Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Classic Originality Revisited
Who is and what is meant by the term “un-churched”.
Well, let’s try some original writing for a change. Although you can tell what a person is about by what they read, watch or spend their money on, you might be able to tell more about them by what they write.
There has been lots of conversation recently regarding “the un-churched”. Most of this discussion is held by those who consider themselves “churched”. I would think most of the members of the Tecumseh Community Church would consider me as recently “churched” but for the most part as an “un-churched” heathen or pagan.
Let me tell you a little about my background. I was born a small child in North Ridgeville, Ohio.(actually at Elyria Memorial Hospital). My mom was a lifetime member of the St. Peters Catholic Church. Her family was part of the founding families of the parish. My dad was born in Poland and baptized a catholic there in 1904 and somewhere I have his baptismal certificate. I have two first cousins and a sister that were in the convent (Sisters of Notre Dame). My mom cooked for the nuns at the convent at St. Peters and was in the Altar and Rosary Society and my dad was a member of the Knights of Columbus. My Uncle Mel worked for the church and maintained the cemetery and dug graves as needed. I attended St. Peters Parochial School where I attended mass daily and twice on Sunday for most of my years in grade school. I was in both the Boy’s choir and the adult choir (after my voice changed). I played the organ for the weekday masses and for the 12:15 mass on Sunday. I think the only person at more masses than me during that time period was the parish priest! I attended Elyria Catholic High School and was instrumental in leading worship services there, participated in retreats, the choir and all that other Catholic stuff. I met my first wife there and we had three kids (all baptized, penanced, communioned and confirmed, two married in the church (say this 5 of the 7 sacraments) and two baptized granddaughters. Does any of this sound familiar to any of you that attended a Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist or other mainline type of church??
Despite having been to I would guess thousands of church services, when I arrived at the Tecumseh Church of Christ about 3 years ago, I had no idea what in the world was going on there on Sunday morning. Who is that guy, what is he saying? Oh I guess he is praying. They just kept on singing until well it looks like they are going to have communion? Wow, I am overdressed. At least I don’t have a tie one, then I would be out of place. I am going to wear my jeans next week. Maybe I will wear my OSU pullover, way too much yellow and blue in here. Who is that up there and why is he up there? Who is he? Well there is a bulletin maybe that will tell me something about what is going on. Hmmm, let me see collection last Sunday was $2,048.44. Well that tells me they are no here for the money! They must run this place on a shoestring. When do we get out of here? Is anybody going to give a sermon or preach? Well there is little guy with a beard looks like he may have something to say. Boy does he, just like the energizer bunny, he keeps going and going and going. Are we ever going to get out of here? Now what are they doing? Who are those people standing up there looking around? Who are those guys? Well, I guess its over now. Lets get out of here before I have to talk to someone or make eye contact. Oh no, I have been caught!
And then one Sunday, maybe our 3rd/4th week attending, those guys are standing up in the front of the church and my wife for some reason pushes me out of the pew, maybe the 4th row from the back on the left hand side as you are facing the stage?sanctuary?pulpit? whatever and next thing I know she is going up front and talks to one of those guys standing up there. Then they announce she wants to rededicate her life to Jesus. Can somebody tell me what is going on around here? True story. We left that day without fanfare, me not knowing what had just happened.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that despite having been to literally thousands of church services, I had know way of know what was going on that building for weeks or even months. The order of service made no sense to me, I could not for weeks figure out what was happening or what was next. Even after I was baptized that Christmas Eve and was asked to help out with the projector (yes I remember the overhead before we had the projector) but I declined because I did not think I could tell when to do what! This was after months of regular attendance!!
So keep in mind your target, the un-churched. Here are a couple of links that further define the so called un-churched, as opposed to un-saved for that matter. http://www.rcfministries.net/RCFTarget.htm
http://www.rohanandkate.net/blog/2005/04/the-un-churched-and-awareness
If you think you might find worship service unfamiliar for someone who has been to thousands of worship services, just try and imagine someone who has never been to a “church”!
Where’s Jim? 5/28/05
Well, let’s try some original writing for a change. Although you can tell what a person is about by what they read, watch or spend their money on, you might be able to tell more about them by what they write.
There has been lots of conversation recently regarding “the un-churched”. Most of this discussion is held by those who consider themselves “churched”. I would think most of the members of the Tecumseh Community Church would consider me as recently “churched” but for the most part as an “un-churched” heathen or pagan.
Let me tell you a little about my background. I was born a small child in North Ridgeville, Ohio.(actually at Elyria Memorial Hospital). My mom was a lifetime member of the St. Peters Catholic Church. Her family was part of the founding families of the parish. My dad was born in Poland and baptized a catholic there in 1904 and somewhere I have his baptismal certificate. I have two first cousins and a sister that were in the convent (Sisters of Notre Dame). My mom cooked for the nuns at the convent at St. Peters and was in the Altar and Rosary Society and my dad was a member of the Knights of Columbus. My Uncle Mel worked for the church and maintained the cemetery and dug graves as needed. I attended St. Peters Parochial School where I attended mass daily and twice on Sunday for most of my years in grade school. I was in both the Boy’s choir and the adult choir (after my voice changed). I played the organ for the weekday masses and for the 12:15 mass on Sunday. I think the only person at more masses than me during that time period was the parish priest! I attended Elyria Catholic High School and was instrumental in leading worship services there, participated in retreats, the choir and all that other Catholic stuff. I met my first wife there and we had three kids (all baptized, penanced, communioned and confirmed, two married in the church (say this 5 of the 7 sacraments) and two baptized granddaughters. Does any of this sound familiar to any of you that attended a Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist or other mainline type of church??
Despite having been to I would guess thousands of church services, when I arrived at the Tecumseh Church of Christ about 3 years ago, I had no idea what in the world was going on there on Sunday morning. Who is that guy, what is he saying? Oh I guess he is praying. They just kept on singing until well it looks like they are going to have communion? Wow, I am overdressed. At least I don’t have a tie one, then I would be out of place. I am going to wear my jeans next week. Maybe I will wear my OSU pullover, way too much yellow and blue in here. Who is that up there and why is he up there? Who is he? Well there is a bulletin maybe that will tell me something about what is going on. Hmmm, let me see collection last Sunday was $2,048.44. Well that tells me they are no here for the money! They must run this place on a shoestring. When do we get out of here? Is anybody going to give a sermon or preach? Well there is little guy with a beard looks like he may have something to say. Boy does he, just like the energizer bunny, he keeps going and going and going. Are we ever going to get out of here? Now what are they doing? Who are those people standing up there looking around? Who are those guys? Well, I guess its over now. Lets get out of here before I have to talk to someone or make eye contact. Oh no, I have been caught!
And then one Sunday, maybe our 3rd/4th week attending, those guys are standing up in the front of the church and my wife for some reason pushes me out of the pew, maybe the 4th row from the back on the left hand side as you are facing the stage?sanctuary?pulpit? whatever and next thing I know she is going up front and talks to one of those guys standing up there. Then they announce she wants to rededicate her life to Jesus. Can somebody tell me what is going on around here? True story. We left that day without fanfare, me not knowing what had just happened.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that despite having been to literally thousands of church services, I had know way of know what was going on that building for weeks or even months. The order of service made no sense to me, I could not for weeks figure out what was happening or what was next. Even after I was baptized that Christmas Eve and was asked to help out with the projector (yes I remember the overhead before we had the projector) but I declined because I did not think I could tell when to do what! This was after months of regular attendance!!
So keep in mind your target, the un-churched. Here are a couple of links that further define the so called un-churched, as opposed to un-saved for that matter. http://www.rcfministries.net/RCFTarget.htm
http://www.rohanandkate.net/blog/2005/04/the-un-churched-and-awareness
If you think you might find worship service unfamiliar for someone who has been to thousands of worship services, just try and imagine someone who has never been to a “church”!
Where’s Jim? 5/28/05
