What Is in a Church Service Matters to Me

Why do I attend a Sunday church service?  To connect with other believers, to have my heart feel uplifted from the songs and other music that give praise to our creator, to feel God’s serenity, and to learn more about God’s word.

Sometimes services include topics of consideration that are intended to relate to what should be our religious conscious.  While I understand the overall intent, I feel uncomfortable with time spent during services on how to not be wasteful, abusive, neglectful – you get the picture.  This is something I can read every day in newspapers and magazine, web sites and on TV.  Some suggestions are controversial and more political (usually with an attached agenda) than religious and, I believe, should be addressed outside the church. 

Further, it is counter-productive how much paper and cost is being used/wasted to print up extra “stuff” that is often tucked into bulletins.  My suggestion is that we take advantage of modern technology and simply include in the church bulletins a request for comments from individual attendees regarding any topics or activities being considered.  Those comments can be e-mailed and posted on the church’s web site (many churches in today’s world do have their own web sites).  In that way, a healthy exchange of ideas can take place without anyone feeling put upon during their sacred time of worship, there is not an abuse of paper or cost, and the distraction is not drawn into the sanctuary where, to me, it does not belong. 

Jesus relayed to people how God intends for us to live in order to be in compliance with His will.  That is certainly what the focus of the message should be inside the sanctuary.  Outside of the sanctuary, we should then exercise the free will bestowed upon us to live according to that message as we feel is appropriate.  Hence, participating on the church’s web site, participating in bible studies, supporting groups and activities and issues we feel do not dilute or betray our religious beliefs, etc.  For the time spent in the sanctuary itself, I encourage emphasis remaining on songs and prayers glorifying God, and hearing what God’s word is pertaining to any and all topics -- without distraction from its purity.

Copyright © May 2014 by Maeke Ermarth

               Cheyenne, WY