, I love that in the PC(USA), no one is expected to believe a doctrine without question.  Wrestling with questions of faith is welcome!  I love that those who wonder about the Bible or about traditions and practices in the church are welcome to speak them out loud and discuss them.  We don't force people to change their beliefs, just invite them into a conversation that asks them questions like, What does this idea say about the nature of God?  Is it consistent with Scripture?  Did Jesus have something to say about this idea?  Sometimes revelations about God come through those questions.

No church is perfect, neither is the PC(USA), but being part of this community has allowed me to grow from the faith of my parents, to a maturing disciple of Christ who continues to learn, wrestle, and grow.  May God guide all those who are seeking a faith community to find the place where they feel most able to grow.  If you're curious, check out a PC(USA) congregation.