Church Shopping

One of the great joys of sabbaticals is it's opportunity to visit other congregations and see other clergy work. Ministry is a strange occupation in this matter; most people watch others do jobs similar to theirs all the time. I look forward to this opportunity.

So William and Kevin have gone off to First U, and I'm awaiting 11 am to go to the contemporary service at a neighborhood church where I know the pastor. I've never been to a contemporary style service before, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm also acutely aware of what hard work church shopping is. Will I fit in? Will the pastor I know be there? Will the message (it's the first Sunday of Lent, after all) be too far from my theology to be useful at all? It really would be easier to stay home! *** (pause to check this church's website)
My friend will be there. The message is likely to be challenging. I'm going for the style, the music, the experience. Following up on the Google leads, I discover that this church has user ratings from a variety of websites. My church doesn't, and I think it should. It would hardly be seemly for me to review my own church (hint hint).