Home for church...

When we first moved to Tucson we started going to a church we really liked and met most of our closest friends there. Since then, the church has disbanded as we first knew it, but we have stayed in close touch with the friends we made...something that I feel is unique and also very wonderful.
With no longer having that church to attend, Ryan and I found our way to another church that we enjoyed. We were going to our new church for over a year when we became saddened to realize that most of our other friends hadn't yet found a church they liked and some even seemed to have given up hope in searching. We decided to skip church one Sunday and instead have all of those friends over for a time of worship, prayer, and a podcast sermon. We ended that time by having brunch and discussing the sermon around the dining room table. It was one of my favorite times of "church" that I had had in a long time. Being in a community of friends made sharing what was going on in life feel so natural and "real". And having a set time and place to discuss the sermon really helped me to learn more from it.
Now, a year later from that first time, we have decided to host church at our house on a regular basis. The format varies from week to week, as does the "leader". We have more children in our midst now (and 3 more on the way!) that play together in the center of the room while we sing songs and pray; or nurse and fall asleep on their mother's laps. It's a beautiful community of friends.
And, of course we still end with having brunch together each week...