Churchy-ness

A vignette from a typical NC day: with foul weather, I have been riding the public bus more. The front six seats, like the ones on Yolobus, line the sides into a sort of "lounge," with seats that flip up in case a wheelchair needs to get strapped in. Some mornings, this "lounge" is occupied by a makeshift bible-study. A large soft-spoken African-American man with an equally large well-worn black leatherbound Bible, discusses chapter and verse with whomever is sitting near or across from him. I can't yet tell if the folks who partake mean to or not. They sometimes make eye contact with him, sometimes nod, sometimes say something. At times, some of them speak of a personal experience of God that echoed the verse, experiences of giving up drugs or losing a loved one. The mood, though, is very ordinary, neither solemn nor boisterous. That sure never happened on Yolobus though.
It's certainly true that church is more intricately woven into the fabric of life here than anywhere I have lived or traveled before, but it escapes first notice. Then you start to be struck that the grocery bagger might respond to your "and how are you?" with a "Truly blessed, just truly blessed." And "Oh Lord" is how people recount a funny story.
Religiosity here, though, is a facet of culture far more than a culture of its own. What I mean by that a whole number of activities and social outlets are all called "church," rather than just a Sunday morning appointment or any particular set of beliefs. People would expect that you belong to some kind of church just as as much as you would have parents and kin. It certainly harkens to a day when government did almost nothing for regular folks and churches picked up a lot of services, so being a member was somewhat a matter of survival and empowerment.
At any rate, coming from a French upbringing that is powerfully anti-religious-establishment, and a Catholic upbringing that is generally subdued, I'm far more used to keeping my religious/spiritual beliefs close to my chest. But I've noticed that outward manifestations of churchy-ness no longer cause me mild anxiety ("How do you respond to God Bless You when it's not related to sneezing?") and rather real appreciation. People who share their blessings here generally give you what they hold as their dearest selves.