A Church home

[VickyinVenice]

I have been attending churches hoping to find a church home.
The friendliest one which has a service that my dd and I both like is just outside our Parish.
The vicar assured us that this is not a problem but I am worried we may feel like outsiders esp as my family would not be able to be married or buried there in the future.
I also wouldn't feel that we could have pastoral support if the need arose.
Any advice would be appreciated.

You don't have to attend the closest church and people do move away but remain part of the congregation. If you like it, stay.

Thanks for replying.I just wonder if we will ever feel fully part of the church.

I guess it will depend on the church a bit but my church has many coming from outside the parish (it is a large evangelical CofE church with lots of families and groups/activities) - at a recent bible study social I was one of the only ones who lived inside the parish and those travelling further are very much fully part of the church. I think for the CofE once you have attended regularly for 6 months you can be on the electoral register and be married/buried there etc.

At this church the rules on funerals etc are strictly decided on where people live.
I love that DD (13) attends with me though.
Our local C of E is high church with an older congregation.
I read that worship,fellowship and teaching are the most important things in a church and that having at least two of these is good.

Get yourself on the electoral roll the n you can be married /buried etc as you wish.

That would be good,I will look into it.

You can be married or buried in any cofe church in principle. I suppose its up to the individual vicar if s/he has any objection.

You don't need to be on the electoral roll. Its done every 6 years, and gives you voting rights.

I think choosing a church that feels right for you based on arrange of factors is probably best. Location would be one of those for me, and I do like he fact that my local church is local iyswim, but I certainly wouldn't choose it if I disagreed with the type of worship, the theological viewpoint of the priest etc.

I'm sure you can feel 'at home' in any church if you attend regularly. For the baptisms weddings etc you may find that they only allow those who are not regular church goers if they live in the parish, but all members of the congregation regardless of where they live. That is the rule in two churches I know (and I don't know many so I suspect it's quite common).