What happened to My Church?

I was talking to someone following the Christmas Eve worship service.  The person was so frustrated after going to church.  They were telling me about all the changes that they witnessed.  As they entered into the church, everything seemed the same.  There was a Christmas tree, the nativity scene was sitting there with a plaque telling who donated it.  He was a handed a candle,a bulletin, but that is where he noticed the changes. 

There were giant screens that had been installed so that pictures, announcements, and other things were being shown.  The music he heard was from a CD and not the organist.  He thought maybe he had entered into a different church or something weird.  He looked down at the bulletin, there was the name of the church, First Lutheran Church.  (Not the actual name of the church)  He looked around with wide eyes, hoping not to see anymore changes.  He came there to experience the same worship service that he had grown up enjoying. The one he loved and enjoyed.  The service which made it feel like Christmas.  

He sat down in the pew just trying to take it all in.  He said that he just kept thinking, “When did all this happen? Why didn’t someone tell him about these changes?”  Then the Pastor came out, but he looked different.  He was not wearing his white gown that he normally wore, instead he was wearing a suit.  The kind that his boss wore.  The Pastor welcomed everyone like nothing was different, like nothing had changed.  What on earth was going on? 

After the welcome, they were going to sing a hymn.  But the hymnals were gone.  It was the first time he had noticed that the books were gone; and there was nothing in the pew holders.  Instead all the words were on the giant screens.  There was a group of people who stood up and went to the front of the church.  They picked up instruments, and began leading us in singing the Christmas carol.  There was a guitar player, a bass player, a drummer, and three singers.  None of them he knew were members of the church.  He looked around. He knew most of the people that were there, but no one was singing.  Last year, everyone was singing.  Everyone knew the words to this song, but this year no one was singing.  They were just sitting and listening to the band sing these songs. 

He just kept wondering, when did all these changes happen?  Who made these decisions?  Why didn’t he know about any of this? And above all, how would he get the church that he love back? 

I could see that he was still frustrated with things.  But I also knew that I could not really help.  So I simply asked the question: Have you talked to the Pastor or anyone of the church council?  His answer was no.  I asked another question: When was the last time that you were at the church before Christmas Eve?  His answer was, “Last Easter I suppose.”  So I encouraged him, if this was really a place that he loved to go back to and help others see what he saw.  I ask some questions and really listen to the answers that he gave. 

About a month passed and he brought up the topic again.  He told me that he had a conversation.  Apparently, they made a lot of decisions and held informational meetings.  The screens and band had started as part of a Fall Kick Off.  The church had hired a bunch of musicians when the organist had retired.  The screens had been donated by someone who passed away over five years ago, and designated the money to welcome those who had not been attending the church.  This was when the church members held a special meeting, so that the money could be spent on the musicians and installation of screens. There were even some postcards sent out talking about the changes. 

He confessed all these things in a rather sheepish ways, since they had taken place without him really knowing or attending.  So, I asked him another question, “What is the purpose of the church?”  He looked at me like I asked him to give me the recipe for a happy marriage. He had kind of a puzzled look on his face, but he acted like he knew some of the answer.  “Well, to be a place where people are welcome and to be reminded of God within their life. It should be a place where we experience God’s love and be the stability that God has in the world.”

“Alright, I can see that”, I said to him.  “Yet, you only attended twice a year.  Wouldn’t you want to be reminded of those things more often?”  He knew what I was getting at, that he needed to be at church more often. “Yea, I know I should be there.  However, there is so much going on in my life, and that is my one day to actually rest.” he explained. I looked at him and said, “I understand.  Yet when you miss church, other people notice.  We gather to help one another out.  So when you are not there, people can not support you. They do not feel your support.”  I could tell that the wheels were turning as he was processing what I said.  He could tell that I was watching for how he would respond.  I continued, “Perhaps you should find out why the church made the changes.  How you could be a part of the church again.  You seem to really love the church.”

My friend and I have had further conversations about church.  What it means and even our own involvement.  As we look at the community of faith which is the church, perhaps we should look and see not only what are the problems with the church, but how am I working together with others there.  How we can help solve the problems and work towards God’s intended purpose for the church.  These should be God’s plans for the church, and not our own ideas of what Church should be.