What role does God play in your faith, life, church?

I started my belief in an omnipotent God.  The world was all a part of Gods perfect plan and God was in charge of it all.  Free will was like allowing a 3 year old to chose which jacket to wear but at no time entertaining the idea of playing in the snow without one.  God's will would be done.  Then after a tragic event and the realization that there is much in this world that could not possibly be God's will, I swung the other way, if God's will is done it is because we choose to do it.  I relate to God with Centering Prayer - regularly opening myself to God's presence and action within and I certainly have been drawn to work toward the greater good since I began the practice.   From time to time however I have reflected on what would happen if I meditated rather than prayed?  Would I still be connecting with God even if I didn't call it prayer?  Would goodness inherent within me bubble up and inpire me to do these good things because I spend 20 minutes sitting with myself thinking about what matters?  I know some very inpired atheists who work hard to have a positive impact on the world.  I wonder if God is just what I call the goodness within me.  I haven't worried much about it, my prayer life has left me happier, more confident and doing good things.  Recently though  I have begun to feel that I might be still missing something key.  That perhaps as Rev Love Joy once said I have thrown the baby out with the bath water.  Perhaps there is more to God than inspiring my blessed holy self.   Today's sermon had a lot of things in it.  "Be gratefull to God because everything you have and are is from God.  You are not the center - God is - and you are in relationship with God."   It got me thinking.  Has my ego developed more quickly than my faith?  What is Gods role for you?