In the Spirit

Another New Year’s Day has come and gone. The celebrations of the holidays are over and we are now faced with over-filled trash cans and those dreaded New Year's resolutions! We always seem to take stock this time of year and promise to do or become better. Our intentions are good. We truly want to improve—to quit smoking, exercise more, spend more time with family, lose weight, balance the checkbook, or go to church. So, why is it that these resolutions are so hard to keep? Well, in reality, they're not.

New Year's resolutions are just hard to start. Refusing that first bite of chocolate or freshly baked bread, or signing up and actually going into that gym where you just know everyone else is in better shape than you are is extremely difficult. So, just open a bag of chips and watch Sweatin to the Oldies. Let's face it, opening up a new account at a different bank can be easier than facing your unknown balances. And so it is with going to church. Even though you know in your heart that you're welcome, you're afraid that, on the other side of those front doors, complete strangers are waiting to stare at you and judge you. Or worse, they'll descend upon you, overeager to get you involved somehow!

How do I know this? We are all more alike than we are different. Everyone feels this way at first. Luckily, once you actually come to that first service, you'll find that your fears are unfounded. Remember when your mother told you that snakes are probably more afraid of you than you are of them? It's kind of the same thing. I know you won't believe me any more than you believed your mom, but really, the congregation is more concerned that you like us than vice versa. We want to make a good impression.

Winsted is blessed with many churches filled with a mixture of people—some naughty, some nice. But no one is too good or bad to attend church. Once you've made up your mind to go, choosing a church can be an adventure. Each church has its own spirit and atmosphere, so we expect and invite you to "church shop" to find one that you can connect with. Think of it as interviewing them, to see if that particular church meets your standards, instead of the other way around, because that's the truth of it. You have needs that can only be fulfilled by God, but you get to choose with whom you learn about Him and His message. You need to feel the same rapport and chemistry you would with your family doctor.

I'm representing the Church of Christ at 800 Main St. in Winsted, and I'll be writing from time to time to give you a glimpse of who we are and what we do behind our stone walls and magnificent Tiffany windows. Maybe after getting to know us via The Voice, it'll be easier to take that first step and stop by some Sunday at 10 a.m. There's no dress code—it's a "come as you are" celebration.

So, start 2003 off right. Go to church, any church. It's more fun than doing 100 sit-ups, and the rewards are everlasting.