When I signed up for broadband TV I thought I chose the cheapest package. Recently, I threatened to cancel because of price increases and that produced an interesting disclosure from the company. I could save $20 a month if I cut back to broadband network channels only.
I wish I’d known that in the first place since I wasn’t even watching the other channels in my package. (If you had my package you probably wouldn’t either)
Connecting and being part of a community are in my dreams. Church provides opportunities for those. It used to be the ‘right package’ because everything in it was important to me.
Now I’m looking for ‘connection and community only’ packages. I don’t have a dream church (our current theme) because all churches include things that wouldn’t be in my dream package.
Helen,
What things do all churches contain which wouldn’t be in your dream package?
Benjamin, you just had to ask, didn’t you?
Tell me which church you’re thinking of and I’ll tell you
Merriam-Webster defines churches as organizations of religious believers. The religious belief is their raison d’etre. It’s not even just a part of the package – it’s the core. All major gatherings include rituals based on those beliefs.
Perhaps it’s possible to find churches which don’t fit that definition. I could have chosen to do that in order to define my dream church. However, I feel they are stretching the definition unreasonably far and it would be more honest of me to say there isn’t such a thing as a dream church for me than to define something that’s not really a church according to the commonly accepted use of the word ‘church’.
So, basically, you might be able to find a church about which I’d say “Yes, I do like all of that package” but I expect I’d also say “I don’t really think it’s a church though, according to how people usually understand that word”.
Helen,
yeah–I sorta had to ask. =)
In response to your second question–okay–what does church of the FSM contain which is not in your dream package? =)
You’re awesome. happy belated birthday.
Helen – Can I toss another question your way? What do you look for in a community or a relationship?
The same as most other people, I think, Glenn – chat, frendship, mutual support/encouragement, honesty balanced with grace, experiencing/discussing shared interests together, those sorts of things.
I suppose I didn’t get that specific when I wrote this because a) I wasn’t feeling very well that day and so I didn’t have a lot of words; and b) I sort of assumed people tend to look for similar things from relationships and community, if they care about them at all.
What do you think – do you think people look for similar things from relationships and community or do you think there’s a lot of variety in what they seek?
I think that if people feel a sense of a belonging and are able to do something that gives their life meaning they will join almost anything… church, gang, club, whatever.
I grieve that the church has done so poorly at accepting people as they are and loving them regardless of their involvement in the church program.
Love, acceptance, and giving people an opportunity to do something that is an expression of themselves is very powerful and very Jesus-like.
I expect you’re right, Glenn. In my dreams the group I’d join for that reason wouldn’t be called ‘church’.
I agree that some churches do seem less accepting than Jesus was, based on the Bible stories about him.