Worship Wrangeling

Yesterday was the first day of our search for a new Church in Alaska. I took the family to a church that I had gone to a couple times before they got up here, Riverside Community Church. I had enjoyed worship there (both the music and the message) and felt it was worth checking out together as a family. This time however, things were different, not in a bad way, just unexpected. The pastor was out on leave, so the assistant pastor filled in, which meant someone else had to fill in as praise leader, and so on down the line. This was not the difference to which the blog title alludes however, that change was the introduction of two very squirmy little boys into the mix.

At Riverside, the children stay for the beginning part of the service. I like this approach but it is a bit hard when your kids are little. If you have ever been around my kids (or any kids really) you know the only way to get them to sit still is to strap them down. The only way to get them to sit still AND be quite is to strap them down and pump snacks into them.* Unfortunately church pews don't come with seat belts and most snackable items either make a mess, are wrapped in the loudest packaging imaginable, or both.

We sat in the back of the church, and with the help of my Mother-in-Law, (always keep the kids outnumbered if possible) and a well positioned window for the kids to stare out of, managed to keep the ruckus down until it was time to exile the kids to the Sunday School wing. All in all it was a good time and we may wind up returning to Riverside. Next Sunday we will check out a different church, I'll let you know how it goes.

* Please be careful in your snack selection. Cheetos, fresh celery, or anything from the chip family will amplify apprimatley 1000 times in a church sanctuary when chewed, making that guitarist/drummer duo from the youth group, which just happen to be leading worship, sound soft in comparisson.