Church

GOING TO CHURCH

I remember a time when I loved going to church. I’d be there every week- even if it meant running in late because I had come straight from the beach- salty hair, damp boardies, sand stuck to my feet. I loved the holy moments of prayer and communion. The sermons were like the very words of God to me. I’d go every Sunday and often during the week too. I remember before I was old enough to drive, I would ride my bike for an hour on winter nights to get to the 8pm prayer meetings. We’d kneel on the worn carpet of the Sunday School room and cry out to God with the full array of shouts, tears, clenched fists, whispers and laughter as we pleaded for justice, mercy and divine empowerment in the midst of our struggles.

Years later, going to church was part of my job description. Twice on Sundays and several times during the week I’d be there for all kinds of meetings associated with the somewhat vague set of duties that came with being a youth pastor. Going to church on Sunday night alone took around 3-4 hours. I’d be there from set up to lock up and everything in between. It was long but it was good. In leading others I grew too....and maybe I saw in those teenagers and young adults something of what others saw in me when I was a kid arriving at church straight from the beach?

In early 2005 I started going to church in Khmer. At first I had no idea. I stood when others stood, I clapped my hands when they sang, closed my eyes when I guessed they were praying and tried really hard not to fall asleep in the sermon. It took about 12-18 months for me to feel like a full participant in the service. Now when I go to church in Cambodia it is usually in Khmer. I don’t go every single week but I go. Why? Because as weird as some Christians are... I am one of them.

BEING CHURCH

Going to church can be inspiring. It can also be boring, frustrating, disappointing and even painful. At times I have opted out. Sometimes this helps me to focus more on being church. By this I mean centering again on living out the values that Jesus taught and embodied rather than talking about how many people came to the latest church event or who is on the cleaning roster next week. I realize I can’t “be the church” on my own but I do need to evaluate whether my life measures up to my confessions. Being church involves living authentically and creatively in the midst of the ordinary.

DOING CHURCH

At certain periods in my life I’ve met with small bands of holy sinners to do church. I don’t remember exactly how it started, but a few years ago I was doing church with some friends in Sydney. We’d start at about 7am with a surf. Afterwards we would drive to my place for lattes, bagels with cream cheese and fresh fruit, followed by singing, praying, reading the Scriptures and talking about personal and world events. It was deliberately not too planned. It was shared- everyone who was there was involved in “doing church” that day. It was fun- especially when the surf was decent!

Last Saturday I did church again. Two of us did church sitting on a mat on the floor with candles, flowers, communion, readings, blessings, one guitar, two songs and seven chords. It was incredibly simple but God’s presence was with us and it was the best drug ever!!

Going to church, being church and doing church all have a place in my life. Different seasons but unique challenges and opportunities so that “church” looks and feels different now to when I was 16. However, I still think I do better when I stay connected somewhat to going to, being and doing church.