What do you say if people ask, “What’s your church like?” This question recently popped up as a topic of conversation between someone else and me. They were telling me about this influencer who was completely turned off and tuned out of church because of the way the preacher and the people talked about it. The influencer would ask them—particularly the preacher—about church and their answers would hover around the same topics. “We have ‘x’ amount of people every Sunday.” “Our budget is ‘x’ amount.” The influencer was immediately disinterested.
I gotta admit…I would be, too.
After the conversation, I went on with my day. Yet, throughout the past few days, I keep circling back to it. I keep wondering if I’m guilty of those answers; perhaps not so much to inquiring lay persons, but what about to my colleagues? And why? So, I bought a ticket and boarded the crazy train taking off in my mind. As I thought about memories flashing by, I realized that I’m answering in these ways, too, at certain points. Why? Who cares? But thankfully, at least some of the glimpses I caught were answers I can appreciate.
“Tell me about your church”, one person asked. I remember saying, “They’re great. The people there remember a time when they were many and mighty and some of them keep trying to get back to that, but for the most part? They’re ‘in it’. We have this guy, Roger. He’s not the best cook in the world…at all. But he stepped up and started leading our men’s group recently. I have to tell you; they’re doing extraordinary things. Recently, they have cooked on many occasions for a needy group of teenagers outside the church. He didn’t know how to grill, but he relies on the guys around him to pick up the slack on his growing edges. He’s doing a fantastic job!”
I cherish this memory because it talks about one of my people. So, I started remembering more…
“We have a young woman, Regan Crider, who is studying for her Masters in Archeology? They made up a program for her, basically, because she’s such a smarty pants.”
“One of our kids-grown-to-adults, Kayla Cunningham, is going to school in college now; she recently took over the acolyte master position at church. From her being one of two acolytes to managing over six? It’s amazing!”
“I have an octogenarian who does more work planning, ironing, cleaning linens, and telling me what to do (I laughed) that I don’t know how she does it. In one of the latter seasons of her life, she’s still doing ministry like its summer. Must be something with the name ‘June’.
"Two of our youth fell in love--when they became adults--and now have a daughter. We're seeing the next generation of kids from some of our 'kids'."
There are so many more stories about people, about your lives, that I care to share than there are about our bottom line or how many posteriors reside in pews. Now, when someone asks me about our church, I’ll be ready. I’m not going to talk about projects and ministries as abstract notions. I’m going to tell people that Paula, Nancy, and their team are helping needy teachers. I’m going to gush over my buddy Fr. Dion and his mentorship of future priests and deacons. I’m going to tell your stories because they inspire me.
“Tell me about your church.”
They inspire me and I’m just trying to keep up.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+