Mary Belle Baptist Church

It was my first visit, and there was a guest pastor. A very quiet church, with little focus on the music program (which I greatly appreciate). So many modern churches get way to deep in the pageantry of the music program, that the preaching falls to a distant second place, and the majority of your time is spent praisi.ng and focusing on the instrumental musicians and vocalists. I get it, make a joyful noise and sing his praises, but that does not mean obscure or forsake the message.

The guest pastor was a long time pastor named Dve who by his short reference his HS School graduation in 77 was a year my Sr. He was recently made the presiding chair over a neighboring county's Baptist association (?); he said but I was getting a lot of new info as a first time visitor. He preached a great message about the function of the church being best served outside of the four walls, and while important, if all we ever do is go to church then we are stale and ineffective in following Christ's example of outreach.

I'm headed back today in hopes of meeting the fulltime pastor, and possibly volunteering for the Christmas box semi-loading activity tomorrow 11/14/22.

The only downside was a younger family was there (at my age, that most everyone) with two very small children (3 and an infant). Both children we very vocal and the 3 year old was animated in his activity. Myself having pretty sever group and background auditory issues, there were several times all I could focus on was the noises made by the children. With a small church, no visible children's program or child care thus really can't be overcome. I believe I overheard the f!mily was just visiting various churches while the husband was working in the area?

The church was well maintained, and clean. It's small enough that you don't need a sound system, and the only instrument I saw was the piano (no one playing on the day of my visit).

I often find more reasons and challenges for not attending than I do to attend, so I need to get out of my own way, find a church that is focused on the word, and settle down.