Church Pew Confession

By: Danny Cox

I stopped attending church when I stepped down from my pastoral role at a conservative evangelical fundamentalist church over two years ago. Amy [my wife] and I tried attending a few places early on but in all transparency, I found myself finishing the sentences of the leaders speaking from the stage. I knew the script or “liturgy” of the non-denominational world all too well and it was obvious it was no longer an authentic faith space for our family. So we just decided to stop attending weekly services altogether. Now, that may sound like a weird confession coming from a pastor and deeply devoted follower of Jesus, but it is simply the truth. What is also true is that those many months of not attending a church regularly was not only a necessary step, but one that was good and essential for our growth in Christ.

About a year ago I was introduced to Father Bill at Christ Church Cranbrook through some mutual friends. Our first meeting and lunch were wonderful and at the end of our time, Father Bill suggested I consider joining the Episcopal church. Silently I thought; “ummmm NOPE!” I grew up in the Catholic faith and one of my father’s best friends and great family friend was an Episcopal priest. My wife also grew up in the Episcopal church and we had attended services sparingly over the years. I’m not much of a traditionalist. I don’t care for organ and choir music, it is just not my preference. I don’t like someone telling me when and how I should stand up, sit down, kneel, sing, or respond. Not much for all the clothing, customs, and what appears to be religiosity. But, something about that first conversation with Father Bill continued to stick with me, until we found ourselves sitting in the pews near the back of Christ Church Cranbrook in early January of this year.

Though the music, pageantry, and traditional nature of the service was not my preference, the messages of Father Bill, Reverend Manisha, and Father Chris were moving. The public reading of scripture, the public reciting of creeds and responses, and the communal nature of the service was very attractive to me. But what surprised me the most was how deeply moving and important Communion became in my life. Over these past few months, I have grown more and more fond of rituals, practices, and yes, even the more traditional organ and choir music (Christ Church Cranbrook’s choir and organist are exceptional!). So, on June 2nd 2024, my wife and I decided to officially be received into the Episcopal church. To our surprise, Bishop Bonnie Perry was in attendance to not only preach the message but to lead the reception ceremony. It was a surprisingly emotional moment for both of us when the Bishop laid her hands upon our heads and said, “We recognize you as a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, and we receive you into the fellowship of this Communion. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you”.

We are excited to see where this journey will take our family. If you are looking for a wonderful community who is more rooted in the ancient, very warm, loving and radically acceptant of all people, serving the community, and doing amazing social justice work, please consider joining us some Sunday morning. We would love to sit with you!

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