This past Sunday my family and I visited the most talked about church, The Brook Columbia, aka #BrookCity at their new campus  located at 8328 Parklane Road. I had heard so many wonderful things about The Brook from family, friends and classmates and was very interested in attending to take in the church experience first hand. Well, let me tell ya, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Furthermore, my mother and grandmother enjoyed it. Attending The Brook Columbia,  took me back to a time when my family and I were members at our home church in New Jersey many years ago. For the past 10 years I had worked as a Nursery Teacher in a local church and missed out on being IN church service. Just recently I resigned allowing me the opportunity to visit churches and  get back in touch with attending church in the non-working way.

All dressed and ready to head out the door, after a quick selfie and social media post, my family and I arrived at The Brook Columbia, and was greeted warmly by the Parking Lot Attendants who showed us to the “1st time visitors” parking. Upon arrival into the church we were greeted with big smiles, loving embraces, great hospitality and the most AMAZING red velvet cupcake set aside for first time visitors. OMG the cupcake never made it home, lol.

Seats filled quickly, bass booming through my body, lights shining bright, voices lifted high, praise dancers praising, worship team worshipping, hands steadily clapping, and church just a Rocking! Yes, it was a FULL house and ushers moved swiftly to find you open seating and there was no saving seats for your cousin, sister, girlfriend or whomever was not there at that moment. It was time for CHURCH, and it was going to start and continue with or without you. Amen!

Pastor Simeon and First Lady Nikki Moultrie are great leaders of their church and are loved and love their congregation immensely! Their church continues to grow by leaps and bounds, so much that their new campus is already too small for their growing audience. Currently offering two services, one at 8:45 and 11 am, First Lady Nikki mentioned that Pastor Simeon may not be able to keep his promise to her of having only 2 services instead of 3, which they previously offered at their old location to accommodate their audience. The Brook Columbia will surely continue to grow, and God will provide the resources for Pastor and First Lady to continue to serve his people.

Overall I enjoyed my first visit at The Brook Columbia, and look forward to attending next Sunday. Lastly I want to share some important points I took away from Pastor Simeon’s Message.

“This Changes Everything” Matthew 16:13-19.

• Church is a place to receive healing.
• There are certain things you CAN’T get until you are in the RIGHT place.
• When you ask the question, “Why am I in this place in my life?” It’s because you can’t get or understand the lesson until you are in the right place at the right time and ready to receive it in God’s time, not your time.
• People do not love you for who you are, but the gift that you are to them or can provide for their benefit.
• Be hungry for the word, not the personality!
• Wherever you go, look for opportunities to serve as opposed to receiving.
• The Wisdom Tooth Analogy applied to life situations: Wisdom teeth show up late and mess up everything.