National Catholic Reporter praises the parish as the center of Catholic life–and acknowledges the frustrations.
There are few perfect parishes (or congregations, if you prefer that term), regardless of the denomination. I think the best Catholic parish I was a member of was St. Mark’s in Isla Vista (UCSB). It was a vibrant community of people where we immediately felt welcomed. Yes, the “old guard” was more liberal–but they were also very “liberal” in sense of generous, giving of themselves freely. The best Lutheran parish I was a member of was Centre Lutheran Church in Juniata County, PA. Folks there were with us through thick and thin, including when my son was in the hospital for two months. It was an interconnected group of families, but they opened their arms to newcomers, too. I have fond memories of Adventist churches in New Haven, CT, Rockford, IL, and S. Lancaster, MA.
I’ve also seen dysfunctional churches. Churches where people were at each other’s throats. Churches that were cliquish. Churches that were snobbish. Churches that were full of gossips. Churches that were so large that a new person found it hard to get to know people. Churches where people disappeared while the benediction was still being said–where no one stayed for a moment to talk in the parking lot. Churches you could attend for week after week after week without a single person greeting you.
What kind of churches have you seen?
1 response so far ↓
Howard // October 4, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I have been to a number of awesome churches and a fewer number of not-so-hot churches. But churches are hospitals for sinners who are hopefully in the process of conversion or sanctification depending on which term one’s tradition prefers. The NT epistles bear witness to the fact that churches have problems.
Peninsula Bible Church in CA was the first church I attended after becoming a believer in the early 70’s. It had a Sunday evening service called the Body Life Service with expository Bible teaching, contemporary Christian music of the folk variety and an extended period of sharing personal prayer requests and needs. It seemed like a re-creation of the latter part of Acts chapter 2. Amazing things happened as people cared and ministered to each other. The service lasted for an hour and a half but people would hang around afterwards for an hour or so sharing, praying or looking at the Word together until the janitor started flicking the lights in order to lock up the building for the night.
The pastors figured it was their job to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry by teaching them the Word and how to study the Word for themselves. They sought to also teach to trust God working through the Holy Spirit by example. They didn’t try to control everything. People were encouraged to start Bible studies in their homes/workplace and invite their neighbors/co-workers. The church grew steadily as more and more people were becoming believers.
Like I said it was awesome. Did they have problems? Sure, there were people involved. But there was a lot more going right, than wrong. And they sought to face the problems trusting the Lord.
We moved away because of job considerations.
All for now.
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