The Lengths To Which We Go To Woo Worshipers

Starbucks in the narthex, muffins, bagels and cream cheese in the atrium, and popcorn during the service. Yep, I've seen them all. I'm talking about the lures many modern-day churches use to "woo worshipers" to their services. Actually, I thought I'd seen (or at least heard about) them all. And then I encountered a story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal about a Jewish Synagogue in the Hamptons, called The Shul, which states, "after these Jewish prayer services, things come 'to life' at open bar. Its weekly service attracts anywhere from 500 to 800 people and according to the article, the "pricey libations" cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,600 per week. According to Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, dwindling attendance led him and other rabbis to become creative by offering "sumptuous food, fine wines and liquors as a way to help draw congregants."

Let's face it, the church in America is dwindling and no denomination is immune from it. I see it in my own Catholic parish every Sunday. Many churches have played around with coffee and donuts after services, some  started Breakfast Clubs and bringing in various guest speakers while they share a meal. Some churches have started pre or post service book clubs, cooking clubs, and even a spa-like atmosphere where one can get a mani-pedi. I'm not kidding. And I don't doubt that somewhere in this vast country is a church that boasts a giant Jumbotron behind the pastor that is tuned in to ESPN (hopefully muted) so that you don't have to miss your favorite sporting event.

I guess in this day and age we have to be innovative. It's never been an easy job to get people to sit still long enough to hear, really hear, the MESSAGE. We're a restless people with grumbling stomachs. We're easily distracted with shopping and to do lists in our heads. I don't imagine it was any different when Jesus was the guest speaker. He understood this well enough. He knew that people flocked to him for miraculous healings, inspired teachings and in a few cases, a free dinner. They were needy, and a little selfish back then and we as a human race haven't changed much in 2,000 years.  

So I say a big, AMEN! If any of the above tactics can in anyway help spread the Good News, then it's a Good Thing, and it's quite possible that we might just have a little fun in the process. And no, Jesus was and is not opposed to fun.

The decline in church membership

Episcopal Church reports lowest membership in 70 years

Washington D.C., Nov 1, 2011 / 02:35 am (CNA).- New statistics from the Episcopal Church show the group's loss of more than 200,000 members and 300 parishes between 2006 and 2010, bringing membership to its lowest since the 1930s.

In an Oct. 22 blog entry, commentator David Virtue noted that if the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion continues to lose active members at the present rate, then “in 26 years there will no longer be anyone attending an Episcopal church.”

CAN THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR CHURCH?

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the answer is YES.  What phenomenon is taking place in our 21st century that is causing the decline in many churches, some to the point where the church doors are permanently closed?


In a September, 2010 article in The Christian Century, Lovett H. Weems Jr. lists three reasons:  A great deal of regular church goers attend less frequently. The ones that do attend regularly are aging and for reasons of health are not able to go as often. And younger people lack interest in religion and avoid church all together. In citing a 2008 General Social Survey regarding how often people claim to attend church, Weems says that the attendance category that has grown the most since the 1990's is "never", as in never having attend church. WOW! If this is the category that is growing the fastest, then we have to ask ourselves two crucial questions. What must we do to reverse this trend? And when can we start? 


To view these articles in their entirety, visit these links:
No Shows: The decline in worship attendance

Episcopal Church reports lowest membership in 70 years

Shalom

Church Leadership

Survey shows Catholic shift on church leadership, authority issues

By Mark Pattison
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholics favor a variety of responses to the priest shortage but give less credence to official church teachings than they formerly did, according to the results of a survey commissioned by National Catholic Reporter newspaper.

At least two-thirds of the respondents supported each of a number of alternatives -- priest-sharing, parish mergers, bringing in priests from another country, cutting the number of weekend Masses, having a deacon or layperson run the parish, and occasionally substituting Mass with a communion service.

A growing majority -- 58 percent, compared to 53 percent six years ago -- also said "most priests don't expect the laity to be leaders, just followers." And at least three-quarters of the respondents agreed that laypeople had the right to decide how parish money should be spent, select their new pastor and decide on parish closings.


INTERESTING!
Why do 58 percent of Catholics believe that priests don't expect laity to be leaders? That's not what I hear from most priests and pastors that I have spoken with over the years. I think most pastors welcome laity to get involved and take on some responsibility, relieving their burdens just a bit. As to being "followers", well that's a whole other issue. Of course they want their congregation to follow in some respects; follow the teaching of Jesus, follow the teachings of the church, and hopefully following the guidance of the Holy Spirit working through the church and its members. But to blindly follow, like the zombies on The Walking Dead, looking for sustenance is ridiculous. Sometimes I think comments like that are just an excuse to not get involved. And if you read the rest of the article http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1104193.htm you can draw your own conclusions.  


Shalom







 

The Disappearing Church

The following was written in the wee hours of the morning, two days after I quit my job as Director of Christian Education. As I lay awake thinking about all the reasons that led to a very difficult decision to resign, I prayed for clarity as to how to best describe the complacency and subsequent negativity that had consumed this once vibrant church. This fable, I think, says it all.

THE DISAPPEARING CHURCH - by Martha Coulter

Once upon a time there was a small little church situated in a quaint little town in a picturesque part of Ohio. The church had been there for a very long time, so long that massive oaks grew in her front yard. She was a beautiful church made with the finest of stones brought from far and wide. Her stained glass windows were magnificent and when the morning sun shone through the front windows, it was if the Holy Spirit was radiating love on all those gathered. And the people were proud of their church. They came for miles around just to sit in her splendor. Sometimes the preaching brought them to tears, other times it was the music, and there was laughter, handshaking and hugs as each week the congregation gathered for worship.  

One Sunday morning the Pastor went into the church before the start of services and noticed that one of the stained-glass windows was missing; it wasn’t broken or shattered it was simply gone. But because it was a sunny summer day, he didn’t worry, and both services went on as usual. Others noticed the missing window, but since the Pastor hadn’t mentioned it or seemed to worry about it, they didn’t worry about it either. 

The next Sunday when the custodian came to turn on the lights for the first service, he noticed that several of the pews were gone. He looked around and couldn’t find them so he went and found the Pastor to tell him about it. When the Pastor realized that the missing pews were the pews in the front, and no one ever sat in them anyway, he said there was no need to worry. And so the service began. The people who sat in back of the church never even noticed the missing pews, but a few brave souls who sat up closer did, but since the Pastor didn’t say anything and didn’t seem to worry, they didn’t worry either.

The following Sunday the choir director was the first one into the church.  As he made his way up to the front to rehearse that mornings hymns on the organ, he noticed that all the contemporary music instruments, including the baby grand were gone.   When he found the Pastor and told him about it, the Pastor said that since they were rarely played and wouldn’t be played today; there was no sense worrying about it. 

The very next Sunday a terrible storm hit the quaint little town and about a third of the congregation missed the services. As the Pastor looked out into the sparse crowd, he thought to himself that it was too bad that he couldn’t stay home too; the storm was bad and everyone would be back next week and he shouldn’t worry. 

The next week it was the same crowd, perhaps a little thinner. The Pastor didn’t see any children or young families sitting in the pews. He was glad however that the “old-timers” were there. They were his “Steady Eddies”, the backbone of the church and since they were the ones who were the generous givers, he didn’t think there was anything to worry about.

Then it was Christmas time. Three services - all packed in. The candles smelled wonderful. The congregation sang their favorite Christmas Carols and everyone was dressed in their finest Christmas attire.  The Pastor looked out and smiled and knew there was nothing to worry about. 

The New Year came and went and as each Sunday passed, fewer and fewer people were sitting in the pews.  So the Pastor decided that rather than having two services with so few people, it would be better to have just one service, thereby having the appearance of being a full church. Since the pastor recommended it, the people agreed. When the first one-service Sunday came and the pews were almost filled, the Pastor was proud that he made such a good decision and that there was nothing to worry about.

One Sunday morning in early spring, the Pastor, the choir director and the custodian all got to the church at the same time.  After their ritual cup of coffee and donut, they went upstairs together to begin setting up, only to find that the church; the stones, the stained-glass windows and all of the pews, the entire church had disappeared. They looked quizzically at each other for awhile not knowing what to say. The Pastor spoke first and said. “I’m worried!”

(c) 2011 Gunnysack Ministries. All rights reserved.
 

Gammy Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Since September 24th of 2009, I have been in a state of funk that creeps at least once a day into my life. It was on that day that I realized I could no longer pick up the phone to call and talk to one of my best friends, my mother-in-law, who passed away the day before.

For over 25 years I talked to her almost every single day. I would even call her at a great expense when I was out of the country on a business trip or vacation. She meant that much to me. For over fifty years, she had the same seven digit phone number and it was always number two (number one being 911) on my speed dial.

So last week, I'm not sure what prompted it, I pressed the number two on my cell phone. I'm not sure what I expected, but I did not expect a male voice on the other end to say, "Hello". I choked and stammered and said, "Hello" back. And then I did about the dumbest thing a human being has ever done while talking to a complete stranger on the phone, I started to cry while unloading the pain of missing my dear sweet Gammy over the past seven months. I told him all about her and how lucky he was to be the new owner of her phone number.

I can't believe he listened to me. He didn't hang up, he didn't laugh, he just listened. And when I was finished, he said so very gently, "I'm sorry, but Gammy doesn't live here anymore". So Gammy, if you're into reading blogs, please know that a really nice guy (I didn't get his name and I'm too chicken to call back) has your phone number. I only hope that when he calls Pizza Hut to order a pizza, the employees that knew you as a loyal customer and loved you almost as much as I did, don't fall into the same blubbering diatribe as I did.

I still miss you.

Come away...and rest a while

Today's sermon at church focused on the Gospel of Mark 6:30-34 where Jesus tells his apostles to, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." The pastor used a cell phone as a prop and reminded us all too well, just how ridiculous we sound or look at times when observed by others as they pass us in their cars, or stand next to us at the checkout counter of the grocery store as we gab on in more often than not, meaningless conversations. It seems that we are so preoccupied with the latest gadgets and the necessity to know what someone is doing at every moment, that we don't even realize how little quiet, let alone rest we have in our day.

Last weekend, my husband and I took a rare trip to a movie theatre to watch a new release we wanted to see on the "big screen". After paying $15.00 to get into the matinee and another $5 for various munchies to eat during the much anticipated event, we finally found two empty seats in a very crowded auditorium. Before the previews even began, a young girl in front of us began talking quite loudly on her cell phone, oblivious to those around her and seeming to ignore the couple accompanying her. The conversation mercifully came to an end, but then the TEXTING began, and it continued through the ENTIRE movie, creating a huge distraction for both my husband and myself, that we were unable to enjoy the movie. This experience in the movie theatre is not uncommon. We see it and hear it everywhere we go. There is very little quiet and very little rest in our world today.

Mark's gospel goes on to tell us, "When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd." Have things changed much in the 2,000 years since the gospel writer penned these words? Should we have pity on the person in the restaurant who is having more of a conversation with the person on their cellphone than the one sitting across the table from them? How about people who are more comfortable texting or instant messaging than they are with a face to face conversation? How has technology interfered with our sensitivity to quiet and restfulness?

When I am lucky enough to find the time to get away to a beach or a mountain lake, I love leaving my laptop behind and my cellphone in the car. As much as I love and embrace technology, I am also very cognizant of the effect it can have on me. The fact that I keep a Blog should be evidence of this. So as I listened to today's sermon and laughed at the silliness of my behavior at a few grocery store check out lanes, I only pray that someone will have pity on me the next time they see me talking on my cellphone at a stoplight.

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Today a large moving truck came and packed up the contents of my son's life. At 26 and single, he was accepted into the Air Force as a JAG officer, and such privilege allows for his belongings to be professionally packed up and moved to his next assignment. After living in several apartments over the years, he has managed to whittle down his belongings into 13 boxes and a few odds and ends. It took less than two hours for the two men to carefully pack it all up and load it on their truck.

As I watched them pack and load everything, I couldn't help reflect on how long it might take them to pack up all of my belongings. After 50 years on this planet, I have certainly accumulated more than 13 boxes and a few odds and ends. There are some things I've been toting around since I was a young girl living at home with my parents. Why? What possesses me to carry this "junk" into each new home my family and I move into? Why am I so unwilling to part with it?

I can't help but think of the words from Matthew 6:19-21 that says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." What can we learn from these words?

A few years back, a good friend of mine returned to her three children things that she had lovingly packed away for years; old report cards, pictures they had drawn, stories they had written, all carefully "stored treasures" to be delivered at the right time when they would be cherished and appreciated by her now grown children. When she returned home a few hours later after making a grocery store run, she discovered a large bonfire to which the contents of her stored treasures were being slowly incinerated. It appeared that her idea of treasure did not match those of her children.

I learned quite a lesson from this. The old dolls, toys, books and coins that were precious to me, were really only valuable to those on eBay that have the same interest. So I'm making a few bucks and getting rid of some old junk (treasures). It's true...one man (woman's) trash is another ones treasure.