Before we ever left New York, we knew that finding a church would be tough.

After all, there will never be a church that meets our needs like Graffiti. It’s the church where I gave almost 2 years of my life to, as a semester missionary, being a youth director, and even the children’s director for a time.

Because of being on staff there, a variety of things led me to meet my husband.

We were married by Taylor, the pastor of Graffiti.  We dedicated both our boys to the Lord, there.

We’ve given countless hours to serve God thru the church in one way or another, and they’ve become family to us.  It’s beyond words, and yet I could go on and on….

So, how do we even begin to find a church that can be all the things that Graffiti is to us, and meet the needs of the whole family?  We can’t.

And frankly, I didn’t think we’d find anything for months.  I know that part of me just doesn’t want to like any church, because it almost feels like it’d be a betrayal to Grafiiti. Well, believe it or not, I think we’ve found a church already.  And it’s very different than Graffiti.

It’s a pretty BIG church, with upwards of 600 people gathering on a Sunday morning, over the course of 3 services.  It’s got an orchestra and a choir.  It’s got several buildings, with a gym, and a whole wing for kids with murals, Not to mention, plenty of parking for all those cars. You’re probably wondering, like I did, how we could even meet anyone?!  Yeah, I would have thought that same thing, except from the first visit, we were greeted warmly by people as we made our way around the different buildings, and we were told where to go, when we looked lost.  There was as place for our children, each in their own grade levels, which was welcoming, and well-stocked, and filled with many adults to take care of and love the children. During the service, from the very first song, I felt overwhelmed by God’s presence in this place, even as tears rolled down my face, knowing this wasn’t Graffiti; I wasn’t serving and leading in any way, and I didn’t know any of these people.  The power and reality of true praise could not be denied. The weeks to follow, had us visiting other churches, and even making a trip back to NYC to help my parents church with the “Brazilian Day” outreach. A month had gone by, and I really did not know anyone.  The kids were going to school and making firends, Fabio was adjusting at work, and I was at home, alone.  Not fun for an extrovert.

Another thing that stuck out to us about this church was it’s many ministries.  For one, they sponsored Missionaries all over.  Ones in Brazil and Papua New Guinea, to name 2 we heard specifically about.  Then there was the new church they started in a nearby town, the Pennridge mom’s prayer group(which is where the boys go to school), the kids club, the afterschool evengelism club…the list goes on.

So, it’s not an urban church.  There’s not a ministry to the homeless.  They don’t seem to have a food pantry or give lunch out in the park, but they are meeting the needs of the community where they are at.  Which by the way, is surrounded by farms, mostly.

Anyway, the boys are loving the church.  We’ve been dropping them off to the wednesday night program(which has been receiving more than 140 kids) and they are loving it!  We’re enjoying getting to know people, especially me.  I’m part of a group called Moms to moms, which meets every other thursday, and we’re trying to figure out ways we can serve here.

There’s lots of Brazilian people here, and that’s a nice bonus too.

It’s not Graffiti, and it won’t be, but First Baptist Church of Perkasie has found a place in our hearts, and I think soon we will become members and start serving somehow.

Pray for us as we figure out how and where we can fit in to serve.

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