...and that's a fact. Last night I had what was absolutely the best churchgoing experience of my entire life at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. I had visited Trinity United Methodist in Homewood with Jerimie a few times, but the difference in theology was just way too much, and I decided I couldn't go there anymore. I had been researching different churches to go to in the Birmingham area, and I found Briarwood Presbyterian online. After reading all about their church, their ministries, and their doctrine on the site, I was thinking hmmm...I believe I want to try them out! So last night I did. WHAT A BLESSING. The church is positively massive and a little bit intimidating for me at first. I didn't even know what door to go in, I had to stop and ask. As I came through the door, a nice man named Louie met me at the door and I told him I was new at Briarwood and had never been there before. He introduced me to his wife, Rebecca, and she took me under her wing. I sat with her during the service. The service was absolutely fantastic. The praise team and the music were absolutely awesome, and the sermon was positively fascinating, about the first chapter of the book of Daniel. Rebecca introduced me to the pastor and his wife, and they were very kind, genuine people. The pastor's wife does a Bible study on Tuesday mornings and she gave me the book I needed to have to do the study, and it's a study on Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Rebecca also introduced me to a woman who helps run the Christian Medical Ministry of Alabama, a group that meets at UAB. It is a group of Christian people in the medical profession who get together once a week on Wednesday and have lunch and have a Bible study. As a Christian medical professional myself, I found that to be just too cool. I plan on going to both of those studies and I'm sure I will enjoy them! Rebecca is a shepherd for the G and C Sunday School class, which means Graduates and Career, people from 27-39 who are single and in their career. I asked her how many people were in this class, and I'm thinking oh about 30 or 35? FALSE. There are SEVENTY FIVE people in that class! I was AMAZED. They get together and eat after church on Sunday morning and on Sunday night they have a fellowship dinner. I am so thrilled to have found this church! During the service, I was paying attention to the back wall of the sanctuary, which was minus the baptistry. I'm so used to seeing a gigantic baptistry in the background in any church I have ever attended, it was kind of different! I think I'm going to like being a PCA Presbyterian, even if they do sprinkle. :) :) God showed me fantastic things last night through my visit to Briarwood, and I met a lot of very awesome people. They made me feel so at home, even though the church is absolutely the most massive church I have ever visited. Their sanctuary is about five times bigger than my home church, First Baptist of Albertville. I just am sad that I can't be part of the music ministry at Briarwood because of my crazy work schedule, the fact that I work second shift. That means no going to church on Wednesday night to practice for either the chancel choir (which has more than 125 people in it) or the orchestra, which are two things I would absolutely love to do. But I think with the two Bible studies during the week and with my Sunday School class I will have plenty on my plate. I am just so thankful to have found this congregation and I'm so looking forward to going again. My grandmother is going to be visiting me this next weekend and she is going to go with me, and I'm glad.
Praise the Lord!!
Love,
RACHEL
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