Agree! We thought we were moving to a place with a strong religious center that would provide a community in which to raise our kids. Made multiple visits. Moved across the country.
We were dead wrong. Two suggestions for those considering doing the same thing:
1) Ask the awkward questions of multiple different people. We assumed too much and our guide was a liar. Had we asked a simple question to two different people, we would have known what we were getting into.
2) When people tell you something, take their actual words at face value. Don't assume they mean X. Listen to the actual words- they were spoken for a reason.
Also, most of the time the person assigned as your guide, or the people that the pastor or priest defaults to have visitors dine with, or stay with, are those that are naturally good natured, positive, and happy. That's natural - they're the ones that are good hosts. They're the one's that are going to see everything in a positive light, and be gregarious.
But, if you need to discern the cons of a place, you need to stop the people that rush out the doors after a service. Visit them if you can. Or make a point to visit during a holiday that the whole community comes out, and talk to them, or ask around about the people that don't come to the events, or socialize. Ask why not, what their deal is, and what people think the way forward is.
It probably is not the way forward, but it will give you a good idea of what is the wounds of the community.
I am in the process of touring different options now, and something I would advise most Protestants is to actually visit the church you plan on making the center of the polis. Catholics, Orthodox, and Muslims usually have such built in traditions that it is not necessary for them, but Protestant churches, even in the same denomination, can end up vastly different. This is possibly the most important factor with your choice.
I will say that, even with Catholics, the location and beliefs of the individuals on matters make the outcomes different. Just ask the FSSP, SSPX, and other Latin Mass societies how things look from their end, and you'll get very different outlooks, and it translates directly into how things are done by their followers.
With Protestants, I imagine keeping in mind the age of the Pastor, and who will take over after he's gone is a huge thing to consider.
Agree! We thought we were moving to a place with a strong religious center that would provide a community in which to raise our kids. Made multiple visits. Moved across the country.
We were dead wrong. Two suggestions for those considering doing the same thing:
1) Ask the awkward questions of multiple different people. We assumed too much and our guide was a liar. Had we asked a simple question to two different people, we would have known what we were getting into.
2) When people tell you something, take their actual words at face value. Don't assume they mean X. Listen to the actual words- they were spoken for a reason.
Agreed. I may do a full post on this very thing.
Also, most of the time the person assigned as your guide, or the people that the pastor or priest defaults to have visitors dine with, or stay with, are those that are naturally good natured, positive, and happy. That's natural - they're the ones that are good hosts. They're the one's that are going to see everything in a positive light, and be gregarious.
But, if you need to discern the cons of a place, you need to stop the people that rush out the doors after a service. Visit them if you can. Or make a point to visit during a holiday that the whole community comes out, and talk to them, or ask around about the people that don't come to the events, or socialize. Ask why not, what their deal is, and what people think the way forward is.
It probably is not the way forward, but it will give you a good idea of what is the wounds of the community.
I am in the process of touring different options now, and something I would advise most Protestants is to actually visit the church you plan on making the center of the polis. Catholics, Orthodox, and Muslims usually have such built in traditions that it is not necessary for them, but Protestant churches, even in the same denomination, can end up vastly different. This is possibly the most important factor with your choice.
Let us know how it goes.
I will say that, even with Catholics, the location and beliefs of the individuals on matters make the outcomes different. Just ask the FSSP, SSPX, and other Latin Mass societies how things look from their end, and you'll get very different outlooks, and it translates directly into how things are done by their followers.
With Protestants, I imagine keeping in mind the age of the Pastor, and who will take over after he's gone is a huge thing to consider.