I can’t imagine not going to church regularly on Sunday mornings. We’ve been doing it for so long now; it’s just a part of our routine or our responsibility to God and ourselves. I always have to take a beat and think when speaking with others or scheduling an activity with family or friends for Sundays. Because, truthfully, Sunday service has fallen out of so many of their lives. It’s not surprising when we hear about the church declining and encounter reasonings such as religious hypocrisy. Yet, I still want and need to be there as many Sundays as are physically possible. Conveying that feeling can be combated with dismissal, teasing, or ridicule. I used to get upset and try to convince others they just needed to come and try it out. Not surprisingly, that never really worked.
Lately, I’ve turned to prayer. I pray for open hearts, open minds, and a willingness to accept Jesus as our Savior. I’ve also reflected on my past, to the times when I was happiest at church as a child. It was always during the music when I could sing my prayer. Then, my sister reminded me of the presence of church in our childhood. Mom is a Roman Catholic; Dad is a Protestant and eventually a Congregationalist. We were raised in the Catholic Church and mostly willingly attended mass with our mom. My dad would go to church with his mother, and every time we were given the choice, we would go to my dad’s church. As kids in the 80s and 90s, we had no idea of doctrines and loose concepts of the differences, such as that dad’s priest had a wife and family, and mom’s priests were all men. Retrospectively, it’s clear we felt the difference between the churches. In my dad’s church, people stood up, prayed, and shared their lives. They greeted each other as if they’d known you for years. It was a small church and was focused on the community. At that time, we had no idea we were seeking that in our spiritual journey. I didn’t realize it until I was well into my 30s.
With that story and those feelings in my mind, I turn to The Table. This movement is only three months old but is filled with people desiring a community, to walk as Jesus walked and touch the most needy of our population, to love one another, and to work together while embracing all our differences. When I think of those bullet points, I do not envision any traditional church I’ve ever attended; instead, the image that comes to mind is a crowd of smiles, joy, supportive hugs, and love. Imagine if we continue conveying that message just through our actions. This movement truly has no end. Who will you invite this weekend? I’ll keep working on my loved ones, and maybe one day, you’ll get to see how amazing they are, and in turn, they will meet and love all of you!
God Bless,
Amanda