Salem Church

A few months ago a friend and I decided that we were going to really make an effort to attend church every Sunday. Effort, you might ask? You were going to try and make an "effort" to attend? Yes, you heard me right. I've gone off and on since I've come but nowhere near regular. One of the biggest reasons is that most of the missionaries here don't go so there isn't necessarily a crowd to follow. And, I felt that the services were more of a yelling match (preacher to congregation - they really yell) and not being able to understand what they were yellin' bout was really frustrating. Maybe you get the picture? Plus we as a team do church every Monday night together so it wasn't that we were missing out on communal worship.
Then came Caleb. And nap times always seemed to line right up with sermon times. Being a single mom and trying to quiet a screaming kid (because he's so tired) by yourself in the back didn't really work either. (And when we get home after church I am the one who deals with the extremely unhappy little one until bedtime. I'm not complaining, but I will admit that it made Sundays pretty difficult to look forward to.) The nice little nursery deal that most churches in the states have aren't part of the deal here. But then, Salem church came around. It pretty much rocks. And they actually had/have a little 'moms' room in the back with speakers inside so you can have an upset toddler and listen to the sermon together! Still though, it was easy to make excuses not to go... Mainly that Oradea is over an hour away and it costs quite much for the gas. Like I said at the beginning, my friend and I decided to get rid of our excuses and just get used to going. We figured that it would take awhile for both our boys to get used to the schedule but it was something they needed, and we needed, to get used to!
I was thinking just this morning about how hard it was to make that step to go every Sunday, yet how incredible it has turned out to be. We try to go to Salem Christian Center every other Sunday and to a church that FCE knows well in the village of Popesti the other Sundays.
I'm really thankful that the Lord gave us the strength to get our butts in gear on this.
Today we were at Salem in Oradea. Every Sunday we go there it kills me to get back in the car to Marghita. Not that Marghita is bad it's just that the sermons and the heart of the pastor and his wife makes you want to be there with them all week in community. The series he has been on now for awhile now is about us living to our maximum potential that Christ has created us to be/do. The Biblical challenges that this pastor lays out each week on this topic just make me go "aaaghghgh." You want to be there with that church and what they are doing in that city for Christ. I love it. And I am definitely lovin' going to church each week as well...