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Sunday, December 19, 2010

my decision to get involved at church

lately, i've been toying with the idea of getting more involved at my church. i've dreamed for some time about how church could be, and so many of the ideas i've had, i actually see going on at avalon. even today, i leaned over and told my hubby..."if i had done that, i'd have gotten into trouble. I LOVE THIS PLACE!"

i love going to church in blue jeans and a sweatshirt. i even went last week without any makeup, and it didn't bother me a bit...and no one gave me "the look." i'm a good person, but church people have a tendency to make me feel like i don't measure up, that i'm not acceptable, that i'm a troublemaker, that there's something wrong with me. but i don't feel like that at avalon. one of my kids and i were talking a couple of weeks ago about church in general. he said he liked avalon and that it helps that they're nice there. and nice, they really are. and relaxed. and happy. and non-judgmental. i really fear being judged by church people. i hate feeling inferior and lacking. but in the months we've been at avalon, i can honestly say that i have never felt that way...and no one is more surprised than i.

and now i think i've waited, watched and tested them enough. i told the hubby this morning that i think i want to get involved in their outreach program called HOPE. i'll take it slowly. i don't have a problem with GOD consuming my life, but i never want to get myself into another situation in which i let church consume my life. my family comes before my church. and GOD comes before all else.

just making the decision to show interest in a ministry at any church is a huge step for me. i think it's time though. i finally feel like i'm home. i finally feel like it's safe. i finally feel like i've found a place i can be myself and get into some really fun trouble with some really good people. and somehow, i think GOD would approve.

i think that's GOD's way of telling me, "merry christmas!" and what a wonderful gift it is! GOD, you totally rock, and i sooo adore you!

below is the link to MY church! check it out! =)

http://avalonchurch.net/

2 comments:

Pete Ahlstrom said...

Hi Hope,

Your church sounds good. Looked at the web site; impressed with that too. I will say that one thing we've learned is to always pray first and listen for God's leading (like servants listening for their master's directions); then do what he says. If that's to get involved, yes, do it.

Is Avalon a new church for you guys? Kind of sounded like it.
If so, what drew you there?

Did you ever get your e-mail fixed from when it was hacked? Do you have a new email address?

Btw, our www.sparkleofnature.com web site has a new feature. My daughter has put up her first batch of free computer desktop wallpapers. She felt the Lord leading her to do that, so when we found a good digital camera on special at Staples, she started taking like 400 pics a day, AVERAGE.

In all, now, she's taken over 20,000 (in 2 months), and picked close to 100 to display. They're beautiful. (Or maybe that's just the proud father syndrome.) But you're welcome to look, and if you see some you'd like, they are free.

Blessings on you and your family!

Pete, Yvonne, Yvette and Bill Ahlstrom

hope hammond said...

we've been going there since the spring, except for the time david was filling in at a church whose pastor had just resigned. facebook first got me looking at avalon. i kept seeing it on some of my friends' pages. then i checked out the website and was pleased and relieved to find they have a sense of humor. we visited, and i loved the music, the atmosphere, the real and honest teaching. they said things that we've only talked about at home but never heard discussed in church. i heard my pastor say, "i don't know" regarding scripture once. how refreshing was his honesty! i also liked their focus on outreach. they call it HOPE. nice name, btw. and they're nice and not overbearing. i love that they've allowed me to be anonymous for a while. i'm looking forward to getting involved in HOPE. i've enjoyed outreach in the past. this will be fun. thanks for the comment!