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So You're Thinking About Moving...First, you're not as weird as you feel. The average American moves once every four years. What makes you weird is not that you're thinking of moving, but that what is driving your thinking is not a promotion or a raise. Rather you want to be a part of a faithful church. Which means you ought to begin by asking, "How can I be faithful in my current church?" By God's grace, though a strong percentage of our church is made up of those who move here, we have managed, so far, to avoid being First Church of the Terminally Cranky. We do this by asking people to be deliberate about their thinking about moving. Groucho Marx once quipped that he would never want to join a club that would have him as a member. In like manner, not only is Saint Peter not the perfect church, but if you ever find the perfect church, don't join—you'll ruin it. One of the most frequent and most difficult questions we are asked is, "Where can I find a like-minded church?" Our response always begins, "Like-minded in what way?" If you want a church that has a formal commitment to the Westminster Standards, there are hundreds, if not thousands of them across the country. If you want a church with a real zeal for the Reformed faith, there are hundreds of those as well. If, however, you want a church that is family-integrated, Reformed and covenantal, with a high view of the sacraments without being sacerdotal, oh, and Presbyterian church government, those are a little harder to find. And we haven't even gotten into how we view babies, bluegrass music, and beer. There are, however, several small communities that share much of our vision.
The different ways we define "like-minded" reflect a hierarchy of issues. If, for instance, the church where you belong denies the Trinity, not only may you leave, but you must, at once. If the church where you belong won't give your children the mark of the covenant, it might be a good idea to look for a church that does. If the church where you belong only gives lip service to the Reformed faith, perhaps you might be permitted to leave, but not required to do so. If your church is Reformed, covenantal, age-integrated, weekly communion, homeschooling, breeding, etc., but they sing praise choruses on Sunday nights, then you'd better stay where you are. We're a church that, as a church, is Reformed, covenantal, age-integrated. We practice weekly communion, with real wine and delicious bread. We homeschool the many blessings God has given us. But we don't sing praise choruses, at any time. On each of these issues, we do what we do because we think we are being biblical. But we think it unbiblical to run off in a huff if your church doesn't believe exactly the same thing on each of these issues. We are a church that strives to honor those who are in authority over us. Families move here for two reasons. They want to be encouraged to fidelity in both the major and minor issues. And, we pray, they want to encourage others to do the same. Some want encouragement on this issue, while disagreeing on the other issue. Some want encouragement on the other issue, but disagree on that one. All of which is fine. To join our church you need not be a Calvinist, or Reformed, or Postmillenial, or a homeschooler, or a breeder. All you have to do is have a credible profession of faith. Believe the Apostle's Creed, trust in the finished work of Christ alone for your salvation, and you can hang a poster of Jacob Arminius over your desk, and we'll even help carry all your Left Behind books into your den. But, you should know that you will be taught the Reformed faith at Saint Peter Presbyterian Church. Reasons not to move here
How to move hereWe are, with all our sins, a warm and caring community. But that doesn't mean that we are professional relocation specialists. Because we are busy about the business of living our lives, we just don't have the time or resources to raise up the valleys and squish down the mountains to get people here. As such, what follows is a list of links, and answers to frequently asked questions. What is the job market like there? Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee is one of three cities, each within roughly twenty-five minutes of the other two (Kingsport and Johnson City, Tn.) that have between 40,000 and 55,000 residents each. Both wages and the cost of living are comparatively low. Unemployment roughly matches national averages. For information on the largest employers in the area, try the Chamber of Commerce web site. For job opportunities, try Tri-Cities Help Wanted. What about housing? Building costs in the area are roughly $65 to $75 a square foot. Land can cost anywhere from $500 to $20,000 an acre, depending on the size of the land, the lay of it and proximity to town. Mark Moormans, one of our parishioners, has hung out his realtor shingle to help folks find housing in the area. Also, the Chamber of Commerce site may be a help there as well. For homes and land for sale try googling "real estate tri-cities Tennessee." Where should I stay when I visit? For hotel style accommodations, try www.hotels.com. For a family visit, several families enjoyed staying at Circle S Farm, which has a small cottage for rent. Visit our lodging page for other options. When should I visit? Because we like to spend time together, and to facilitate opportunities to get to know families in the congregation, we meet for a covered dish picnic the third Sunday of every month. Also, check the Highlands Study Center schedule for our social events, which might also be a good time to visit. Note: Twice a year, once in March and once in August, Bristol is overrun due to NASCAR races. Securing lodging on those race weekends will be quite difficult. |
