Good Lord!

To Church, or not to Church? That is the question.

Every Sunday morning I go to the countryside for a drive. I love it. It clears my head and gives me ideas for my Medium writing (including this one) which I usually dictate to Siri whilst in a caffeinated state with the hopes that I can return home and try to make sense of what I was trying to say at the time and rewrite in a way that will provide a thought-provoking and enjoyable read.

Sometimes it works and a story is well received, but sometimes I read my notes and just laugh at myself (to hide the self-disappointment) and delete it, thanking myself for not posting such crap and losing all the friends I’ve worked on connecting with on Medium (thanks for hanging around though!).

This morning I was in the elevator heading out, and I spoke to a guy I had seen before.

We shared some ‘elevator chat’ and I made a comment about him being up early for a Sunday. And he said, “Yeah I’m going to church”.

I responded with an encouraging “That’s great”, and he politely asked about my purpose for heading out on a rainy Sunday morning.

I shared with him that I was going for a drive and he told me that if I’m ever interested in attending his church then it’s just down the road and I’m welcome.

I wanted to be respectful and not dismissive, so I paused, looked at the ground as if in a deep moment of consideration, then looked up at him and said, “Yeah, thanks. I might just do that”.

I didn’t mean it at all. It was all a social grace, an act just to make him feel good for asking. After all, it was Sunday morning and when it comes to church I can honestly say that I’ve ‘Been there and done that’.

I guess it’s because I’ve been on both sides of the belief spectrum. I used to be a hardcore born-again Christian, but something changed along the way, and I ended up abruptly leaving that life as I saw the real light.

Now, here I am, 10 minutes later driving solo through the countryside, feeling a bit lonely, while that guy from the elevator is out there, probably feeling all connected and celebrating life with his fellow churchgoers.

Although I’m not a churchgoer, the idea of going to church struck a chord with me.

It got me thinking about how awesome my memories of church were and that maybe, just maybe people don’t necessarily go to church just for God or a spiritual experience.

Maybe it’s more about the human connection and the celebration of life. Maybe we could create that kind of vibe without the whole religious shebang? That’s a church I’d go to again.

I mean, I get it. Church can be pretty cool. The community, the prayers, the sense of belonging — it’s a package deal. But what if we could have that without the dogma? What if we could just get together and be stoked about being alive without any particular ‘guidance’?

I have to admit, there’s a part of me that hopes I’m wrong about the whole God thing. Maybe there’s a forgiving higher power up there looking out for us. That would be pretty comforting, you know?

As I continue my solo drives, sipping on my coffee and feeling the freedom, I can’t help but wish for a group of people who get where I’m coming from. A crew that’s all about embracing life without the whole religious hoopla.

So yeah, that’s where I’m at. Just trying to find my tribe, whether or not we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet. Because in the end, it’s not about what we’re praying to — it’s about the connection we share as humans, celebrating this wild ride called life.

Suddenly church doesn’t seem all that evil.

Prove me wrong?