Posted by Fiiiyer on November 27, 2002 at 13:49:52:
Hey Pastor Steve...Hey Cari Wow!! Just when I find a REAL Church, it all
falls apart. Just my luck!! (joking, just joking, don't hit so hard...hehehe!)
That being said, I wanted to take the time, off the board, to let you know
something... You've both made an incredible difference in my life, just in
the short time that I've known you. Let me explain... I've only truly met
Jesus since meeting Jason, and was still having difficulty seeing his words
come alive to me. I didn't want my first experience back at church to be someplace
where I was looked at oddly, where there was gossip after Church about who
wore what and whom was sleeping with whom and snicker-snicker! A place where
the masses spoke of Godliness and love yet showed closed minds and closed
hearts to people around them. I didn't want it to be with my parents at Christmas,
back to an oppressive Catholic Church with memories of priests who can't
answer my questions and would instead kick me out. Where I'm told the only
role that I, as a woman, can play in a Church is to become a nun…don't know
about you, but that whole abstinence thing…forever?? You must be kidding!
You get the point. So I ended up haranguing Jason week after week to take
me to this awesome church he kept talking about, (and we both know that boy
can talk!) to take me to meet this awesome Pastor who sees things in Jesus'
words that others don't. Who can make the word come alive to his people. A
Pastor and congregation who won't shun me because I'm a tattooed freak (and
unashamedly so!) A Pastors wife and beautiful person, who not only deals with
and manages the church goings on, but still remains true to herself, supportive
of her husband and just great overall. So FINALLY...we wake up and decide
to go to Church. (Yipee!!) We waltz on in, (late as usual thanks to getting
lost) and I find before me the most beautiful congregation I've ever seen...led
by this...get this.... INTELLIGENT, well spoken, charming Pastor, who knows
his shit! (Keep in mind my former experiences with clergy...I was in shock
here!) Not only was I not shunned, I was welcomed with open arms! Listening
to your words, your teaching...brought more understanding of Jesus' words
to me than anything previous. Your words, the overall experience, brought
more of a love for Christ to me than ANYTHING previous. I left the service
that day wanting to return again and again...wanting to make it a weekly
occurrence. Pretty much telling J that I'm now considering moving to Tampa
because I want to be part of this beautiful thing. Because finally, I felt
called to something.
Coffee at midnight...just great! Good conversation, good friends. I've really,
though not having known you for long at all, come to consider you both as
friends/family. Ties I'm not willing to let fall down and flap in the breeze.
Please know that I love you both and am more grateful than you can imagine
for having had the chance to feel a part of something, for meeting you and
PU. Please know that though there's much strife, confusion and consternation,
there's also love. I hope to have the chance to hang out with both of you
again...and I know J would just about die without the ability to converse
with PS, his favourite giver of braindrenaline. Please stay in touch...your
friendship is so much more than worth the drive. In love and hope ~N~