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And so it happened again the other day. A fellow parent asked me why we go to church on Sunday when you can pray just as easily at home and be just as close to God outside of church as inside.  And I get it.

Life with kids these days is hectic, hurried and rushed. Whether you have one child or more, the daily demands on today’s families are many. Sometimes, a lazy Sunday morning is the only time a family has without a schedule to rest and recharge.  With three children of my own, I completely understand.

And to be perfectly honest, we take a Sunday off here and there as well for the same reason. But most Sundays, we try to get everyone fed and dressed and to church. Why? Well, I thought long and hard about this when I was asked this very valid question. Like the other parent, I do believe that God is truly everywhere and that you don’t have to be a member of a church to have a close relationship with Him.

I do believe that you can pray anywhere and be heard. It isn’t out of habit, because I didn’t grow up as a regular church-goer. So why go? Why wake the kids up, get dressed and get out the door on a day when we could just rest?

For me, I think it comes down to one simple thing. I see God at church more than anywhere else.

I see God in the older widows and widowers who sit together in a church pew and watch out for each other on a daily basis. I see God in the church member who, although his own children are grown now, still uses his limited vacation time to go on middle school youth mission trips and tears up when he talks about how amazing these kids today are.

I see God when a woman who lost her daughter too early comes to church only a few days after the loss and openly weeps among friends, who hug her and comfort her. Where else should a grieving heart go, but to God’s own house? I see God when a call goes out that food is needed for a food pantry and food comes in days later in droves.

I see God when a grey-haired woman is hugged in our church hallway by children from many different families just as if she were their own flesh-and-blood grandmother. And she hugs them back just the same way.  I see God when a young adult who grew up in the church comes back from college to preach a beautiful sermon about mission work recently done and I am grateful my own children have this example to follow.

I see God when members of a church quietly rally around a hurting family and help them with prayer, time, money and love. And don’t want a thank you back because someone else has done this for many of them somewhere else when they needed it.

The other day, my very insightful 11-year-old asked me another good question. How did I know God existed when God couldn’t be seen? 

I took a deep breath and started listing all the ways I’ve seen God through others. As I talked with her, I realized many of those times I’d seen God were while I was at church.  I finally understood what I would say to the next person who asked me why we get up on a Sunday morning and go to church. We go to see God. Can there be anything better to do on any day of the week?

Karen Hornfeck is a freelance writer and a member of Guilford Park Presbyterian Church.

Faith Matters is a column written by people of diverse faiths. To write a column, contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nmclaughlin@news-record.com