church

i went to church this morning, Mitchell United Methodist Church. I have mixed emotions about church most days. I was baptized Catholic, then my parents started attending a Lutheran church, then they left that church and started going to some church group that met at people's homes (frogs and owls were signs of the devil. I remember my sister crying when my dad took her kermit the frog away from her), then Methodist. I felt as though i had religion shoved down my throat. What i believe in is everyone can believe in what they want, buddah, jesus christ, god, whatever. It's your CHOICE to believe in something or not to believe. As far as i am concerned i am Methodist and my church is Mitchell. I remember living on KI Sawyer and driving to Negaunee on the weekends, to spend time at my grandparents and to go to church (I would stay at my Auntie Tillie's, Auntie Mar's and Liz's house).

It makes me feel good to go to church but on the same note i don't believe you have to go to church to "believe". I brought all 4 of my kids to sunday school every sunday because i believed it was the right thing to go. They were all confirmed at Mitchell, Sheena attends regularly (teaching sunday school), Aubri is going more (helping in childrens' time, sunday school, choir), Derick goes occasionally and Tyler doesn't like to go at all. I believe at their ages they can make their own decision about church, whether to go or not to go. I don't attend regularly, the past 10 years i have skied every sunday in the winter and the summer i am not usually around on sundays.

Today happened to be All Saints' Day, where we remember people who have passed in the past year. Of course i always think of my mother, grandfather and my other loved ones that have passed. I always sit in the pew that my mother, grandmother and aunt's sat in, today i was by myself. My friend Guido's name was in the bulletin, i am glad the whole church is praying for him because he needs all the help he can get. I sing because i love church music, my mother & father sang in the choir; my cousin, sister, brother-in-law and now my daughter still sing in the choir. Sally asks me constantly when i will start but thats not for me. It was also communion, i participated. The sermon was good and what i like about Reverend Mater is that he wears a robe. It brings me back to Rev. Schoonover days...i think i will try to make it at least twice a month!