I'd like to go to church for good Friday

flushed the key to finding a church to attend with no obligation and no worries of being overly greeted and so forth is to find a really big church. Like 1500 or more. The smaller churches tend to want to grab you at the door, grill you, and almost not let you go. With a big one though, you are just another face in the crowd. They have no clue if you've ever been there before. For all they know you could have been coming there for a year. Also with the bigger churches instead of shoving "the gospel message" down your throat they are more inclined to do some sort of nice little play or music show, rather than a boring sermon. They generally won't try to lay hands on you, give you a prophecy, pray the demons out of you, and so forth. LOL

First of all, thanks to all of you for your contributions to this thread. It's very much appreciated and I love hearing the experience of others. It gives me perspective.



Bella, that's a good question and a valid one. I wasn't sure myself why I felt the pull to go. I wasn't sure what I was seeking.

I think, the thing is, so much of my experience of church was bound up in childhood ideas and memories.
I've reached a point in my life where that stuff is fading to the background, I am feeling more 'my own person'. And I realized there is a lot I have yet to see and learn about church communities, beliefs, and what it has to offer people.

I guess I just wanted to see for myself what it was all about: as an adult.

I do intend on attending more services, at various churches. I just want to learn about these things.

thanks

Following my husband around the country though various transfers, and due to fate or circumstances or some grand design--I never know what to call it--I have worked either as a full time vocation or as a part time vocation for Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a Christian bookstore full of Four Square Gospel charismatics, and some nondemnominational Christian groups. Obviously I was not a member of all these groups but I did wind up worshiping with all or most of them at some time or another.

In all cases I was able to just blend in and my status as a member or non member was never questioned.

Catholic and Episcopal churches generally do not have an 'altar call' or invite people to join during the church service. Some others do, but only attendees inspired to do so will respond. A few fundamentalist churches give very passionate emphatic altar call, but even then any kind of response is purely voluntary.

I suspect in every church service you attend, there will be a number of folks who are just there to be there but who are not members and have no intention of becoming members. If questioned by well intentioned greeters, generally a simple explanation of "I'm just here to visit, thanks" is sufficient to buy you privacy and it is unlikely you will be pressured in any way. If somebody asks if you would like to be called on, and you wouldn't, just politely declne. Any church worth its salt will respect that and will leave you alone.

I think going to church should not be scary or coercive, and if you find that it is, just shrug it off as an anomaly and pick a different denomination the next time.

I appreciate that, Foxyfyre.
This is 'how to go to church' for beginners!
I feel I will be much more comfortable the time around; and if I'm not, I won't feel badly about leaving.
excellent!

here's some good advice.... don't even bother going... waste of time

Why do you just want to go twice a year or whatever?

For kicks. It's fun:)

I was never dragged to church with shackles on my hands, so it's all good.