Marlene,

Thanks for your comments.  That was a pretty short novel.  And, I doubt you
offended anyone on this list.  Smile.

I'm glad there were those who helped your mom get her life back on track.
We all face things like death of a loved one, just because we live down here
and belong to humanity, and I'm glad those V F W people showed compassion.
I'm sorry
that church going people didn't reach out to her.  Maybe some of the VFW
people were actually christians not belonging to the same church that your
mom attends.  Maybe some were reaching out for the Lord.  Maybe some love
the Lord but don't know Christ.  We all want friends and companionship.
Most of us really don't want to live our lives on an island.  But sometimes
the church doesn't get out of its four walls and reach out like they should.
In fact, I'm afraid this type of thing is more common than not.  In my
growing up years, it was the usual thing for churches to band together to
help and support one another when loved ones passed.  Even in my 20's, I
remember different churches reaching out and doing practical things like
providing food at funerals and afterwards reaching out to the family.  Not
that those acts were always perfect either, but you hardly even hear of that
sort of thing being done now.  Or, at least I don't.


On the other hand, maybe we have to get back to the basics of defining what
the church really is.


By the way, I'd love to know just how you came to the Lord.

Vicki



  ----- Original Message -----
From: "MKaiser" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 11:23 AM
Subject: [ECHURCH-USA] the right church


> I was speaking to a fellow lister last evening about things that are on my
> heart.  First of all, I hope I don't offend anyone, however I think I
should
> say how I feel.
>
> When I was a child, I was never brought up in a church home like others on
> the list were.  I found the lord when I was an adult because when I was in
> boarding school I thought church was a drag.  I found out how cliquish and
> non-caring Christians can be after my father died.  My mom goes to a big
> church and maybe that's why they don't reach out and help people after
> they've lost a loved one.  The people who helped my mom out the most
aren't
> church goer's.  They belong to the VFW, (Veteran's of foreign wars.)
That's
> a social organization for veterans and their spouses.  They helped her
start
> getting her life back on track, got her involved in several community
> projects.  She goes almost every Tuesday for toccos and sometimes has a
> couple of drinks.  I'm telling you all this because even if someone finds
> fellowship with people who are not church people, whose to say they don't
> love the lord after their own fashion.  Sorry for the novel.
>