Finding a Church/Community in a New City

In my first ever blog post, I wrote a Q & A on starting a life in NYC, (change and adapting in a new place seems to be a recurring theme in my posts.) I'm sure a majority of you may not exactly be moving to New York as I did, nevertheless, I am hoping that while you too are in a transitional period in your life, you found answers and reassurance in my words. This post I am sharing with you today, may have similar reassurances in a new light. First, I express my very own (summarized) story of coming to know God and then reveal the steps I took in continuing that into a new city.

Personally, I didn't come to know God until I was a Freshman in college. In my younger years, I had religion pushed on me. I felt immensely uncomfortable and judged going to church. Fast-forward to college, I was eager to get after it and try anything that was thrown my way.

My Freshman roommate Marissa, took me to an outdoor, college ministry kick-off called Salt. Here, there were hundreds of college students singing and worshiping God in song followed by a sermon. I was taken back by how many students were at the event - and all my age! However, I was most staggered by how many students looked so... comfortable. The majority had their hands raised to the night sky fully praising God with no shame. That is something I will never forget, it was then that I started my curiosity of the church and wouldn't stop until I found for myself what it meant to be a follower of Christ.

Throughout my four years in college, I had the chance to immerse myself in the bible and learn more. This came in many different forms such as: fall retreats, spring conferences and small groups. The photos above show just a small fraction of the memories I hold near-and-dear to my heart from these worship events.

During my breaks at home in Minnesota, I attend a church called Eagle Brook. In years past, I would go with my friend Megan and her family or go alone; thankfully as time went on and seeds were planted, my family warmed up to the idea and now, go together and have found their own journeys in faith. Below is a picture of my mom, oldest brother and sister in law all getting baptized this past winter at Eagle Brook. I love this picture so much - I wish I could have been there to witness it in person.

The saying, you don't know what you have until it's gone, has quite the fluid meaning. Seeing as I have moved to New York, I am forced to look back and appreciate the places/ people I got to learn and grow with in my faith. Be that as it may, I have the choice to intentionally choose my next steps and how I want to pursue this next chapter in my life. With some trial and error, I have yet to find a match (I think I am getting close) - if you are in that boat, then we are on this voyage together!

Here are 5 steps I have found most helpful when conducting my own search for a church/ community...

1. Ask yourself what are you searching for and why.

When asking this, be honest with yourself. Is it a big church? Meeting new people? Wanting to know who Jesus is? Maybe you are using this new city to restart and want to learn and grow in new ways you never looked into before, (church in general or small groups). Pro tip: small groups are a FANTASTIC way to meet new people!

2. Ask around.

On an average day, you make at least 10 social interactions. This could be online, at work, the grocery store, walking on the sidewalk, the public transit or even your take-out delivery guy. Utilize the people around you, ask them what church they may go to/ someone they know. In my opinion, this is the most reliable source of information since it is word of mouth!

3. Use the internet.

I mean, this one you would think is obvious but does anyone really know where to start? Or even what sites are genuine? Here are a couple of sites that I found helpful and informational: Church Finder and Learn Religions.

4. Assess the leadership/ teachings of the church.

Finding the right church for you, might mean you have to try a few places before 'the shoe fits'. What do they teach? Are they teaching from the bible or from another source? My friend Stacie was trying a church in her new city and sort of going through this same checklist. She stumbled upon a church and went in to try it out... evidently, they didn't speak much english and so she safely was able to rule that one out and continue on her search.

5. Find a church you could picture yourself serving at.

Lastly, I like to search for a church where I can picture myself volunteering and giving my time to - all while with a smile. Doing good will most definitely make you feel good.

Social distancing disconnects people from face-to-face interaction. I empathize with those of you feeling cheated out of time - finding a faith based community is hard work, it requires a great deal of discipline and practice. I promise, the efforts are not without gratification - once you find the right fit for you and add it to your new routine, it will make a world of a difference in your mental state!

I truly hope and pray that this post helped you feel at peace with your efforts in finding a church/ community that is right for you! Give yourself some credit. I look forward to hearing the places you may go and the people you might meet through these experiences in your new city.

As always, please reach out with any blog post ideas you want to see from me in the future! Until my next post.

SRS