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By Jody Bramel

Early one Friday evening in September 1996 I met up with my husband Tom at the subway stop closest to our home. As we were walking to our car he said, "You'll never guess what happened today!" "What?" I said, hoping Tom wouldn't really make me guess as he's fond of doing. "You know how sometimes I surf the Internet on my lunch hour?" I nodded. "Well today I typed in Emanuel Swedenborg," Tom continued excitedly, "I found a website for a church in Mitchellville, and they're having a supper and doctrinal class tonight! Want to go?" "Um," I said, being the introvert in the family and, on a Friday evening after work, a rather tired introvert. Tom reassured me, "Mitchellville isn't very far away." I was still reluctant. "I printed out the map and everything," Tom said with a smile.

I decided to at least consider going. We had been reading the Writings for several years at that point, having first learned about them when we got married in the Convention church's wedding chapel in Washington DC. Reading the Writings on our own was rewarding, but not easy. That Friday afternoon, as Tom unlocked the car door, an excited feeling came over me too and I suddenly said, "Sure, let's go!"

The map led us straight to the Mitchellville, Maryland Church. The people there turned out to be friendly, the dinner delicious, and the class informative. Tom and I have been attending services there ever since.

Meeting so many new people those first months, I was thankful that we had an interesting story with which to introduce ourselves. Even today, some people still refer to us at "the Internet Couple."

Jody is currently writing a novel and co-editing a theological book. Tom is a Multimedia Coordinator for the Library of Congress's website; he is also using his musical skills to compose a symphonic poem.