Appreciating the Church in the Kip

            Since coming out to Camp Qwanoes I`ve found it a struggle to get deeply involved and connected with the church I`ve been assigned to. I know there is a reason that God has placed me at that church and I know he’s going to do a lot of awesome work through me during my time there. One of the hardest things being here has been the lack of connection I’ve made with the church assigned to me as I have been missing my church back home a massive amount. I always appreciated my church back home and loved it because it felt like one big family. Since coming here I’ve learned to appreciate it even more because of experiences from my ministry areas and with the completion of the Church Ministry course. I have really come to appreciate the worship style and fellowship of my church back home along with the equal focus on all aspects of the church and finally a major component of my church back home that has been missed is the youth group/ children’s ministry programs available.

            My Church back home has a great worship leader who is able to connect in a deep and intimate way with the rest of the church. He loves worshiping and he does a great job at it. His rhythm, song choice and band choice are all really well done and the church can tell that he is passionate about it and talented in the area of music. My church back home is really good at not putting too strong of a focus on worship but enough that people are able to sense the Holy Spirit through our worship times that we have. One thing that Innerkip Presbyterian has started doing that is a really sweet thing is having worship nights. So that they aren’t taking all the time up in the service they begin a worship service outside of the Sunday morning church services. This is an idea that I think is really cool and I appreciate that movement occurring.

            The fellowship at my home church was one of the things that initially connected me. Since coming here and being invited and welcomed into my church here I’ve realized I definitely appreciate the fellowship at my home church. A reason I’ve realized this is because to me my church back home was like a family. People cared about my life and what was going on we spent time communicating with one another for sometimes hours after the church service and it was always an encouragement going on a Sunday knowing I would be welcomed, loved, and cared about. I also appreciate the way that my church back home isn’t over welcoming but welcoming enough that you don’t feel left out or not accepted.

            Finally the children’s ministry and youth ministry programs are something I’ve come to appreciate a massive amount. Back home the youth leader and children’s ministry leaders put a massive amount of time into planning on ways to get individuals involved and the effort that goes forth is always evident as there is always a large number of individuals. Not only are many people attending but they aren’t finding themselves bored as a lot of time is put into welcoming individuals, having fun, and sharing about God. I find that my church back home after the church ministry course as a healthy balance of all the different purposes of a church and aspects that make the church a church. My church back home does an incredible job at welcoming, focusing on worship, fellowship, evangelism, and teaching. My church also does a lot of mission trips and serving others which is another aspect that I have come to appreciate since being here.