take me to church
I think I’ve belonged to 10 churches over the course of my life. 10 is a nice number, and I’m not exaggerating. All right, if you want to know all the churches I’ve been to, here’s the list. Minus some names, that I’ve forgotten.
Church of Baptism - the Catholic church where I was baptized in NYC. I come back here after returning to New York in first grade.
Church of London - the Catholic church that I went to with my guardians where I was baptized again and was Confirmed. I started a fundraising initiative, was in charge of refreshments including lemonade and desserts and cakes, and started a Christian rock band.
Church of First Loves - really the church of baptism except here I meet my first love, who was also baptized on the same day as me! I come here until fourth grade, when I became a scarlet letter and was banned from church.
Church of High School #1 - I return to formerly known as Church of Baptism and Church of First Loves in middle school/high school after taking a break from it. Came back here after getting cancer in sixth grade and seventh grade, and it helped me get through things. My cancer retreated.
Church of High School #2 - a non-denominational Protestant church that I shouldn’t have gone to because it got me out of Catholicism. Led to my drought of faith, subsequent amnesia and forgetting everything I knew about Christianity.
Church of Beloved - this huge church I went to in Chicago after college, after not going to church for a few years and getting amnesia. Met some pretty nice friends and was pretty awesome for a bit. Too bad I didn’t go that much, it was actually pretty good. And sounds vague because I don’t remember that much about it, but the people.
Redeemer Presbyterian Church - Met Tim Keller! Went to a wedding officiated by him. Turns out my mom performed surgery on him when I was young and saved his life! Cool story. Went to several Easters. I couldn’t find a good community here, so I went to a CG where I was the only 20-something in a group of 70-80 year old women. It was an accident.
Vision Church - Couldn’t connect with the community at Redeemer, so I went to Vision Church, because it was Asian and this guy I was talking to on Coffee Meets Bagel invited me. Met some really nice people here, and went to a women’s group and young adult group, but I didn’t feel happy here, I didn’t feel I share common ground with people, besides being Asian.
Hope Midtown - Another Asian church I went to. Went to young adult group and shared some good memories here. Playing basketball with the guys, celebrating the pastor and his wife with Krispy Kreme donuts, young adult group hang outs, many restaurant outings, fun post-church hangouts at the guys’ apartment, going on Zoom meetings for young adult group where we played board games like Catan and Jackbox. My mental health deteriorated later so I left the church.
Church of the City - The church my ex-boyfriend and I went to. I really wanted to join a service team but I ended up donating money instead. I think I met the pastor in high school before he started his church, he was pretty awesome. Kind of a mixed bag of experiences, my mental health deteriorated, and I left in the end. But not before donating a bunch of money and getting to know the staff!
I’m going to Catholic church now, and it’s been helping me with my faith along with my mental health. I will always remember the 10 churches I’ve been to in the past years of my life, albeit vaguely.
Here’s to church!
