Thank you both. Mary, I can see from your post that you've had a very different experience than I, that you're very happy and fulfilled where you are, and that, were we to attempt a detailed dialogue about matters of faith, it would be way more detailed than I have time for!! HA! I've got a wife and kids, for crying out loud!
I'll just say this: When I got involved in a few charismatic churches, they were all run, basically, by disaffected, unaffiliated, pie-eyed youth who were idealists looking to rediscover, for themselves, the perfect new testament church. We tapped into all the "hot teachers," and we had truly dynamic worship and all that, but it was a very shallow group. Not much fruit, and definitely, not much fruit. The biggest lack, IMO, was peace.
Well, since the "kingdom of God is not food nor drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost," and my "fellowship" didn't seem to have a lot of peace (and I certainly wasn't experiencing much,) I decided the teachings were off. (And my reaction was atypical. Most of my friends in that church, when they found their joy and peace waning, realized they had to pray and fast more. To try harder. That's exhausting, over the long haul!)
To make a long story short, I found a church, the Lutheran Church, Missour Synod, that, first and foremost, introduced me to the distinction between law and gospel. Very liberating. Then, my last pastor was a liturgist, and very "confessional." He taught me the beauty of the ancient faith, with its engaging ritual, solid doctrine and traditions that bring a sense of rhythm to life that I find very satisfying. It's 180 degrees out from the "for the moment" very hip, very "now," very exciting, but very hubristic (in its contempt for tradition) religion I experienced 20 years ago. Liturgical worship is not very exciting in an emotional sense, but intellectual, and in terms of feeding one's soul, I find it VERY exciting!
So, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout, sister! It is my hope that my experience will hold out hope of "something more" for people who, unlike you, have been involved in "slap-happy" churches and have grown tired of it, but assume there's nothing better going on "out there" in mainline Christianity. I think there's a lot going on "out here." And I think the Orthodox church is a pretty happenin' place, too!
FReegards.