I am looking for suggestions on a church. I am shopping for a new one to attend with my kids, ages 7 and 8. I have been to 5 so far and they all had ridiculously loud worship music. I don't want a rock concert with 4 electric guitars and an over enthusiastic drummer....I just want some nice worship music. You know, the kind where you just might actually feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and not just the blast of an amplifier. Is there such a thing as a church that is the right balance between too traditional and too contemporary?
You may have to drive out farther into the country. But even then, it'll likely be a congregation of 40 people, all over the age of 60 yrs old. At least that's what I've found to be true here in Texas.
Added: Here in the city (San Antonio), the EARLY Sunday morning services are more traditional -- the 8am services.
I found it in the catholic church. give it a try. if you decide it is for you then you can take the classes. I attended services with my husband for almost ten years before taking the classes. the only catch is you can't take communion until you take the class.
Our family attends Red Mountain United Methodist Church. We LOVE it. I actually attended this church when I was in junior high and high school. My daughter (4) also attend preschool here. She loves it. The Wednesday night programming is awesome for the whole family. There are classes and activities for all ages and interests. My husband is even doing Zumba (which I hope to do after my foot heals from surgery) and we both did yoga in the past. There are of course bible study and social issue type classes as well. As far as services, we kind of bounce back and forth between two services. I prefer the contemporary service. It's contemporary without feeling like you're at a rock concert and you don't walk away deaf. ;) We also have a very early coffee house worship service and then in the middle is our traditional service. Check out our website for more info or message me if you're interested in trying it out. I'd be happy to meet you there for a Sunday service. Not sure where in Gilbert you live but the chruch is right off the 202 so it's easy and quick to get to. We have several members that live in Gilbert. http://mesachurchaz.org/home
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We recently became members of this church http://www.desertheritagechurch.com/
It's a small, friendly, welcoming group of people who do a lot of good for the community. This is my first time attending church as an adult and I'm surprised at how much I look forward to going every week. I always leave there with a good feeling. Anyone is welcome to come check out worship service - just show up. Hope to see you there.
I looks like you are out in Gilbert so this may not be helpful at all but I thought I would respond because I had to laugh out loud when I read your post. I totally understand what you mean. I love our church and the worship music is perfect! Not too loud and not lull you to sleep sort of stuff. Just yesterday I had to go to the worship leader and tell her how awesome it was. I almost cried a bit it was so moving. Anyway, we go to Lighthouse Fellowship out in Buckeye. It's off the I-10 at Jackrabbit. North of Thomas. It's a bible church and our family is so blessed because this church is Spirit moved. Happy church shopping no matter what. I know it can be frustrating, getting your family ready and spending half your day just to be disappointed. I know you will find the right fit.
These are all relative terms....lots of people find the holy spirit amidst the 4 electric guitars! LOL
Some churches offer a more upbeat Saturday evening worship service. Have you tried that?
We're no longer in the Phoenix area, but our favorite church in your area is the Church of the Redeemer in Mesa http://www.churchredeemeraz.org. It is a bit more traditional than most. Best wishes!
K.
i attend a church of christ. they praise god with their voices not instruments. it is a non denominational church.
I just did a search through a network of churches that might have something you might find more comfortable, and I found this one:
http://www.legacybaptist.com/
Maybe they might be a good place to start.
Blessings!
I go to desert springs bible church and the first service is acoustical, and the other ones are more contemporary. It is probably too far of a drive for you. it is near tatum and bell in phoenix. I think other churches are moving towards that too. But I totally agree with you about the music. I used to go to church late to skip the bad music and just hear the preacher.
Our church offers the "Holy Roller" service for our younger crowds, it is always well attended. Then at 11 we have the conservative service, also well attended.
We are a very conservative church.
Check out the churches taht have more than one service. Call ahead of time and ask
What kind if service, music, child care, Sunday School.
Check diferent denominations.
Hi J.. I certainly hope you are able to find a church where you are comfortable. We have recently been looking for a new church after being at the same one for many years. It is very difficult. One church I visited was your run of the mill worship, rock concert, as you say, and one day they spontaneously broke into a country hoe down with fiddles and all. Still worship music but my worship had stopped long ago. Later in the message the Pastor was speaking about what is getting in the way of you and God? He said is it music style? Are you in it for the musical entertainment or the WORSHIP. Are you able to let the band sing and you just spend time with God. It doesnt have to be a sing along. It hit me good.
Been there done that w/finding a good fitting church. I am a very traditional church goer - I love a good Bible pounding preacher and singing hymns...all of the verses! I am looking for a home church myself.
I grew up non denominational, joined a Bible, Baptist and "seeker sensitive" church after I got married and became very disillusioned by all 3. The Bible church was great w/Bible study "flip through your Bible the whole time" type of sermons, but terrible at their attempt to contemporary worship. The Baptist church was another Bible study sermon format but their worship was strange - they sang contemporary music but had orchestral instruments. Think Sanctus Real in flute and saxaphone - weird. The seeker sensitive church had a loose-barely-preach-from-the-Bible sermon format (I've written in about this before - the pastor has terrible ADD) but the contemporary worship was AWESOME - full band w/appropriate instruments. I had to stop going b/c the pastor kept chasing rabbits through his entire sermon and I could never keep up w/his tangents.
I heard of a Methodist church that had a traditional service so we visited one time and ended up going for the whole summer. The sermon was traditional and not just one verse like at the seeker sensitive church but full passages (but not any Bible flipping) and all we sang were hymns. The only instrument playing was the organ. It was beautiful. The congregation was full of young and old people and everyone sang their heart out. There was such a reverance and holiness while I worshipped there - alot of silence and candles lit everywhere. But it is too far and I really need to find a church like that closer to me for my son's sake.
Good luck on your search. I'll pray for you to find a church if you pray for me too!
Yes. But you have to search for it. Ask your friends and neighbors where they go to church. I have a young friend (she has children more or less the ages of your children, I think) who lives in Arizona, but I have no idea if she's near enough to you for her to invite you to her church.
Some churches hold different types of services at different times of day. My church (too far away for you to commute!) has identical services but does a mixture of music, so there's often a drummer but there's also an organ; the music ranges from the great hymns of the faith to some of the better praise music from the radio. We also still have a real church choir - a little unusual these days!
But you need to ask around and pick people's brains. When you visit, check out the preaching as well as the music. :^)
We attend Living Word Bible Church on Val Vista and Brown. They have different services with different "decibel" levels but even their moderate ones are pretty well-balanced and enjoyable. We love this church.
We drive 30 minutes to our church because we like it so much. It is a Catholic Church called St. Tim's (Timothy's). It is prayerful and there is a 10 minute sermon, but it is a friendly family-filled church. Most of the music is from 1980 to the present. We have little ones and therefore attend the 8:30 or 10:30. There is a teen mass at 5pm on Sundays. I've never been to it but have heard great things about it. They also have outdoor mass on nice days which is wonderful to attend. I suggest giving it a try.
http://sttimothymesa.org/
