what do you call a church that isn't a church?

i've been slacking on my 200 words.

i've been thinking about them, i've been writing some stuff down, but i haven't *really* been getting it done.

instead, like the great slacker i am, i've been binging friday night lights again before netflix takes it off on sunday.

priorities, i have them (all five seasons on dvd, i will have them too as soon as amazon prime delivers).

watching friday night lights, starting to settle down into fall, too much time to think...it makes me think one thing: i wish i could go to church without going to church.

i mean, really, outside of church, where is there a group of like minded people that have the support network, sense of community, sense of do-goodness, sense of family?

i mean, if it weren't for all the religion, i would go back to church in a heartbeat.

i just really can't do the religion thing and it would be exceedingly tone-deaf and hypocritical to just play along or pretend. not my jam.

i miss the part of growing up in church, as fucked up as my experience was, of belonging somewhere. which is, specifically, how they get people in the doors.

how many lifetime movies have there been about someone feeling lost, looking for answers, and wandering into a church?

they're looking for something. they're looking for somewhere to belong, and try, really try to think of another place that has that, without the religion part.

it doesn't exist as far as i know.

sure, there's hobby groups. there's clubs. there's sports- but those all go away. religion has lasting power. i mean, kids sports- i belonged to a group for a while. we had shared interest, would talk, get to know each other, but then season ended, teams changed. people went about their way and it was all lost.

why can't there be a non-church?

a place where you can meet up every week and build that community. instead of sermons we'll talk about ways to budget better. instead of sunday school we'll have recipe exchanges and how to seal with family.

sure, we can talk about the ten commandments:

love thy neighbor: ways to build a community and peacefully resolve property disputes.

honor thy father and mother: what to do when your teenager teenages.

thou shalt not steal: building a neighborhood watch and building a network of trust and mutual protection.

sermon on the mount: the best kama sutra positions for every couple (too far?)

i just.

i miss having a place where i belong, but i know for sure religion isn't for me.

so who wants to start a non-church with me?