Pastor's Column Week of January 24 2010

The following is from “Dear Abby,” January 23, 2010:

“Dear Abby, last Sunday I attended a church service, and the woman and her adult daughter seated behind me would not shut their mouths. All I could hear was the two of them catching up on the week’s gossip.

“I scooted as far over in the pew as possible to avoid hearing the conversation. I go to church for peace, quiet and reflection, and it’s frustrating to hear constant chatter.

“Would it be rude to turn around and ask these people to be quiet?”

“No. How else will they know they’re creating a distraction? This happens in other venues besides church. It is rude and thoughtless.”

Over the years I have heard rather few complaints of persons talking during church services. A few, not many. More so than this sort of complaint, all across America there has been a difference of opinion regarding noise prior to the service starting. Some people have wanted absolute quiet upon entering the sanctuary; others have wanted to visit with friends.

Several years ago, Rev. Herb Miller of Net Results, a well-respected church consultant, declared that this difference of opinion about noise prior to the start of the service had, in effect, come to an end. As he went around the country consulting with churches, he noticed that the only churches that were silent before the service were those having a fight. And why were the others noisy beforehand? America has changed.

Years ago church members used to see each other and visit throughout the week, say at the grocery store or PTA meeting or post office or while sitting on porches, which facilitated quiet prior to worship. This is no longer the case. Church members often go about their busy week-day lives without seeing one another except on Sunday mornings. They’re glad to see each other when they walk in the sanctuary and break into conversation.

But a bit of decorum can be maintained. Notice what we’re doing at Grace. We visit prior to the service but begin to quiet down during the organ prelude. Visiting comes to an official end during the Greeting when we stand and shake hands. A prayer, brief silent prayer, and choral interlude transition us into the official Call to Worship.

Attending Worship Regularly

PASTOR’S COLUMN.

One of Grace’s Core Commitments has to do with attending worship as regularly as possible.

Worship is a contraction of “worth-ship,” which has a couple of components. One, because nothing is worth more to us than God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we gather to proclaim our devotion and loyalty in worship services. We hear God’s word and sing God’s praise and offer our lives to God in prayer. Nothing in this life is more valuable to us than God.

Two, the suffix “–ship” means “art or skill.” We aren’t to be passive when it comes to worship. We actively strive to become more skilled at proclaiming our devotion and loyalty. As time goes by, our awareness of God’s worth is to become greater and greater, and we are to receive more and more from worship services. Worship is a skill to be developed not neglected.

The sermon is an address based upon scripture that calls us to live by faith in Jesus Christ. The music lifts our attention heavenward, and the prayers open our lives to God’s guiding, healing presence. We are called Presbyterians for our form of government – presbyters, or elders, lead the congregation in response to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. But we are also called Reformed because our lives are to be “reformed” weekly in worship.

Still, there is resistance. Just as people give reasons for not attending worship, now there’s a list of the Top Ten Reasons I Never Wash:
1. I was forced to wash as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites. They think they’re cleaner than other people.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap. I can’t decide which is best.
4. I used to wash, but it got boring.
5. I wash, but only on Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I’ll start washing when I’m older.
8. I really don’t have time.
9. The bathroom isn’t warm enough.
10. People who make soap are only after your money.

Pastor's Column--New Year's Resolutions

Cal Smarna, editor of The Joyful Noiseletter, reminds us that Jesus was no gloomy Messiah. “We know that children were attracted to Jesus, and flocked to be near him. In any age, children are never attracted to melancholy or stern grumps. It was clear that Jesus was the anti-depressant of the early Christians.”
In that joyful and humorous spirit, here are some thoughts about New Year’s resolutions:


Erma Bombeck made several resolutions over the years.
- Not to go to a doctor whose office plants have died.
- Not to follow my husband’s suggestion that I put a little excitement in my life by living within a budget.
- I am going to apply for a hardship scholarship to Weight Watchers.
- Not going to loan my car to anyone I’ve given birth to.


A cabbie once explained why, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, people actually dread the new year. “The holidays aren’t quite over and I’m already 90 days ahead on my calories and 90 days behind on my bills.”


Wife: Here it is February, and I’ve kept all my New Year’s resolutions!
Husband: Yeah, kept them on a piece of paper in the back of your desk.


Bob: There’s nothing like getting up at 6:00 in the morning, going for a run around the park, and then taking a brisk shower before going off to work!
Bill: How long have you been doing this?
Bob: I’ll begin soon. It was one of my New Year’s resolutions.


A New Year’s Prayer. “ God of joy, grant that we live in a home at peace and in a world at peace. That our awareness includes such things as a baby’s smile, the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, and the miraculous nature of the beating of our own heart. May we be blessed with joy, health, and the love of Christ in 2010, and may we be a blessing in the lives of others. Amen”