Sunday morning worship…

Do you know why the church generally worships late on Sunday morning?

Did our board decide this some years ago? Have we reviewed this and agreed to stick to this time? Did the congregation vote?

The answer would be “no” to all the questions posed.

The answer to why we worship late on Sunday morning can be traced to the time when churches were largely found in rural areas. Farmers had to milk the cows and feed the animals, finishing their chores before coming to church.

Then they would clean up, hitch horses to the wagon and drive to the church. Worshipping around eleven allowed the farmers to attend. Most everyone lived on a farm.

So, why do we still worship at eleven? I worship at eleven, because you do. That is when you plan to come. That is when I will be here.

I just choose to go along with the tradition and not be the one who changes the time.

Yes, worship times are all over the map these days. But the default time is late Sunday morning.

Why?  Because that is when farmers could get to church.

There are so many things in the church that are difficult to think through because we are so used to doing in a certain way, that we are unable to consider an alternative.

I am not pointing a finger. I have examined myself and I am just as reluctant as the next person to change, even when the evidence is in.

Soon, we may begin to discern God’s deepest desires for the church and ask, “are there ways we can be more faithful to the teachings of Jesus at First Christian.”

Moving to the deeper places,
Jeff