Churches: coming to some conclusions

Since our retirement 11 years ago, we’ve been very busy and involved in church and other ministry, as one would expect from two ordained people.  It’s been challenging, frustrating and rewarding.  Hub has been chairing local homeless projects.  I’ve been developing the ministry of deacons at diocesan and national levels.  It’s been good, exciting, worthwhile:  a privilege to be involved, and I do mean that.

But now we’re tired.  I realise if I’m being honest that I’m played out, spiritually, emotionally, mentally – not to mention physically, with minor health issues which are chronic and annoying.  Our lives are evolving:  various responsibilities are coming to a natural end, and, somewhat to our surprise, we realise that our input at our little estate church is also coming to an end.

This isn’t an easy thing to realise, and it’s been even more difficult to actually make the decision and then tell people.  However right it seems, I still feel a bit of a heel.

Anyway, there are all sorts of other factors here:  but we’ve decided, at the end of August, that our time is up and the season for our involvement here is over.

Of course over the years I’ve developed some strong opinions about what churches should be like.  As a deacon, ie a minister who is always looking at how the church can meet  needs in the community, this is a priority with me as we look around. We are also looking for organised, respectful worship which has a relaxed feel:  no insistence on certain ways of doing the liturgy, but using it as I believe it should be used, not as an end in itself but as a vehicle to contain, direct and inspire our own worship.

Today we went to a church where we were welcomed.  People started chatting to us straightaway. The service started on time.  The sermon was challenging, inspiring, and truthful.  The prayers were thoughtful.  The hymns were familiar – helpful to those of us who aren’t versed in the latest Christian songs:  it’s hard to worship when you don’t know the tune! – you’re too busy trying to learn it.

This church has a reputation for its work with addicts, running a project called The Living Room under the general title of Celebrate Recovery.  All during the service, those who use the church as such a support sat at the back, one sleeping on one of the sofas, one with a dog.  They were welcome, at home.

I could not help comparing this with another church I know, where the addicts coming into the church building are regarded as the enemy, to be kept out somehow, and their disgusting habits controlled.

I thought about Jesus, and how he welcomed the poor, the lost and the needy.  The sermon addressed issues of addiction, tying it in with an Old Testament narrative which was extraordinarily relevant, and integrating the teaching with our everyday lives. We were challenged to look at the possibility of our own tendencies to certain addictions:  shopping, eating, endlessly looking at our mobile phones, all sorts.  It’s not about ‘us’ and ‘them’.  We are all ‘them’.

Afterwards, nice coffee, and more friendly chatty people.

Our last service at our current church will be the final Sunday in August.  I guess we know where we’ll be going next.