How did Real Life get started?
Real Life Community of Faith originated out of the vision of a United Methodist Church pastor to reach out to the people of the Ohio Valley who were looking for a church in which they could call home. After much prayer and planning and meeting in the homes of a group of individuals with the same passion, Real Life launched a new type of United Methodist worship service in the cafeteria of the Union Local Elementary School in 2003. We continue with that vision today.
Why do you meet in a school?
We are often asked this question. Here are a few reasons:
Welcoming- At Real Life, we recognize that many of our guests do not have a problem with God, but with the church. Sadly, the church has become irrelevant to their lives. Many people just aren't comfortable in a traditional church building. Some people have never been to church before, so they are unfamiliar. Others may have had a bad experience in the past.
We never want a building style to interfere with an opportunity for others to meet Jesus and experience community in a powerful way.
Community - As schools consolidate, they become a central location for community events. Schools rent their facilities to many kinds of organizations, including churches. What better way to experience community than at your local community center & school?
Responsible- At Real Life, we value stewardship. That's just a fancy word for using money and resources wisely. Spending a lot of money on a fancy building is just not a priority for us right now.
Relationships- We've met many great people through our use of the school. We wouldn't trade those friendships for all the buildings in the world!
Real Lifers know:
"church" is NOT a building!
