I started attending Open Home Church when I moved to Seattle from the Midwest for a temporary job. Throughout the United States, many churches adopt a pervasive model where pastors lecture an auditorium full of people. Some members (like myself), however, struggle to get to know others amidst the limited social opportunities and the large group settings common to this structure. When I first moved to Seattle (the "city of transplants"), my transition was thus rather difficult until I spoke with Caleb (one of Open Home's pastors) about Open Home Church.
Aspiring toward a more communal church structure, Open Home gathers every Sunday evening for dinner, worship, and scripture study facilitated by one of the church leaders or members. Throughout my 9 months at Open Home, I was treated to delicious meals, exciting excursions throughout the greater Seattle area, and various meaningful conversations with several members of the congregation--many of whom I still speak to since moving back to the Midwest from Seattle.
As Deanna stated in her review, the church is full of honest, open, and loving people who welcome attendees from all walks of life. In my short time there, I met computer programmers, missionaries, agnostics, artists (painters, folksingers, and musicians included), philosophy geeks, book worms, athletes, and many others. Whether you're exploring Christianity for the first time or you're a lifelong believer, the leaders at Open Home Church strive to create an inclusive environment, particularly, I've noticed, in terms of gender, race/ethnicity, politics, and belief. To do so, they regularly invite members to give feedback, to share a cultural tradition, meal, and/or personal story, and to advertise their important upcoming events. From the church's volunteer work with Seattle's homeless population to its local activism, Open Home is heavily immersed in the surrounding community.
Overall, I highly recommend Open Home Church, especially for those interested in truly getting to know everyone they attend church with. read more