After a lovely experience at the 2nd Presbyterian Church I thought about calling the Church Tour then and there.

I liked all of the churches I had visited and it occurred to me I could visit them all off and on until I decided which one was the best fit for me.

And then my oldest son told me about a church that two of his friends attended.  It was called Parker Hill.  Checking out the website, I realized that it was a Bible based (read evangelical) operation.  

A few months ago the idea of going to an evangelical church would have been scary and unappealing but I'd read some very evangelical books in the interim and I was beginning to realize that there was a lot about Bible based Christianity I just didn't know.  So I read a bit more about Parker Hill.

I learned that Parker Hill is non-denominational church with three "campuses" in (and only in) our little corner of the world (Northeast PA).  

The website was great and the vimeo videos were engaging and well-produced.  There was even an app.  I downloaded it that afternoon.

While I was used to thinking of Bible based churches as conservative, Parker Hill had very progressive vibe. 

The Wilkes-Barre / Plains campus of Parker was located in an office / entertainment complex about a 10 minute drive from my house, so the next Sunda, for Church Tour Week 4, I went to Parker Hill.

The space was modern but pleasant.  There were comfortable chairs and multiple screens and a live band that played contemporary (and very good) Christian rock.

The pastor spoke to us from another campus via the miracle of media which might not have worked if the message he shared hadn't been so well thought out.  The topic was Christmas and gift giving and John 3:16 (which I have been studying) and what it means to give and what it means to receive.  

As the service drew to close, I stood in the dark and listened to "10,000 Reasons" and felt something, that thing, that chemistry I'd been wanting to feel since Church Tour week one.

No decision made.  No committment was offered.  It was, I knew, just a beginning.  But I couldn't help thinking that it was a good one.

UPDATE 2024: I did join this but ultimately it was not a good fit. After that I moved to the Pentecostal Church and eventually made it back to my Catholic faith. The post that tells that story is here: The Long Way Home.

On the third week of the Church Tour I went to the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Pittston which is a short drive from my house.

This church is older than my last two stops with an almost colonial feel.  This week, the sun was finally appropriately shining and all of the stained glass windows were brimming with color.  

Everyone seemed happy to be there and happy to be with each other.  There weren't a lot of people but their good cheer filled the space.

At least half a dozen of them said hello to me like they were really glad I was there.  One even gave me a gift.  A small wooden cross that I know I will keep.  It struck me as potentially meaningful that I was baptized 60 years ago last August in a Presbyterian church two states away.  

The service was simple but meaningful.  I was told that if I came back next Sunday there would be communion.  This may be it, I thought.  But three churches just didn't feel like enough.

In summary, the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Pittston boasts a beautiful space and a warm and welcoming congregation.  To me, this kind of welcome embodies the true spirit of Christianity which is at its heart a religion open and accessible to everyone. 

I think that the 2nd Presbyterian Church would be a good choice for anyone looking for a heart centered Christian community.  Members meet regularly for breakfasts and dinners and the church is active in outreach and ministry.

About the Presbyterian Church:  Presbyterians trace their history to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The Presbyterian heritage, and much of its theology, began with the Swiss/French theologian and lawyer John Calvin (1509–64), whose writings solidified much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.  The Presbyterian church I attended has a website which is currently in progress so I can't give a lot of background on this particular congregation.

On the second week of the church tour I attended mass at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.  This church is only a a couple of blocks from my house in Pittston and I had been there before.  

St. John's is another beautiful, beautiful church that is so Gothic revival you could almost believe you just stepped into 16th century France.  The priest seemed approachable and articulate.  And I knew all the words to the service. 

I sat in the back with my coat on and kept to myself savoring the relative anonymity of the Catholic mass.  I could come and go here virtually unnoticed I there I thought and I liked the idea of that.  The mass was just how I remembered it, filled with beauty and majesty and the space was perfect.  But I was not connecting.

I tried to conjure up my old feelings about the mass.  I tried to reconnect with the magic and the spiritual power that was once as real to me as the paintings and the statues and the glass.  I remembered how it felt but I just couldn't recapture it.

It was a little like seeing someone you used to be in love with and feeling the closeness and the distance in a single breath.  Sometimes that distance can be closed - depending, I think, on just how bad the breakup was.

My breakup with Catholcism was a tough one.  And sitting there in church I remembered it.  I remembered leaving St. Mary's of Czestochowa after midnight mass some 15 years ago knowing I would never go back.  I remember how alone I felt and how let down.

Things are different how but just how different remains to be seen.  I do believe that I'll go back to St. John's and, when I do, I promise I'll keep an open mind.  The church does after all, have a lot to recommend it.

In addition to the beautiful space and seemingly approachable pastor, St. John's has an active ministry which offers a free health clinic, food pantry, kid's clothing closet, toy and book corner and pediatric clinic.

Like St. Stephen's St. John's operates under the true spirit of Christian charity.  I admire this very much.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  James 2:18

About St. John's the Evangelist:  St John's roots can be traced to the 1840s when Catholic priests began to visit homes in the Wyoming Valley to establish a community of the faithful.  The parish of Saint John the Evangelist came into being through the hard work of Father John P. O’Shaughnessy. As the first priest of Saint John the Evangelist parish, he purchased a plot of land on William Street and began the process of fundraising for and ordering the construction of the parish’s first church in 1854.  That same year during the construction of a physical center of worship, Bishop John Neuman of Philadelphia formally established Saint John the Evangelist Parish, providing the Catholic Church’s blessing that the church would be an official spiritual home for Catholics in Pittston.

St. John overlooking the Church parking lot

With Christmas fast approaching I realized that I'm at a point in my spiritual journey where it makes sense to think about choosing a church.

So I decided a "Church Tour" was in order.  My plan was to visit at least four local churches and possibly more.  While I didn't consider it imperative that the church tour end in a commitment to any given church I certainly felt open to that possibility.

The church tour began last month but I decided that December would be a nice time to post on it.  

The first church on my list was St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA.  I chose St. Stephen's for two reason.  One, it is an absolutely beautiful building and  I wanted to see the inside.  Two, I've read a few very good books by Episcopalians recently (Elaine Pagels, N.T. Wright and Cynthia Bourgeault) and that made me curious about their religion.

It was a rainy overcast Sunday when I visited St. Stephen's but the church was absolutely gorgeous. There were big stained glass windows and high vaulted ceilings with angels carved into the rafters.  Every architectural detail was magnificent and the history of the church as it stands now is worth sharing here.

According to St. Stephen's website, on December 25, 1896 cinders caught in a chimney after the Christmas Eve service ignited a fire that destroyed the previous church building. Only the new bell tower on Franklin Street and the foundation were spared.

Reverend Jones, the Rector at the time, vowed that the church would be rebuilt, without diverting any money from outreach or missionary ministries.

On Christmas Eve 1897, one year after the fire, the church I visited was opened for its very first service. 

I liked that the parishioners of St. Stephen's built this incredible building without taking any money away from those in need.  I think it says a lot about who the congregation of St. Stephen's was then - and who they are now.

In the same spirit, St. Stephen's outreach programs remain impressive.  The Church offers a clothes closet, dental clinic, medical clinic and food pantry for local residents. And believe me when I say that many people here are in desperate need of those kind of services.

The mission at St. Stephen's is "To Know Christ and Make Him Known in Word and Deed" and I think they are doing a wonderful job in fulfilling that mandate!

And, of course, the service was beautiful.  In many ways it was similar to a Catholic mass, with which I am more familiar.  It included a Eucharist of both wafer and wine and incense and a scripture based homily. The congregation at St. Stephen's was friendly and I thought that the priest seemed very approachable.  I enjoyed his clear and down to earth sermon and wished I'd had more time to visit.

St. Stephen's offers multiple services including a Wednesday healing service.  The church hosts the King’s College Summer Choir Training Course, sponsored by The Royal School of Church Music in America and offers a total of nine public choral services a week.  The music on the Sunday I attended was lovely.

In summary, St. Stephen's is a great church for anyone who loves beauty and music and the spirit of Christian service and giving.  I enjoyed the morning I spent there very much.  I am very sure I will visit again!