Church culture is very different in California and Texas (or the south in general). Going to church isn’t something people do because they get to spend time with people, make connections, or just go to be like everyone else. In California, no one cares if you don’t go; they don’t care if you do.
This summer, Brandon visited most of the “Episcopal” churches in the area. (I use quotes because, although some of them were called that, they were far from the traditions that I had been raised amidst.) The two he thought we’d like best were St. Thomas’ Hollywood and St. Mark’s Glendale. When I visited this summer, I attended St. Thomas’ with him. It was in a stone building, followed the traditional service closely (they even use Rite I) and the priest and congregational members were nice. However, due to the transitional climate of the neighborhood, there were few families or even couples and we found ourselves amidst a sea of middle aged single men.
Having attended a traditional Episcopal church my whole life, the ritual and routine is very important to me… but I’d also hoped we would have a few outward commonalities with our fellow parishioners. Brandon had also really liked St. Mark’s, so we gave it a shot this past Sunday (I’m a little late posting). The service was still traditional (and held in a stone building). The congregation was nice and had more variety than Hollywood. Following the service, we ventured to the parish hall. The priest is friends with Bishop Stanton from the Diocese of Dallas, so he understood a bit about where we were coming from and the differences we were observing. We talked to several other couples and people (who were shocked to see us carrying our own BCP/Hymnals–they said their grandmother used to have one) and we were generally pleased with the experience.
Finding a new church is probably the most difficult transition of making a move (well, besides this time zone thing–it still just blows my mind), but I think this is probably where we’ll be. We’ll test it out for a couple more weeks and, if the feeling stays the same, dive in to serving and all that good stuff.
-savannah
I’m glad you guys found a place so quickly! This was also our biggest “welcome to the west coast” experience.
I hope this church works out for you two! We were lucky enough to stumble upon a “Presbyterian” church that we love and we’ve made some great friends by getting involved in a weekly small group. The difference in religious culture here on the west coast definitely took some getting used to for us as well. For example, all of the local soccer leagues’ games are on Sunday mornings and nobody seems to mind…
Lovely meeting you, Savannah, and delighted to see Brandon again. Hope to see y’all again at St. Mark’s very soon! In addition to our Sunday worship (said Mass @ 8am – Rite I; sung High Mass @ 10am – Rite II), we have a robust and varied parish life program (with some very cool events scheduled for February). Welcome to L.A.!
All the best,
Jason
This is so interesting to Bennie and me because finding a church where we felt “at home” in Schenectady, NY in 1959 after living in Port Arthur and Kountze, Texas all our lives was a real challenge. Brandon, as you know, we moved a number of times early in our married life, and always were able to find a church where we were welcomed and could make a contribution to the community in which we lived (however short a time).
We are excited for the two of you and pray you will enjoy each new adventure. Our love, Grandmother and Grandaddy
So pleased you have found St Mark’s. We would have loved to have you at St Thomas, but St Mark’s is a wonderful parish. I do hope you will visit us again at St T’s when you can.
Very impressed with your website. You are a very talented young couple.
All the best,
Michael