Best church?
Lamb Chopped
Shipmate
in Heaven
I'm curious--what's the best church you've ever been personally acquainted with, and specifically why? I'm pretty sure that the Anna Karenina quote is wrong when it comes to churches and probably families too--you know, "“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” ?
I'm going to leave out my own Vietnamese congregation past and present and instead name our host congregation right now (not as it was in the past, ugh). IMHO the reasons it's good are because it's primarily centered around the Lord and secondarily around people (members or otherwise); instead of the high profile "make a name for ourselves" stuff they used to do. Now they've got an active food pantry and people who check up on each other (though we can still improve in this, God knows), and a pastor who actually visits the shut in and sick regularly without having to be chivvied into it. They've got ordinary laypeople who take responsibility for everything from coffee making to the future planning committee, though we need to improve in this too. They've even got a Bible study that doesn't fold when the leader for the day doesn't shop up (sick or out of town) and just carries on, on its own, and does fine. And some people have started putting out tables and chairs at coffee time so people like me don't have to lean on our canes and be uncomfortable.
They also managed to squeeze out the money to call a fulltime music director (replacing 1 and 1/2 pastors who retired, which is why they could do this). Which improved the music no end, particularly because she's actively recruiting children, teens and adults to do all sorts of stuff, instead of trying to do it all herself.
I'm not saying it's paradise, but it struck me that there's a tendency to focus on what's not working well or at all in churches; and to overlook the really good stuff. And maybe we could learn from other people's successes if you'd share them here?
I'm going to leave out my own Vietnamese congregation past and present and instead name our host congregation right now (not as it was in the past, ugh). IMHO the reasons it's good are because it's primarily centered around the Lord and secondarily around people (members or otherwise); instead of the high profile "make a name for ourselves" stuff they used to do. Now they've got an active food pantry and people who check up on each other (though we can still improve in this, God knows), and a pastor who actually visits the shut in and sick regularly without having to be chivvied into it. They've got ordinary laypeople who take responsibility for everything from coffee making to the future planning committee, though we need to improve in this too. They've even got a Bible study that doesn't fold when the leader for the day doesn't shop up (sick or out of town) and just carries on, on its own, and does fine. And some people have started putting out tables and chairs at coffee time so people like me don't have to lean on our canes and be uncomfortable.
They also managed to squeeze out the money to call a fulltime music director (replacing 1 and 1/2 pastors who retired, which is why they could do this). Which improved the music no end, particularly because she's actively recruiting children, teens and adults to do all sorts of stuff, instead of trying to do it all herself.
I'm not saying it's paradise, but it struck me that there's a tendency to focus on what's not working well or at all in churches; and to overlook the really good stuff. And maybe we could learn from other people's successes if you'd share them here?
Comments
And that was in the middle of winter. We moved from Southern California to Eastern Washington during one of the coldest spells in 40 years time. Having lived in California, none of my kids were accustomed to bitter cold. Nonetheless, we sought out a new church home.
Imagine the first Sunday in January. The windchill factor was -20 F. The parking lot to church had to be plowed out before people could arrive. That Sunday 15 people were at worship, five of which were my family.
This congregation welcomed us with open arms Everyone introduced themselves. By next Sunday, one of the matrons of the congregation had knitted three sweaters for out three youngest kids. Of course, the kids quickly outgrew them, but the thought was precisious.
I think one of the things I appreciate about the congregation is its level of education. Many of the older members are faculty at the university in town. They have high expectations for the congregation. It continues to be one of the most welcoming communities I have been in. We have a philosophy each time someone becomes a member the congregation becomes a new congregation. It is the most diverse congregation in our synod ethnically. It started out as a Norwegian immigrant church; but today you will find Botswana, Korean, Peruvian, Chinese, Ukrainian and other European members.
We love to sing. We experiment with the liturgy. We enjoy fellowship. We experience the body of Christ where we are at.
Perhaps Bono is wrong?
However, I'm glad that many others find things somewhat different!
I don’t know the Bono reference. Help me out?
It may be apocryphal but apparently the lyrics of I still haven't found what I'm looking for refers to the Kingdom of God on Earth.
AFZ
I don't know their views now, but during the 80s & 90s I think all identified as Christians with the exception of Adam Clayton who was an atheist.
Perhaps worth noting that in that interview, he refers to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as “a gospel song” and “a psalm.” I think that comes through in the “Rattle and Hum” version.
And in case you’ve never encountered one, U2Charists.
They even played at Greenbelt in 1981 (the one year I was there!)
https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2012/aug/31/archive-1981-christian-rock-festival-greenbelt-u2?CMP=share_btn_url
In the past, a Baptist church plant with a somewhat 'emergent' feel as we ourselves emerged from a restorationist setting which had gone pear-shaped.
But I've mostly been happy wherever I've been.
It would be invidious not to mention the various locations of the Naval Chaplaincy Service who rescued my then moribund faith though.
The first was where I worshipped in my late twenties. It was a decent size congregation on the edge of a council estate. If people stopped giving it basically would run out of money in six months as it had few financial resources. To supplement this giving income, which was necessary as quite a number of members came from the houses around, it ran a regular jumble sale. The Boys Brigade was staffed by church members and it ran an oversubscribed holiday club in the summer. It also dealt with people as individuals. They were so engaged with the local youth that the church was not vandalised. If kids went up on the roof and were spotted by church members they were called down by name.
The second was the first of my placement churches for my PhD. It was a a very warm congregation with a welcome for anyone who stepped across the threshold. They were in someways quite upper middle class and tended to do charitable works by helping to fund organisations, but if someone with needs came along they found ways to help that person.
Finally by currrent church. It is not where I expected to end up as part of tradition but it is the place where I am. It is a place where I can explore my vocation on my terms and help others explore their vocation. Basically if it is not to the priesthood then people get sent to me by the Priest, but this is a lot better than being left on their own. It is growing, multi-class, multi-ethnic church in the city centre with a rich worship life and a number of social action projects such as Parish Nursing.
As a student I went along with all the other Christian Union students to a central Anglican church, a traditional evangelical church of the 1960ies, packed to the galleries every Sunday evening. Here I experienced a Christianity which was both intellectually stimulating and exemplified in its social outreach, and here I was baptised and confirmed as an Anglican, having been brought up in a Baptist tradition.
As a young mum I was in a very active and supportive church. Through playgroup and toddlers groups which I helped to found over 40 families joined that church.
As a retired couple we moved house and found that the parish church met all our expectations and we settled quickly. Sadly a new vicar destroyed all that was valued - eg formal but rich liturgy, well prepared and stimulating sermons, good music, and at the heart of the community - and over 45 people, including me, have felt obliged to leave.
Welcoming to newcomers with hospitality and building local community.
Support of those in or training for ministry through financial giving but also in prayer and genuinely caring for them with some being former parishoners.
Activities for all ages and parish weekends where people shared together. The first sign of things going awry for me was people's reluctance to give preference to spending on many things, but not to gather for time as a parish family.
Bible studies/small groups on offer every night of the week and during the day for retirees and a preschooler's program. A Sunday school operating during school terms.
The parish of my teenage years has now grown to such an extent that they've had to replace the seating to make room for all wanting to attend. It did have time of doldrums in the mid-70s and some clergy issues in the early 90's, but the people have been faithful and will hopefully continue to thrive.
The second parish is working hard to engage with community as it becomes a Parish of mid-life to older people and yet wanting to remain relevant and serve the local community. I think this is difficult due to secularisation of society and also the pricing out of young families moving into established suburbs.
Whatever happens, to love and serve their God and the people with faithfulness should see them through.
I don't think they're really about style. Hymns versus worship songs, liturgy vs freestyle. I think they're about theology.
Service styles are often a proxy measure for the theology you will meet, especially at the modern "worship band" end of things. There may be some inclusive and liberal congregations out there using a worship band but I've yet to find one.
It's of course a Bit More Complicated than that; churches like @Darda 's offering a variety of styles is a case in point. But again, my experience is that if a church uses the worship band approach in any of its services, its theology will be conservative. It's actually pretty hard to sing much of the modern repertoire if you're not a charismatic con-Evo. I knew I had to move on when I found myself having to change too many of the lyrics.
I remember Garth Hewitt's Walk the Talk and Dance on Injustice attempts to use a contemporary style with more inclusive and progressive theology. Sank like a stone.
YMMV of course.
In the further spirit of YMMV, I can think of few things I would welcome less than telling a small bunch of religious people my problems so they can "pray for me". It makes my skin crawl. Baggage. But I digress.
I find family-oriented services difficult, others struggle with ‘the peace’, some struggle with ‘high-church’ & others with ‘low’.
Having a mix of services can help but it can also sometimes mean effectively you have multiple congregations in the same building.
I admire any church who has accomplished it all (although I expect it doesn’t exist).
My current church asks us to ‘come as you are’ and although I usually bring to mind the Nirvana song, I do appreciate the ethos.