Doug and I quickly realized that Alison was learning about God at school, but not at home. We believed in God, but didn't make him a part of our every day lives. We decided to change that.
We went to CPC one Sunday morning. I found that it was very different from my childhood church. In that church, parishoners stood when they were supposed to stand, sat when they were supposed to sit, and responded when they were supposed to respond. There was no opportunity for a personal relationship with God. I never felt connected to that church. CPC felt so different to me. I was struck by how personal the services were. The messages from the pastors and praise band were all so personal and emotional. I was especially impacted by the testimonies of the members. Their courage to speak so candidly really had an effect on me. I loved hearing how God was at work in their lives.
Doug and I started to go to church every Sunday, and it was something that we looked forward to. Not only did our faith grow, but we met some wonderful families. There were some families who really made a point of looking out for us. They called us, invited us to their homes for dinner, and made playdates with our children. They invited us into their circle of friends, even though we were the "new people." We are now in a couples small group with some of those families. It means so much to us that our children will grow up with other children whose families share our same values. Even though our family is on the east coast, we have a "family" here of CPC members. It has made our transition here so much easier. I now tell Doug that we can never leave Danville because we will never find another church like CPC.
Our belonging to the church has now evolved into serving in the church. I volunteer in Sunday school, and serve in Mothers Together. I also bake for the courtyard parties. Occasionally I even let Doug sample a cookie or two! Doug is an usher in Video Cafe, and he led the 2009 Men's Conference. He also served as a small group leader at ALPHA. Doug took the ALPHA course a few years ago, and had life changing impacts from it. Volunteering has given us so much joy. We truly receive more than we give. We found that the more we serve the Lord, the more the Lord is at work in our lives. As a result, we have grown in faith as a family.
Thank you to the CPC community for welcoming us!
Contact Linda Roberts for more information or phone 855-1367
ext 225.
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