My Life as a Novel

Monday, February 11, 2008. The Anniversary of the day that The Polks set out on a proverbial hunt: The Church Hunt. On Sunday, February 4, 2007, Kyle played his last drum beat and I MediaShouted my last MediaShout as members of First Baptist Church. And on Sunday, February 11, we struck out for the often-elusive "something more".

And two months later, we met our destiny in the persons of Clay Jernigan, Will Browning, and Chris Cinnamon.

And one year after our scheduled departure, I am here to confess that we did the right thing. Confirmation after confirmation (some more serious than others) have sealed the deal. And it's not just because they put a new roof on our house, but it's because they cared enough to put a roof on our house. And it's not just because they helped us throw Polkapalooza 2008, but because they're also going to help with Polkapalooza 2009. And it's not just because our small groups rock hard, but because the small group wouldn't rock quite as hard without the hard-rockin' people in them. And it's not just because the people are awesome, but because they've helped us to realize that Jesus is important enough to recapture and reinvent The Church.

And for millions more reasons, and reasons I don't even know yet ... I am grateful every single day that we did what we did, despite confusion about the next step.

What is God calling you out to do?

Labels: Church Hunt, Journey Church

1. Positivity on Monday mornings (this is two weeks in a row!)
   
2. ... fed by Journey Church on Sunday nights (So much J.C. Positivity.)
   
3. This song. You should like it too. Because really ... Wilco. Does it get much better? I submit that it does not.
   [How is it that I have not heard of this "vox"? Because this song, this song, and, oh especially this song are also (a) there and (b) GOOD! What a happy Monday morning discovery!!] [About that last song: am I the only one who hears that song and thinks, "Oh I’ve got reservations About so many things But not about you"]
   
1. We're going to see Wilco in Charlotte in June. And we're excited. It's Kyle's birthday present. And we got decent seats and did NOT pay $98 for them.
   
4. Spiderman 3: I liked. Kyle hated. "Too girly", says he. " :P " says I.
   
5. Friend Emily is coming for a visit this weekend!
   
6. The Explorer's Club is playing the Map Room this Friday night. They're opening for The Clientele, which should make for a good time. A very good time, indeed.
7. I got some bubble wrap in my office today that is loud and very easy to pop. And I love it. And there's LOTS of it! A good time will be had by me! :)
   

Labels: Church Hunt, Journey Church, Music

Like a glove that fits. Like the right glasses that clear your vision right up. I think the Polk family may have found a church!

I'm not going to go into specifics like I attempted to do. I'll just say these few things:

• We really enjoyed an evening spent with a couple of church planters who will be planting Journey Church in Summerville.
• It is so nice that we both felt a connection with the people and their vision. Oftentimes in the search, we've found an element that Kyle appreciates -- a good band, a non-hokey pastor -- or an element that I appreciate -- teaching that makes a difference. But we haven't made a connection with anyone yet. And I have heard myself saying, "I could be happy anywhere," and all the while feeling jealous of the love that our friends Alex and Jana seem to have for their church - where they literally cannot wait to go on Sundays. They drive a considerable distance every week. They're willing to work and do the "not fun stuff" to promote the Work of that church because they believe in it. Kyle and I are totally willing to do that - but we hadn't found people who shared our vision. Ohhhh! Just sitting and talking with the people ... it renewed my faith in church. I don't want to settle for "being happy anywhere". I want a place that doesn't have to compartmentalize into "Church Life" or "What I Do On Sundays" or "Just Because It's What I Do ...". I'm really excited about it. And rejuvenated. What a difference a day makes!

And that's all I can say about that.

Labels: Christianity, Church Hunt, Journey Church

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love very little more than I love having my feet rubbed. So imagine my surprise when, upon my most recent visit to Seacoast, I experienced just that.

It wasn't as nice as I make it sound. It was actually quite ... strange.

I attended a service last night with a friend of mine. It is intended, I believe, for young, single adults - but fortunately they weren't checking rings at the door. While enjoying our pizza, my friend and I took a seat on a small futon/couch contraption in the back of the room that became our seating for the evening.

Relevant Tattoo Update: Though it doesn't really hurt that much anymore, it still swells at the end of the day, from just hanging there. But if I can keep it propped up for about 20 minutes, the swelling significantly reduces and I can have a normal foot again.

So when I was sitting on this futon/couch, Forward Thinking Friend found a chair for me to prop my foot on. As the service started, the room filled up pretty quickly. Shortly after the music began, a young guy came in and stood in the back, near where my foot was propped. When people would sit, he would just sorta squat. I offered him my foot-prop chair and he gladly accepted it.

He scooted the chair rightupnextto the end of the futon/couch. I thought it was a little odd, but ... maybe he couldn't see from where the chair originally was. No biggie. Then I noticed that every time the Pastor would pray, this guy - from his chair - would leeeean over my foot - appearing very uncomfortable. I thought, "It looks like he's really investigating my foot ... but the lights are out!" He could probably see the impression of a tattoo on my foot, but there's no way he could see the details it appeared he was looking so closely for. So I just thought, "Well that's how this guy prays. Whatever."

When the music started back up at the end of the service, this guy walked out the back and I thought for a second, "Would it be ok for me to prop my foot again?" But he reappeared pretty quickly, answering that question for me. But then he just sorta walked around in the back - but always came back to the chair.

Finally the lights came back on at the end of the service while the "File Out" music was playing. I was speaking with a couple of my friends and was suddenly distracted by the presence of a kneeling male at my feet.

He spoke very quietly, but I think I made out the words, "I like your tattoo" before he started rubbing my foot. Wha? Fortunately it wasn't hurting anymore but ... could you get any more awkward?!

I joked that Seacoast just likes to make sure it's meeting needs above and beyond expectations, as I was recounting the story for Kyle. He welcomed me - officially - into the Tattoo Club. Apparently admission is only official after you've had the first of many people who feel it's completely ok to touch your tattoo or move shirt sleeves or pants legs out of the way without your permission so they can see your tattoos.

Labels: Church Hunt, Good for a laugh

Kyle and I got the chance to talk about stuff last night. (I hadn't seen him since Monday night!) I told him how much I enjoyed Seacoast and how actually going there defied any preconceived notion that I had of it. Sure, it's big and "corporate-ish". I had expected that, but not in as negative of a light as some. (It's working, no?) But I had expected a multitude of people - all representing one generation. I was surprised and pleased to see multiple generations worshipping together by choice. I had expected it to be really loud and really rockin'. It was good and I don't mean that. But it wasn't deafening and it was stylistically a little different than I expected. I had expected a HUUUUGE worship center that was completely packed with people. And it was packed, but it wasn't really any bigger than some Baptist churches I've attended. I think I had in mind that it was just this really HUUUUUGE place where you just wade in a pool of people, straining to see over their heads and simultaneously not get your toes stomped. (Seems a bit ludicrous in hindsight, I suppose but ... oh well.)

And, when walking through the hallway, I happened to look up to see that there was a kid above my head in a big plastic bubble!! The children's area is apparently upstairs and has a big playscape in it. I love that the church leadership is that forward-thinking that they're making the church a place where kids actually want to be! I love that it looks like a mall and has a big cafe styled like a "food court" that teenagers feel comfortable hanging around in. (If history has proven anything, it's that teenagers and malls are an easy combination, no?) Now I'm sure there are issues with "spoiling the spoiled" -- but when they come there, they hear the word, they worship ... they're at church!!

As you can tell, I really enjoyed it. And I'm enjoying it more as I have time to process it. We talked a lot last night about my reaction to everything and how pleasantly surprised I was by all these things.

Oh yes. Another benefit: I really loved the anonymity of Seacoast. Not one single person asked me, "Why aren't you at First Baptist? Why are they cancelling their contemporary service?" Extra bonus points.

Anyway. Does this mean we'll be attending Seacoast this weekend? Probably. Which one? Who knows?

Labels: Church Hunt