This week’s theme on Kelly’s “Show Us Your Life” feature is where you go to church. I LOVE my church. I go to the Calhoun Seventh-day Adventist Church in Calhoun, Ga.

I transferred from my former church after Lucy was born because I wanted her to be around more kids her age. The other church was just too small. We love Lucy’s Sabbath School class — and so does she — and I hope we’re able to get to know some of the other parents better. And, while it’s bigger than my previous church, it’s still small enough where everyone knows everyone. We’ve felt SO welcome, and in both churches, Joe has been accepted completely even though he isn’t an Adventist. And one other cool fact — one of my elementary school teachers goes to my church! It’s been SO much fun getting to see him again — and introducing him to my family — after not seeing him since 1993.

One of the other reasons I picked this church is because I really liked the pastor. His sermons are engaging and I get a blessing from them. They’re very easy to pay attention too, which is something I can’t say about some other pastors whom I’ve heard preach. Unfortunately, we got a letter in the mail last week stating that our pastor is accepting a call to California. I pray we whoever is called to our church will be just as good of a pastor.

Not only do I love my church, but I love my religion. I was born and raised a Seventh-day Adventist. In fact, my grandfathers are very big names in the Adventist church as they both are pastors and former teachers. My maternal grandfather is a past-president of Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass. My paternal grandparents both taught at my Alma mater, Southern Adventist University. Here’s a funny story about how well known my grandparents are in the church: Every five years we have a big General Conference session. Its location moves throughout the world (this last time it was in Atlanta!), and its a time for Adventists from around the world to get together to fellowship and elect our world president. In 1985, the General Conference was in session when my brothers were born. Since my grandparents are so prominent, my brothers’ birth was announced during the session. Pretty cool, huh? I’m jealous that I wasn’t born during the session in 1980 (stupid March birthday!)!

I love what our church believes. We believe in the Bible as the Word of God, as other religions do. We believe that the seventh day, Saturday, is the Sabbath, and that it is a day of rest. Honestly, I don’t know WHAT I would do without that day of rest. God gave it to us because He KNEW we needed it.

We also believe in the health message, something that Cory in the comments reminded me that I forgot. While my individual church doesn’t focus a lot on it, the SDA church as a whole promotes healthy living and a vegetarian diet.

Although Joe isn’t an Adventist (but, as a Jew, he shares the same Sabbath, which I love), we are raising Lucy in the Adventist church. I feel so blessed to be able to do so, but I know what a HUGE responsibility it is. Sometimes I wonder if I’m up to the challenge, but I know I have not only the support and guidance of my parents and grandparents but also of God.

Where do you go to church? I’d love to hear about yours!