What's for Dessert? Church!

God has been giving me a lot of good stuff about the "church" lately.  We are the church, yes, but I am speaking specifically about the churches we attend, in whatever form it may be. 
We were going through a period of life a few years back where we were questioning the institution of church.  Not because our church had offended us or anything, but just God taking us to the place of seeing the purpose of church.  It felt awful at times to be honest because I started to see my codependency on church to serve my relationship "fix" with God.  Then a wise friend said something along these lines:   "Your daily walk with God is the meal, church on Sunday is the dessert."  That REALLY spoke to me.  Church had been my meal, and I was starving from only eating one (sometimes two) meal a week!!
Church can easily become a co-dependent force, and we can forget that we should only be dependent upon our relationship with God, on a personal level.  Church as a substitute for relationship will only lead to dissappointment.  It's easy to look to people, places, or things to fulfill that longing for relationship only experienced with Him.  People in church are still people.  They aren't holier than thou, and shouldn't be expected to be.  Christians are watched closely, and it's easy to point fingers when they get out of line.  "They should know better, they go to church."  Many people confuse going to church for relationship, and I have been there, but praise God I've seen truth!
Church is not mandantory to walk with Him.  Church does not make you righteous.  Church does not give you the right to judge others.  Church is full of people with problems.  Church is not perfect, ever.
Church can be a place to fellowship with believers.  Church can be a place where you grow.  Church can be a place where you serve out of a loving heart.  Church can be a place of acceptance no matter where you are at in life.  CHURCH SHOULD BE ALL THESE THINGS!
If church is not, then maybe seek to find one that represents Him the proper way.
Church is a group of people that can come together with all their unique talents and abilities to fellowship in the name of Jesus!  This leads to many more aspects of what happens as a result of these believers joining together, but that is pretty much what church is.   
Church is not where God lives, He dwells within you, everywhere you go.  Christians meeting to grow, fellowship, worship, and serve because we desire to...that is true church.  Take expectations, limitations, and obligations out of the equation, and church really does become dessert.  A really good dessert that makes the meal perfect.