On Not Blogging About Church Shopping

It is nearly three months since we moved from Delhi to Hong Kong and friends and family are starting to ask how the move has gone. Truth is, most things have been smoother than expected. We’ve made some compromises on housing and are moving on Friday into an apartment for one year. L‚’s work is enjoying both the team she has working for her and the challenge of her new role. C, is loving her school starting to make friends and although she misses India, she is adjusting well. I’m pleasantly distracted with my Berklee film scoring course, getting used to a less hands on parenting role now my daughter is in school and enjoying the chance to do some more reading, blogging and writing.

But we haven‚ yet found a church.

I’ve decided not to blog a blow by blow description of the church shopping experience. It’s not that there are no stories to tell, because they are. Some of them are very funny, some tragic and all educational. However, it just doesn’t seem right. We can learn without putting down individual congregations.

You pop into a church for a few weeks, make some judgement, then stay or or in our case so far, keep looking. That process doesn’t really let you know the struggles and challenges the church has gone through. Two of the churches we have so far attended have been a bad fit for us, but they are also trying real outreach, trying to stretch beyond their comfort zone. To blog about them in a dismissive way would be harsh; it would lack grace.

However, in both those churches it has been alarmingly easy to come and leave, week after week, without anyone really saying hello. As an expat in a new city, the last thing you need is another opportunity to be anonymous.

So, what are we looking for? Well the simple answer (like so many other parents of young kids I have spoken to in the last 4-5 years) is a good programme for our daughter. After that, a friendly welcome would be nice – anything else (and I mean that literally), is a bonus.

If you missed it, do check out the King of Hill segment on church shopping (here).

[tags] Church, Ecclesiology [/tags]