In Search of a Spiritual Home

I find that my life is better when I have a spiritual home. A place where I am uplifted, inspired, consoled, and challenged. On Sundays I am renewed and comforted. Without a spiritual home I find myself drifting and longing for that connection. I had drifted away several times during my life and had been drifting for almost a year prior to moving to Santa Rosa.

I had attended the same church in San Jose for over 18 years. It. was, like Knox, a very active community. I was always impressed on Ministry Sunday how many people stood up when their ministries were called to be blessed. I had been a member of a variety of Ministries and bible study groups over the years. When my current bible study group stopped meeting, I felt a loss.

Knowing I was looking for a new group, a friend of mine invited me to join her 4th Day even though I had not gone to Cursillo. What a wonderfully diverse group of women who are committed to their journey of faith. After about a year and a half, I finally said yes to their invitation to Cursillo and am forever grateful for this gift in my life.

However, we had been assigned a new priest at church. As I worked with him in my Ministries, I found myself in more and more moral conflict with him as my spiritual guide. I kept reminding myself that priests come and go but that the community that had sustained me for many years was still there. However, the community did change. As the church grew by more than 50 %, longtime members, like me, left in droves and the people that replaced them had a different vision for the church. It became painfully apparent that it was no longer my home and I drifted away.

So I was eager to start my search for a new spiritual home when we moved to Santa Rosa. I knew what I wanted; an active community, bible study, and a new one for me after Cursillo, worshiping with joy. I started by attending all four Catholic churches and then attending regularly the ones I liked. Although they were all fine, I just didn't feel a connection and sadly started to drift away again.

Fortunately for me, I had found a wonderful 4th Day in which a lot of members attended Knox. They would talk with enthusiasm and joy about Knox. They would sing the praises of their Pastor Sue. Intrigued, one Sunday I showed up. What a wonderful welcome. You could feel the love and joy that everyone shared. I am blessed to have found a spiritual home here at Knox. I feel the love and concern that radiates through the church on Sundays and know that each member truly understands Jesus' call to love one another.