Convert here - who did lots of Protestant church-hopping which included returns to my original church. It went like this:
Born to an Anglican mother and a Dutch Reformed father, baptised and brought up Anglican (attended a Catholic High school for just over 4 years), drifted away while in College; married a faithful Old Apostolic man and ‘converted’; became a mother and had no idea how to raise Old Apostolic children, but did know how to raise Anglican children - back to the Anglican church; moved to a town where the Anglican priest was mis-leading his congregation and sought a temporary home in the Church of England in South Africa (not the same as the Anglican church), back to the Anglican church when the Bishop removed the priest and put in a faithful priest; various moves of home, but church stayed the same.
After my husband’s sudden and tragic death, I had to move again, but was greatly in need of being ministered to - the priest in the new town was advised of my circumstances, and my daughters and I went to church the first Sunday after our move; I introduced myself to
her (sic) - her response was, “Oh yes, I’ve been told about you” and I was given to understand that I should move along as there were others waiting to be greeted. Went there 3 more times and was totally ignored by the entire congregation, even when I sobbed my way through many of the hymns and prayers. My doctor suggested we went to the Baptist Church with him and his wife and family; we were warmly welcomed and made many friends. A few years later saw a notice in the local paper for the Anglican Church’s Palm Sunday service (a change of priest had brought someone whose daughter I had taught a year or so previously). We attended, walked out after the service and the three of us agreed, “This is where we belong.” Third reversion to the Anglican church
Some years later my youngest daughter met a wonderful Catholic man (who is now my dearly loved son-in-law) and she used to stay with his parents on their farm most weekends and would attend church with them. She felt drawn to the Catholic church and converted a few months before their marriage. Whenever I went to stay with them I’d attend church with them and thoughts of conversion started. But I had many good friends in my local Anglican church so had many personal issues to work through.
Then I went to work in the Middle East and the first time I went to church the taxi driver delivered me to the Catholic Church, I still walked round the corner to the Anglican church that day…but felt so out of place there. The following week I went to the Catholic Church and felt I had truly come home. So, at the age of 57, living in a Muslim country I finally heard God’s call to me clearly.
And a short story has become a long tale, sorry.