I walk into the building, immediately surrounded by the plush comfort of a warm silence. I can smell the faint scent of unleavened bread, and it combines with the scent of a recently vacuumed carpet to become what my nose recognizes as church. The sunlight falls in shafts revealing the undisturbed dust floating in the air, and I stand face to face with the pulpit.

This is what I do nearly every Sunday morning, and I love it.

If I didn't have church, Sunday would be my day to sleep in; I would be able to stay out all night on Saturday. Even so, I can't say that I regret going to church.

Not only is it spiritually uplifting, but I can finally find myself at peace. Even though sometimes I find it hard to stop thinking about the homework I still have to do, once I clear my mind it is an unmatched experience.

What makes church service unique compared to anything else I do during the week is that I am surrounded by a group of people who want to see me do well, who are rooting for me, and who love me. Instead of being competitive with people or trying to be better than them, we bond in ways that build each other up.

Going to church is my favorite part of the week. If I close my eyes and listen to the people around me singing and I listen to myself singing I can hear a unity that is much stronger than the individual voices that are part of it.