Thread: I love my church because.... Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Ramarius (# 16551) on :
 
They believe in me.

How about you?
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
They are my second family.


 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
They support and love me through the bad and the good.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Not my second family -- my only family.

 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I can combine my hobby (singing) with my faith.
 

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Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :
 
They don't really seem to have anything much in common except that for whatever reason, that's where they turn up on a Sunday morning. It makes me feel that I'm no-one special, and at the same time that I'm very special- a very good and precious combination, ISTM.
 

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Posted by Gamaliel (# 812) on :
 
I don't love my church.

I appreciate aspects of it. But I don't love it.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but there it is. These days most of my meaningful relationships exist outside the church I attend.

It wasn't always like that, but it is now. Whether that's a natural progression or a healthy development, I don't know.

But I don't want a life that revolves completely around church - although I do appreciate the structure of the church-year and liturgical offices and so on (few of which my church actually observes).
 

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Posted by Hugal (# 2734) on :
 
It is difficult to put my finger on why I love my church. I have been a member since it started nearly 20 years now . We are an experimental church and I love that we take risks. I can be viewed by some as a little eccentric, but the people at church seem to understand that.
 

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Posted by cattyish (# 7829) on :
 
I love the local church because it's a gathering of people of all sorts which works very well as a single group.

Cattyish.
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I love my (very new) church because even though almost everyone is about 20 years older than me and from quite different backgrounds, everyone has been so kind and welcoming and it makes me sad that the Christian Union at uni are only recommending the big student churches/Vineyard/the resolution C Anglican church. Plus the vicar is Welsh and so has the most marvellous accent for homilies and sung Eucharist
 

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Posted by Ruudy (# 3939) on :
 
Because it's the last house on the block.
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Chorister:
I can combine my hobby (singing) with my faith.

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You and me both, Chorister. And we use the Book of Common Prayer.
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Cos I've realised that apart from a handful of others - some ex coll;ege friends and a couple of craftspeople, some of whm aqre Christian anyway - all my really close friends are at my church - certainly all the people I trust
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.
 

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Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :
 
I concur completely with Gamaliel's first 4 pargraphs.

Love has gone out of the relationship for me. It's currently a marriage of convenience.
 

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Posted by Truman White (# 17290) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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Why does love have to equal idolatry?

All the people I love have both virtues and warts and so does my church. I love my church because despite periodic hissy-fits, affection comes out on top.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
It's that unique combination of music and food. Gets me every time....
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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I'm a bit confused by this. Is it idolatrous to love other people, then? By love I don't mean I worship my church, or put it above or in place of God. I just really enjoy going there to worship - a church that helps me worship God is worth loving, surely.
 

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Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
Wot JC said . Plus they are there at the shops, BBQs etc.
Anyway, It's part of Johannine insistence that we love one another, or we can't be loving God. And if they are a shit, then they are our shits.
 

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Posted by Flausa (# 3466) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Truman White:

quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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Christ loves his church. But before this starts sounding more like a Purg thread, I love my church because it's full of people like you describe, because I'm one of them, and because despite that, we recognise there's gold in each of us waiting to be unearthed.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:

quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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I'm a bit confused by this. Is it idolatrous to love other people, then? By love I don't mean I worship my church, or put it above or in place of God. I just really enjoy going there to worship - a church that helps me worship God is worth loving, surely.

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quote:

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Originally posted by leo:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:

quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
I have been waiting to see if someone else admits that they do no love their church. To love a church is somewhat idolatrous. Mine is a community with warts and saints. That is enough for me.

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I'm a bit confused by this. Is it idolatrous to love other people, then? By love I don't mean I worship my church, or put it above or in place of God. I just really enjoy going there to worship - a church that helps me worship God is worth loving, surely.

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To be 'heavy, the Kingdom/Rule of God comes before church - so I can love fellow CNDers and members of other pressure groups that do concrete work for the Kingdom (whether or not they acknowledge it).

Maybe 'idolatry' is a bit strong but it might apply when people say that their church is better than another church.

I love certain worship styles - catholic, good music, bells and smells; I loathe other styles - happy clappy Kendrick. But that is a matter of personal taste and isn't the same as locing a church.

My church building is, to my taste, hideously ugly. Yet fans of Victoriana say that is a priceless gem.

As for the people who attend the church, they approximate to types found in other churches - the sceptic, the one who loves doing little jobs during the week, the liturgical 'spike', the one who says we are the 'best', etc.

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But I (and I think most people who have commented here) love their church for the people in it, with the building/music/liturgy coming second. I don't think many people would stay in a church that did those things to their taste but was very unwelcoming. And you can love your church and still see the faults in it - for example, the congregation at mine is mostly retired and I would like some people closer to my age. It's a Victorian stone building so gets cold in winter very easily and is too expensive to heat for a small congregation by Advent (so we move into the church hall). I definitely didn't get the sense that people thought their church was better than others.
 

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Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on :
 
my church has good cake. And tea. And church lunches. I'm mostly there for the food.
(most of the people are lovely too - especially the ones that make the cake!)
 

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Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
...because it's not perfect and neither am I

...because I can be myself there - I don't have to pretend to be a happy shiny everything's perfect now I have Jesus kind of person

...because of the people - where else in my life do I mix with such a variety

...because it has an evening service

...because it doesn't care whether someone is gay or straight; married, single or living with someone; old or young, black or white, smart or casual, rich or poor, even liberal or conservative everyone is welcome
 

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Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
Sorry for double post - just wanted to say I could also post a post saying 'I hate (well maybe not actually hate that's a strong word) my church because...' It's really not perfect (and neither am I.)
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We have a team of cooks called 'Divine diners' whose meals really are divine.


 

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Posted by Aravis (# 13824) on :
 
Because it is full of people who are generally nice to one another and to pretty much everyone else. The phrase "salt of the earth" comes to mind with many of them.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I belong there in every sense of the word.

Moo
 

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Posted by Edgeman (# 12867) on :
 
Because it's a beautiful, well kept building. Because the people and clergy are welcoming and laid back. Because it's the only place in this archdiocese that I can go to for a full, traditional, catholic prayer, devotion, and liturgy. The music is top quality. There are loads of fellow former Anglicans, including the organist and a few fellow choristers.

I really don't think I would fit in anywhere else because of all of these.
 

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Posted by Loquacious beachcomber (# 8783) on :
 
Because when a mid-70s aged man suddenly became a widower, various members of the youth group, by instinct and without being asked, took turns sitting with him during each service for a couple of months, missing their own gathering time to do so.
 

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Posted by Angloid (# 159) on :
 
Love the people - hate the liturgy (or lack of it).
 

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Posted by Drewthealexander (# 16660) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Loquacious beachcomber:
Because when a mid-70s aged man suddenly became a widower, various members of the youth group, by instinct and without being asked, took turns sitting with him during each service for a couple of months, missing their own gathering time to do so.

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Posted by The Phantom Flan Flinger (# 8891) on :
 
Because they took in a broken sinner and loved him.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
The sermons really make you think.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Because our church has been steadily and reliably supporting the Basics Bank in the nearby city, week in week out, ever since it started, for (?) 20 years or so.

And now that there is a purely volunteer-run branch at a church nearby, our church supplies probably about 50% of the volunteers to run it. If times are hard at the BB, you really only have to ask for help, and they will come across even more generously.

(not to knock what people from other churches do - just sayin' why I love ours)

AND because people from our church steadfastly and lovingly run a Youth Drop-In, while everyone else in the parish just wrings their hands and complains about the Yoof.

Mrs. S, singing the praises of St. Loony and the Jam Doughnut
 

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Posted by malik3000 (# 11437) on :
 
Most of my family these days is non-genetic, and my church family is a very important part -- not the whole -- of that family. They are only human, and don't claim to be better than anyone else. On the other hand hand they are, as Aravis' church "people who are generally nice to one another and to pretty much everyone else" -- regardless of socioeconomic situation. They do seem to have a natural quiet knack for making people feel welcome. "Salt of the earth" really does apply to the members I know. They certainly made me feel welcome. And they have a way of going out of their way to come to the aid of folks who have a need, nonmaterial or material.

Yes, I love them, and feel fortunate to be here. I often think that, given the fact that certain things, medical and otherwise, that subsequently have developed in my life, that God led me here because S/He knew it would be a good group of folks to be a part of.

[ 24. October 2012, 02:43: Message edited by: malik3000 ]
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
... they pay me*

sorry that's very unfluffy, but I'm finding this parish, in which I'm down to two days a week, rather unloving at the moment. Or maybe I'm just an ungrateful sanctimonious bastard.

But they have made it rather clear they don't want a priest to disturb their lives thank you very much.

*[ETA] sometimes on time ...

[ 24. October 2012, 07:48: Message edited by: Zappa ]
 

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Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on :
 
I love my church because....
The people are all completely eccentric, broken and very loveable...
The service is done with such affection and grace from all who take part...I feel very close to God there.
There is plenty of tat and a decent communion wine
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Zappa, are you sure it's really a church?

When things were looking bleak here at my church, it was the people who gave me glimpses of Jesus, and I am grateful. My best friends in the world are in my church (or used to be!) That's one of the big reasons that I love my church.
 

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Posted by PD (# 12436) on :
 
I have a sort of love-hate relationship with my local shack. The love side is that they are a really welcoming community, and they are really committed to making a go of St Hardup's. The downside is their adherence to an as dull as ditch water MOTR-High liturgy, and the fact some of the parishioners drive my wife absolutely screwy. (She gets to deal with the fruits, nuts and flakes more than I do!)

There are also little thinks that they do which make me feel unwanted.

1. They ignore my anniversaries, but are monumentally pissed if forget any of theirs
2. They regard my wife as the kitchen serf. I keep telling her to just not go in there.
3. The vestry always tries to take any administrative I enjoy off me - such as administering the parish website - and leave me with the crap.
4. They are always carping about the office expenses.

Like I said - 'love-hate.' Though probably more for the former than the latter, or I would not be there still.

PD
 

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Posted by Angloid (# 159) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by PD:

1. They ignore my anniversaries, but are monumentally pissed if forget any of theirs

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Sermon on temperance called for, or is it just that you have forgotten your first language, Father?
 

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Posted by PD (# 12436) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Angloid:

quote:

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Originally posted by PD:

1. They ignore my anniversaries, but are monumentally pissed if forget any of theirs

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Sermon on temperance called for, or is it just that you have forgotten your first language, Father?

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