October 28, 2013

Showing Up (Or Not...)

Sometimes I feel guilty when I miss Sunday services at my church, St. Lydia’s, and I feel a little guilt when I can’t make it to a small group I’m involved in. This is only heightened by my current position on the Leadership Table (the vestry, basically). I usually miss events and worship services because I have a conflicting event or I’m out of town, but sometimes it’s simply because I have a busy schedule and I need the free evening to collect myself.

I’ve been thinking about this because, due to vacation and a busy schedule at work, I’ve missed a couple of Sundays and some small group meetings that I would usually attend (a meditation group and a theology group).

How often should we be at church to be truly committed to the community? Every Sunday? Most Sundays plus one weekday gathering or class?

This is probably the wrong question. It implies that we attend church because we should, rather than that we attend church because we need to. After a few weeks I feel a little disconnected from my community, and I’m looking forward to going back and participating in worship.
At the same time, I don’t regret missing a few things so that I could take care of myself (and get some vacation). As someone who gets pretty stressed out when every evening of my week is scheduled, I needed to miss a few events. 

Of course, commitment to a church is not simply a matter of showing up at certain times (though of course showing up matters). Financial commitment, volunteering, and taking on leadership roles are also important. It’s also being connected enough to grow. 

As a leader in my church I need to be visible and connected in the community while balancing my own needs and schedule. Perhaps the question I should be asking myself about my attendance and those of others (in as much as it's any of my business) is whether we are present often enough so that we are able to grow spiritually and do the work that God is calling us to do.