One simple step: Introduce them to the faith of your choice.

If you've been absent from your religion for a number of years, don't fret about returning. Most congregations will welcome you.

Some, of course, will be indifferent to your presence. Others will make it apparent they don't want you hanging around. Take their advice and move on.

There are a number of ways to find a church. Look in the Yellow Pages. Check out Web sites on the Internet. Or simply start visiting different congregations. But if you visit, watch for a few things.

For instance, the age of your children may determine the kind of congregation you want. Does the church offer programs for both you and your children? If the church doesn't offer a wide array, don't waste your time.

But if you're just looking for a place to worship, there are several other things to consider. Here's what I would find most important:

-Music. It's not important to me to have huge choirs raising the roof, because small ensembles can be just as inspiring. I remember hearing a soloist one Sunday morning who was strumming a guitar in the balcony of the church and singing in a scratchy voice - he almost had me in tears.

So it isn't the size of the choir that makes the difference. It's the quality of the music that counts, especially when rendered in a sacred space.

It's also important to me to have a mix of musical styles. I am a great fan of religious classical music, but I also like folk songs and some contemporary Christian music. So I wouldn't be drawn to a congregation that always used one instrument, the pipe organ. Nor would I enjoy singing only one kind of music, such as folk songs, at every worship service. Mix it up and give me quality.

-The sermon. I'm not looking for a preacher who delivers a large dose of histrionics and a little dab of substance. If the sermon theme every week is the same time-worn stuff about how evil we are and how God will save us, perhaps, if we're really good, then I'm going to be outta there.

I want a preacher who knows and uses the book (whether it be the Bible, the Torah or the Koran) to inspire me, teach me, help me through life's hot spots and give me assurance that someday there will be rewards.

One of the best preachers I ever heard was soft-spoken, sort of halting in his speech, but he was entirely sincere. You could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes.

He was a practical preacher who knew the Bible so well that he could apply it to life as ordinary people live it. He was a storyteller who could make parishioners laugh or cry, even both in the same sermon. So, pulpit show-offs don't do it for me. I want authenticity and insight.

-Vitality. If I'm going to choose a church, I want to know that it is a healthy congregation. I don't want to step into a church fight. I don't want to watch a preacher get beat up by a congregation. So I would ask some questions:

How long has Pastor Smith been serving this congregation? Would you consider this congregation healthy?

-Friendliness. We shouldn't necessarily expect a congregation to be friendly on our first visit. I have visited hundreds of churches, and in only one or two did people speak to me the first time. They simply are not willing to invest in you until they see you a few times and have a feeling that you will be faithful.

But if I have worshiped in a congregation four or five times and no one has engaged me in conversation, then I am going to think this is a place that does not want me as a member.

Good luck in your search. Somewhere there is a congregation that will give you peace, serenity and inspiration.

Clark D. MorphewApril 12, 1997