Sharing Sunday Service With Friends

Recently while out of town, I visited a friend's church. We were looking forward to meeting up with friends and seeing what there church had to offer. After initially entering, I was about to enter the sanctuary with my children in tow, when I was stopped by a church member. "Is this your first time here?" I was asked. I said it was. The gentleman suggested I take the kids to the "fabulous" Sunday school during the service. I advised him that they would attend the service with me. He in turn replied, "Well that's okay for today, it being your first time, but next time, the kids attend Sunday school." Oh, I was so rubbed the wrong way! What right does a church member have to tell me that the kids can not attend church service and must attend Sunday school instead? Isn't it our choice?Our home church offers Sunday school before service, then we attend service afterward. On this day, we were going just to service as we were visiting. I didn't feel comfortable just dropping the kids off in a classroom that was new to me with teachers I did not know. So the kids and I go in. Oh, we were also told to sit in the back, in case the kids get antsy. I did reassure this gentleman that the kids attend church regularly and were very familiar with a church service, that they would not be disruptive. On a side note, the kids were eager to check out the new church. One of my kids wondered with me, "I wonder if they'll be a children's sermon!" My other child added, "I wonder if there will be a gum lady!" We have a woman at our home church that gives the children gum after church....that is who my son refers to as the "gum lady." So they will excited to go and curious as to what would happen there. We found a seat in the back. Our friends joined us shortly thereafter. This was a community church and a new experience for me. Big screens were located at the front of the church. Many contempory Christian songs were sung. I did not see any hymnals or Bibles in the pews. I felt like I was being entertained. I would feel more comfortable with this set up on a Saturday night. I learned that the church didn't feel very kid friendly, that I don't like to be entertained at church and that I am more of a traditionalist at church. I like to open my hymnal and turn to the correct page and sing the hymn. I am more of a nuts and bolts person in regards to church. The hymnals and Bibles in the pews offer me comfort. I don't really care for the big screen at the front of the church. I like the comfort of familiar faces or new and friendly faces. People that welcome children into their world. I like the hymnals and the sermons. On the plus side I did enjoy the sermon. I do prefer a sermon that is practical and applicable to modern day times. The pastor seemed comfortable and passionate about his topic. After the sermon, another pastor spent a few minutes of spotlight on a church member. He interviewed a member of the church briefly. It was pre-planned. He asked this member why he choose this church, what he was involved in at the church and what he liked about the church. Something different, spotlighting a member and learning more about him. It was a good experience for me and I learned more about the things I prefer personally at church on Sunday mornings.