How and where people worship is constantly changing.
Denominations may begin with a fervent few, rise to prominence, then
decline. Others re-invent themselves. And always there are
new denominations springing up. Over time, church-going seems to mirror
in many ways the shifting tastes and needs of evolving populations and
cultures.
A Gallop Poll survey in 2012, about how Americans feel about
religion, offered some glimpses into our nation's spiritual life. Gallup
asked 320,000 people how religious they considered themselves to be, and how
often they attended religious services. Overall, some 40% of adults
considered themselves "very religious," and 29%
"moderately" religious, while 31% said they were
"non-religious". Religiousness is "distributed quite
unequally across various sub-groups and segments of the U.S. population,"
says Gallup.
Experts believe that nowhere was "denominational
churn" as pronounced historically as in New England. Over four
hundred years ago, religious refugees fled to there, only to establish virtual
theocracies. Later came the Unitarians and other theists, gospel skeptics
whose open-mindedness helped frame the U.S. Constitution. Next up were
the personal-savior preachers of the first and second "great
awakenings" who fostered a 19th Century populist Christianity. Then
it was on to the Transcendentalists with their celebration of nature and
community.
It is said that today's New England is still a religious
incubator. It seems to be in the forefront of the "un-churched"
trend. That is, the growing group who see themselves as
spiritually-minded, but not denominational. New England is seeing a
mushrooming of non-mainstream churches, says Gallup. But,
others see a desire for a "hands-on, make-a-difference" type of
faith.
One Gallup analyst noted that children today often push away
from the familiar and traditional, as they grow up. But later they will
embrace those same traditional qualities as they mature. Does that mean
that church-based religion could become more important in the U.S. in the years
to come, as baby boomers age and the number of Americans 65 and older nearly
doubles? According to Gallup, Americans are least religious at age 23,
and increasingly religious as they approach age 80.
Through the many decades of change, does there not remain a
natural yearning that never goes away ---- a hunger for communication with
something beyond ourselves, and for community with other people seeking the
same thing? So, in one sense, all along we have been seeking some special
relationships ----- perhaps, one with God, and multiple relationships with
like-minded seekers ----- we just hadn't realized this!
In every era, churches have changed outwardly, but perhaps
not in their essential purpose. That's important because when we least
expect it, we may suddenly wonder why we are here on earth,
and where we are going? Church can give us a way to work that out.
Maybe church ------- not the building, but the essence of church, can help us
understand the real purpose of our lives.
Some say that what's emerging is simply a religious shift in
the way faith is practiced. They see adherents flocking
to churches where the difference faith makes is concrete and visible.
Where broadly engaged mission activity invites all to participate. Where
connections fostered in the faith community enable one to nurture the
self-discovery of our personal beliefs and faith. People feel that this kind of
church connection will keep them on the right path.
On Sunday mornings at CPC, a church with about 700 members,
we may see less than 200 worshipers in the 10:00 a.m. Worship Service, but
activity in the name of God is thriving in other ways. There is a lively
children's Sunday School taught by members of the congregation. On
Tuesday evenings, CPC hosts 40 youth from inner-city Elizabeth, together with
over 60 High School student tutors from Summit and surrounding towns, to spend
time together coaching and mentoring. CPC has a visitation team organized
for regular visits each week to CPC member patients (if any) in two local
hospitals. And, there are other groups and individuals called to
regularly serve those who are most at risk in our society, the young and the
very old. There is much more!
When one looks at these metrics, CPC is a church that is
very alive because it offers so many participation opportunities ---- and new opportunities
are discovered and acted upon continually. Merely counting Worship
attendance alone does not fully tell our story. While the trend of
Worship attendance at many Protestant churches does seem to be decreasing, it
has done this before, but eventually it recovered. Look to the
"Great Awakenings" of the 19th Century, and the surge of CPC church
attendance in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's.
How can CPC help you find more depth in
your spiritual life? It could be the good, old-fashioned way of helping
get you better acquainted with the Gospel and the meaning of
Discipleship. Or, it might be through new personal relationships with
peers who seek similar growth opportunities, that makes the difference.
For example, consider becoming a participant in one of CPC's hands-on-mission
activities.
No two of us will answer these questions in the same
way. But, CPC continues to offer many of the kinds of involvement
opportunities that would help each of us find greater spiritual fulfillment.
I am suggesting that if church organizations maintain their
historic range of spiritual activities, then there is a good possibility of
restoring increased emphasis on traditional Scriptural and in-church
Worship. I wonder if those crying out in alarm at the
"head-count" trends they see today, are not jumping to conclusions
prematurely?
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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult
Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage you to pursue some personal
spiritual growth this summer at CPC.
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