A New Church Home

So far, this blog has mostly chronicled our adventures in discovery of all there is to see and do in the DC area. To be sure, it is an area rich with the history and institutions of our nation. We have populated our blog with stories and photos of beautiful buildings, memorials and statues. It truly has been quite an adventure, so far, and there is so many more things on our to-do list. Another adventure, undocumented to date, has been our search for a new church home. This has been ongoing since we moved last September, and many of you have asked if we have found a church yet.

Such a search does not come easy, as many of you know. In our 29 years of marriage, we have belonged to two churches - Cedar Cross UMC and Northshore Christian Church. It had been about 16 years since we last went looking for a new church, so we were really rusty! Our desire was to seek out the place where God would want us to serve and worship. So we drew up our list of places we wanted to check into and spent several months visiting and checking them out. One place, though, kept drawing us back.

The good news is that we have found a place to call home here! It is Clear River Community Church right here in Centreville. (Click here for link) It is a small assembly, smaller than we had ever experienced before. However, we could tell from the beginning that there is a fresh spirit in their worship, truth in the message, and genuine love in their hearts. We have now committed ourselves to this place of God.

One fun story is how we first heard about Clear River. Callie and Matt go to church with George and Lisa Otis, who know Stuart McAlpine, a Pastor in Washington, DC. Lisa told Callie to have us contact Stuart when we get here. Well, guess who Stuart knows in the Centreville area? Jeff Ling, the Pastor of Clear River.

We have gotten into a home Bible study group and have attended men and women's groups. It is nice getting to know people now on a more personal level. As we have shared our story (See "Back to the Beginning of the Story" (9/27/08) by clicking this link), we have told people this: Dan's job was the means that God used to move us to Virginia, but we will continue to seek out His purpose for doing so. Why are we in Virginia? We hope that this will one day be revealed. In the meantime, we will trust and follow Him.

To all our dear friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ back in Washington, you are not being replaced. We miss you all. We still hold a place in our hearts for every one of you.

Blessings,

Dan and Barb