Early in my ministerial career, which has now spanned almost 24 years, there was a level of disdain amongst the clergy for those who would only darken the door of the church twice a year (Christmas and Easter). The sentiment seemed to convey a certain condemning attitude toward those who merely attending out of reverence for the high seasons of our American Christianity. Needless to say, "those" people were seen as somehow less spiritual because of their infrequent stops to the cathedral or temple. An animus existed that was palpable.
It is good to see that we have evolved and moved on from that archaic position. We now can celebrate the fact that so many of our people only visit on the high holy days. Joyous shrieks could be heard around the nation this past week as the numbers were being counted for our multiple extra services offered to handle the overflow. Our past sadness over families visiting only out of tradition and semianual guilt has been traded for the exultation of record numbers and souls engaged. We can now lift up the C & E attender as a new target audience. We sure have matured over the years.
I must admit that I am not so evolved. I weep the week after Easter when a third of the crowd is missing. It pains me to realize there are many I will not see until Christmas rolls around. I hurt, not because I have disdain or contempt for these people, but because I know the truth. What truth?
I know that being God's people is something that happens within the context of a shared life. With church families living miles apart instead of next door, a sporadic attendance leaves many of our people disconnected and isolated. The joy and strength that come in the common life are difficult to harness within the framework of 3 hours per year split between two events 4 or 5 months apart. I know that the best part of us is us. Not just us. It's God in us, but you will not get to see very much of that with a quick drivethru approach. We are best known over short conversations, regular times of sharing and connection, intense times of prayer, soul stirring worship, and moments of shared joy and grief. Most of us require multiple encounters before we are really ever willing to let someone else through our rough exterior. We need time. Certainly more than 3 hours a year. (By the way, if our gatherings are shows that people come to watch, they might not even get 3 hours per year of koinonia. I'm just sayin'.)
Two years ago we finally doubled our annual attendance average on Easter Sunday. Should I celebrate that fact or mourn the fact that a large percentage of that crowd would not be seen for another 8 month? Joy or sadness, which side are you on?
[DISCLAIMER: While I would like to spend more than 3 hours per year worshipping with my church family, I do prefer that to nothing. Family is family no matter how often we see each other. This post is not about judgment, just lament.]
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