They usually post their hours and it's not like the doors are locked.

mrsconn23 · November 2023

Dear Prudence,

I was raised in a vaguely religious household—prayers at dinner, living by the Golden Rule, and the occasional Bible story—but we never went to church. My dad was the son of a staunch Lutheran but didn’t impose anything other than the basics on us, so I’ve basically only set foot in churches for weddings and funerals. As I get older (I’m in my 30s), I find myself more curious about religion in general. Maybe it stems from feeling lost and looking for an anchor or something similar, and I’ve studied a number of religions (from Christianity to Judaism to Buddhism) from a scholastic standpoint, but when it comes to actually attending church to see if I’m interested in making it a regular part of my life, I literally have no idea where to start. We have one non-denominational church in our small rural town and that’s about it. Can I just show up? Do I need an appointment? How does it work?

—Looking for Faith

STARMOON44 · November 2023

You can just show up!

banana468 · November 2023

Do they not have a webpage? Look them up!

short+sassy · November 2023

If it's a small town, you'd think the LW would know someone who goes. They should talk to that person and perhaps arrange to join their friend for a service. I'm sure that would make it more comfortable for them to check it out.

But if not, I'd suggest they reach out to the church's office to ease their fears. I'd think hearing a voice encouraging them to come would make all the difference.

levioosa · November 2023

Jesus. You know they have a web page where it will clearly state hours and tells people “everyone is welcome.” If it’s truuuuly that rural there’s either someone LW already knows who attends or the church has a sign out front with the ceremony hours and a “please join us!”