Over the weekend, I attended a service project with my local college alumni group. Per usual, I enjoyed it. We do this once a year, and the organization we volunteer with only asks for two hours of work. So we talk, we do some basic labor, and we are finished before lunch.
Sadly, not many of us participate from year to year. This year, I could have opted out. First, I had multiple church responsibilities that day, including one I chose not to go to so I could support the service project. Second, I had to arrive before 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Third, I drove through torrential rain to get there that morning.
I wanted to be there. I wanted to show my support of the alumni service project (which we do in coordination with alumni groups in many other cities) with my presence. I wanted to see other alums that I know in the area -- all of us there had important things to share about recent things in our lives. I wanted to demonstrate my deep appreciation of my college education and the unique community (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) that made it what it was for me and what I hope it continues to be for others.
As I was driving away from the service project, I was reflecting on why I believed it was important for me to be there that morning. And I was reflecting on why others didn't share the same impulse that day.
To be sure, in past years, I haven't always been able to participate. One year I forgot to put it on my calendar and had already committed to be somewhere else. Another year, it fell just after our newborn son was released from the hospital. So I know that there are real scheduling conflicts. And perhaps that was true for others that day. But I doubt that fully explains the low turnout.
As a pastor, it is difficult not to notice a change in worship attendance patterns in my congregation. Given conversations with other colleagues, and numerous articles by pastors that I have read, I know that it is a broad trend. People are attending less frequently.
There are lots of reasons given. There are more scheduling conflicts on Sunday mornings, especially with youth sports. More people have to work some Sunday shifts. I also hear other reasons too, though. People who have family or friends visiting from out of town and they spend more time with them. Or people have other commitments later in the day, and evidently they don't want to be busy all day.
I also know that if it is raining or unexpectedly cold on Sunday morning, attendance will be down. I know that if there is a NFL game scheduled at noon, attendance will be down.
Personally, I generally don't mind when people tell me why they haven't attended a certain worship service. I want people who are ill to stay rest and recuperate. I want people to spend quality time with loved ones. I want kids to play sports and parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to watch them. And, when people feel overwhelmed, I want them to make space in their lives for sabbath rest.
As a pastor, though, I also hope that people feel some obligation to be in worship. To be clear, I don't want them to show up because they feel guilty if they don't. And I don't want them to show up because people keep nagging them. And I certainly do not want anyone to think that God will punish them if they aren't in worship.
On some level, I hope they feel a deep connection to the faith community, rooted in relationships across the years. I hope they want to show appreciation for the ways that their lives have been touched by faith experiences in church settings. I hope that they enjoy the experience of worship when they do come. I hope they value the many efforts of the congregation and want to show their support in continuing it into the future.
Right now, it seems difficult for many church leaders to express these hopes clearly, though. The value of the weekly rhythms of worship pales compared to the excitement of big events, the lure of leisurely brunches, and the responsibilities we have to our families.
Plus, when we've tried to address worship attendance, we've often taken a "But it's good for you" approach, giving it all the charm and excitement of eating your vegetables. Personally, I think that this just encourages people to rationalize reasons why they can't make it and look for reasons not to come.
Certainly, you can have faith without attending worship services. You can have a healthy prayer life, seeking God's guidance, forgiveness, and transformation without setting foot in any church. (Of course, following that logic, I could have learned a lot of things by studying on my own over the years. However, I know that some of my most valuable education was nurtured and provided through communities of learning like my alma mater.)
Frankly, I think it is a broader cultural challenge. It isn't just churches that are noticing declining worship attendance and overall participation. Still, I wish we church leaders could find healthy and nonjudgmental ways to describe this cultural change. And I wish that more people wanted to show up each week.
Sadly, not many of us participate from year to year. This year, I could have opted out. First, I had multiple church responsibilities that day, including one I chose not to go to so I could support the service project. Second, I had to arrive before 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Third, I drove through torrential rain to get there that morning.
I wanted to be there. I wanted to show my support of the alumni service project (which we do in coordination with alumni groups in many other cities) with my presence. I wanted to see other alums that I know in the area -- all of us there had important things to share about recent things in our lives. I wanted to demonstrate my deep appreciation of my college education and the unique community (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) that made it what it was for me and what I hope it continues to be for others.
As I was driving away from the service project, I was reflecting on why I believed it was important for me to be there that morning. And I was reflecting on why others didn't share the same impulse that day.
To be sure, in past years, I haven't always been able to participate. One year I forgot to put it on my calendar and had already committed to be somewhere else. Another year, it fell just after our newborn son was released from the hospital. So I know that there are real scheduling conflicts. And perhaps that was true for others that day. But I doubt that fully explains the low turnout.
As a pastor, it is difficult not to notice a change in worship attendance patterns in my congregation. Given conversations with other colleagues, and numerous articles by pastors that I have read, I know that it is a broad trend. People are attending less frequently.
There are lots of reasons given. There are more scheduling conflicts on Sunday mornings, especially with youth sports. More people have to work some Sunday shifts. I also hear other reasons too, though. People who have family or friends visiting from out of town and they spend more time with them. Or people have other commitments later in the day, and evidently they don't want to be busy all day.
I also know that if it is raining or unexpectedly cold on Sunday morning, attendance will be down. I know that if there is a NFL game scheduled at noon, attendance will be down.
Personally, I generally don't mind when people tell me why they haven't attended a certain worship service. I want people who are ill to stay rest and recuperate. I want people to spend quality time with loved ones. I want kids to play sports and parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to watch them. And, when people feel overwhelmed, I want them to make space in their lives for sabbath rest.
As a pastor, though, I also hope that people feel some obligation to be in worship. To be clear, I don't want them to show up because they feel guilty if they don't. And I don't want them to show up because people keep nagging them. And I certainly do not want anyone to think that God will punish them if they aren't in worship.
On some level, I hope they feel a deep connection to the faith community, rooted in relationships across the years. I hope they want to show appreciation for the ways that their lives have been touched by faith experiences in church settings. I hope that they enjoy the experience of worship when they do come. I hope they value the many efforts of the congregation and want to show their support in continuing it into the future.
Right now, it seems difficult for many church leaders to express these hopes clearly, though. The value of the weekly rhythms of worship pales compared to the excitement of big events, the lure of leisurely brunches, and the responsibilities we have to our families.
Plus, when we've tried to address worship attendance, we've often taken a "But it's good for you" approach, giving it all the charm and excitement of eating your vegetables. Personally, I think that this just encourages people to rationalize reasons why they can't make it and look for reasons not to come.
Certainly, you can have faith without attending worship services. You can have a healthy prayer life, seeking God's guidance, forgiveness, and transformation without setting foot in any church. (Of course, following that logic, I could have learned a lot of things by studying on my own over the years. However, I know that some of my most valuable education was nurtured and provided through communities of learning like my alma mater.)
Frankly, I think it is a broader cultural challenge. It isn't just churches that are noticing declining worship attendance and overall participation. Still, I wish we church leaders could find healthy and nonjudgmental ways to describe this cultural change. And I wish that more people wanted to show up each week.
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