Shopping for a New Church, "Week 4"

This next venture was more of an adventure just for myself. My family was away this weekend, so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to explore more diverse experiences. However, as you'll see, for the most part I couldn't have gotten further from that desire.

I had wanted to experiment with the Presbyterian and Lutheran experience. While I didn't have time to do both, I did get a taste of of the Presbyterian worship service - and boy was it odd. It is the Nashua Presbyterian Church. There were about 50 people squeezed into their beautiful, little room they call a sanctuary.

I felt extremely uncomfortable. I don't know if my experience was tainted by a negative opinion my wife had fed me the week before, but I felt very strange there. I felt as though I had inadvertently stumbled into the meeting of a secret society.

Everyone there had the look and feel of some social assembly, like the Masons. I felt like I was waiting for them to start chanting and making oaths. They all greeted each other with their perfunctory words, "peace of Christ."

As they worked through their "order of service" I sensed a lot of ritual. I didn't stay very long - 15 minutes. I had wanted to get over to the Baptist church in Hollis, where I had been curious to attend eversince moving to "Hollis." They had about 50 people there that day, too.

I did not expect what I found at the Faith Baptist Church of Hollis. I was actually comfortable, familiarly so. I felt right at home. I was so surprised. I even snickered to myself when they started to take verbal prayer requests and praises from the congregation for their prayer time. Even the pastor preached like me! (And I didn't like it...haha.)

Every word, behavior, and aspect of their service was a spot-on-match with the services I have lead. It was eerie. I was slightly disappointed because my family and I had no intention on travelling to Hollis again for church. But man, now I want to. I had just come today out of curiosity. Well, we'll see what we do now.