31 Days of a Small Town Gal (Day 4): this is where we worship.

{Welcome to our October series "31 Days of a Small Town Gal". You are on Day 4. Missed any previous posts? Click {here} to catch up!}

Seven years. That is how old our church is. Seven. The first service that ever took place was on August 3rd, 2005. We were in an old, empty building on North Tennessee Avenue in LaFollette that housed dead bugs of all kinds. Alive bugs of all kinds. But we did not care. It was home. We did not even have chairs at the time. We sat on the floor, mutant crickets hopping all around, and soaked in the goodness that God had given. 

The second building we moved into, or "Paradigm #2", was only a few doors down. It was bigger, but housed, well, junk, from over the years from a previous tenant. We found a dead opossum carcass in what would be the pastor's study. We swept up old cigarette butts, crushed beer cans, and threw away armfuls of fluffy, pink, molded insulation. But we did not care. It was home. And we had chairs this time. Metal folding chairs, donated from another church in town that used to be in the UT field house.

The third building, or "Paradigm #3", had been a church before we moved in, so it had carpet. Ceilings that didn't leak. Two bathrooms. And we had pews this time. And a new generation beginning to grow within the church. And (a few) less bugs than before. But we did not care. It was home. 

The fourth building, or "Paradigm #4" is where we currently worship. It is a metal building that had been an old tire shop. We gathered men, strangers, volunteers, family--anyone willing to get paid in pizza to help create a church out of a space littered with grease spots, flat tires, and alternators. We now have a kitchen, two bathrooms, a child's room, and an attic that stores all the fun stuff from the first three buildings. 

 

So here we are. Some of us have long hair, some have short hair, some do not have hair. We wear jeans during service and no one seems offended. I can pass my child off to anyone to help one of my other children. Our children sit in the service with us. This sounds ridiculous to most people until your children begin to raise their little hands during prayer time and request prayer for family. Or they can recite what they learned during service. Or sometimes they spill a bagful of Goldfish on the floor. We all have our days. 

Some have tattoos. Some wear black a lot. No, we are not a cult. 

I always have help unloading my van. There is always someone with extra wipes. No one snubs me if I am a few minutes late. Or I can be quiet and people understand.  

We cry together, we pray together, we support each other even when others do not.

Because that is what God has us doing today. Today we are to read His word and share His goodness. Today we love and we fight back; His word is more powerful that any two edged sword. 

We are not perfect. We are forgiven.

This is where we worship.