Papa and I recently decided to visit a house church that we first heard about over a year ago.. We've been looking for a house church for quite a while since ours sort of melted :) Different people going different ways with no hard feelings. We've tried several of the churches in town but haven't found a fit. We've always house churched, for reasons I'm not going to get into in this post, and really wanted a house church. So I facebooked one of the ladies in my home school group who I knew went to this house church and asked her if we could visit their home church. That was Thursday. She fb-ed me that night and said sure, gave me the time and directions and told me they pot lucked after. She also offered to feed us when we visited but we eat a lot so I fb her back and said Thanks but I'd bring some food too ;) I also asked, I'm a bit nervous about meeting new people, if we knew anyone in the group. I did!! Of the 4 couples she named we knew 3 of them1! Super exciting! I called Papa at work, about something else, and mentioned it and he surprised me by saying.. Fb her.. we are going! That was Saturday night. I made a meal to take along, showered all the kids and checked and restocked my diaper bag.
Sunday Morning we inhaled breakfast, early mornings are not our norm, got everyone dressed and headed out the door.. Yes..we get dressed AFTER breakfast when we are going out.. then you don't get breakfast on your to town clothes. Papa and I both grabbed our coffee cups, the food, the kids, diaper bag, Bibles, and E's puffer bag and headed out! I'd written down the address and we knew where the road was so when we got to it we were super surprised to find it shorter and emptier then it should be... there were no house numbers and really truly it was really only someones very long driveway. At the end of the road there was a padlocked gate and a sign.. "Trespasser's will be shot... survivors will be shot again!!" UM.. we KNEW the couple who's house we were going to was a pastor and his wife. We also knew this could NOT be where they lived!! So we headed back down the road back to the main road and we were just talking about trying another road with a similar name when we spotted a white car!! HEY we knew that car.. it was a couple from the list.. The B family!! I laughed and told Papa.. Follow that car!! They spotted us too, and unknown to us, knew we were joining them for church and stayed in sight and let us follow them.
We enjoyed the fellowship and the potluck and after lunch another friend of ours Mr. C came up to Papa and asked him.. "Do you know how much God wanted you here today??" Papa laughed a little and said he thought he did.. and told him about getting mixed up and following B's to find the place. Mr.C laughed too.. and then told us how much God really did want us there.
The Story really started on Wednesday.. A full day before Papa and I decided to fb Mrs.M. The men of the, recently started, house church get together on Wednesday nights for a men's Bible study and prayer time. After their study they talked a bit about whether or not they were ready to invited people to their house church. They decided they were ready.. and Mr. C told the group that we, the Griggs, had been on his mind and he was going to invite us.
Thursday I fb-ed Mrs. M. Saturday we decided to go. Sunday we went and Sunday afternoon Papa asked if we could join the group. We haven't even met all the couples that go yet, but we will :)
UPDATE! We've gone twice now and have meet all the couples that regularly attend. We are both really enjoying the group and fellowship. Three or four of the men take turns speaking and singing. We've heard two and are looking forward to hearing the others. We've also both started a Bible study with the group.. Papa with the men and me with the ladies :) Amazingly BOTH studies work as they are on Papa's days off. I know the men changed theirs so Papa could go. What a great bunch of people :) We are a bit out numbered though!! There are 14 adults and 25 children :) And two of the ladies are expecting :)
What a MIGHTY GOD we serve!!
