We may be moving church again!!!!

This is really not what I had in mind and nearly caused a 'domestic' when she told me.

You may recall that when she enquired with our vicar about ordination, he basically said 'I don't know you, you'll have to go back to your old church'

He was talking about getting signatures; he didn't mean move back permanently.  But sometimes the Spirit of God takes words beyond their original meaning.

Independently of this she has been feeling increasingly reconciled to the old church - some of those that caused the trouble have left it, and she has matured in her attitude and is generally much further down the road of forgiveness than I am.

You may also have read the posts below about our misgivings at the current church - how we were called there to do children's work but the curate and others are leading the church off in a different direction that is not compatible with the work we do.  And again, we could just throw in the towel and let them get on with it but we would be subjecting our daughter to their child-care policies which we think are harmful.  Also they would want her, at the age of 3, to sit quietly through an adult sermon.  Impossible for a normal three year old, let alone our rather vivacious little whirlwind.

So its carrot and stick.  Disillusioned where we are.  Reconciliation there.

She wants to do it straightaway.  I have been holding back - it's contrary to my principles to flip-flop from one church to another and if we do move I want a managed transition to minimise damage.  I'm confused as to why God would call us so strongly to a church to do a work that is then stifled by its leaders and then for Him to call us back to the old one.  Mystery!  We could stick it out at the old church until we have been there a year.  We could stick it out for a further year and see if when the curate leaves the church takes a new direction which is more suited to us - but that could take yet a further year.  So she went to the old church this weekend, while I babysat.  Meanwhile, the book I have been reading says that you cannot 'manage' God, just do what he says.

She has already made the move in her heart.  Its just a case of me catching up and finding ways to communicate with the current church to minimise the damage caused to them by us moving.