I would like to thank Rev F. Dean Lueking for his eloquent and gracious response, "Going to church anyway-and why" [Viewpoints, July 19] to my article about why I don't go to church anymore [Viewpoints, July 5].

These are some of the things I love about what he wrote:

1) He listened. "We would do well to listen carefully." Rev Lueking, thank you so much for listening. I really appreciate it.

2) He affirmed honest inquiry. "God is no enemy of an honestly inquiring mind. The congregation is the right place for inquiring minds to inquire." My question is: How can I be sure my inquiry is honest? I used to think the proof was whether the inquiry led a person to (or back to) faith. Now I'm hoping that's not true because if it is, mine so far must have been dishonest.

3) He painted a beautiful picture of Christian community. "The church is the hospital where those broken on the wheel of life find healing and hope." I'm happy to hear that's been Rev. Lueking's experience. I'd like to see all churches place higher priority on specific training in people skills and people helping for staff and lay members. I think this would help the church more consistently be the hospital Rev. Lueking depicted.

4) He is open to seeing that sometimes "God's love [is] at work through those who make no claim to faith whatsoever." Absolutely. There are probably stories right here in this newspaper about love and kindness shown to others by people who don't profess to have faith.

5) He wrote eloquently and beautifully about the basic Christian message: "God has won us back to himself through undeserved grace." I love the part about grace. I'm not sure why there is so much focus in Christianity on it being "undeserved." It seems to me that truly loving people just love. They don't say, "You didn't deserve this, by the way" because whether I deserve it is not even an issue. They can't help loving me for who I am, in all my uniqueness, which means they can't help forgiving me for who I am not. If God is love, as the Bible says, is it not possible He might be that way also?

6) He openly acknowledged: The church is not the 100 percent club of those who have God all figured out." I appreciated his humility here and throughout his response. Rev. Lueking, do you have any suggestions about how Christians who believe the Bible is true and that its meaning is clear can avoid coming across as having God all figured out? Because I do sense they often come across that way to people outside the church.

7) Last but definitely not least, he pointed out that faith, unambiguously connected with works of love, is what it will take to make people who have left communities of faith reconsider their decision. Yes indeed. Thank you, Rev. Lueking, for affirming the importance of that connection. I believe it's what draws people to church and helps keep them there after the "honeymoon period" is over. As you indicated, it might even cause them to reconsider if they've wandered away.

I'm far from ready to go back to church. But the grace, humility and kindness Rev. Lueking exemplified in his response may have brought me one step closer.

Helen Mildenhall
Oak Park