How was church today?

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BetteTheRed said:
It really is the disproportionality that disturbs me for the future of the church. 6 new members, yay! Except that 4 of them are (well) over 80, one, who I don't really know well, looks to be in her 70s. The remaining fellow is a really nice guy in his 30s. When 5 out of 6 of your new members are (senior) seniors, you've got a demographic problem in the making.
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This is probably a subject for another thread, but the question is, "Why so few young people joining?"

The answer is likely complex. As mentioned in discussions about Vosper and her similar lack of success in attracting young people, even secular service organizations like Rotary and Optimists are having problems drawing in Gen X and younger. Lack of belief may be part of it, but there also seems to be a general trend away from traditional institutions and organizations. After all, if it was just lack of belief in traditional theologies, why are UUs being affected?

We live in a different world, socially speaking, and traditional institutions need to figure out how to adapt. Because the kids aren't going to adapt to the institutions.
 
The answer lies in resistance to the concept of assertion and hostility ... thus young folk admire Rants ... like James Joyce expounded on those ... mostly against the monarchy, church and excessive industry injuring the LANs ...

Natural networks were broken ... especially in greener vales ... the question is the come back theory ... if making love intelligently is a matter of schism ...

I was raised in a fundamental BS that both making love and growing thoughts were sinful and you shouldn't know that duality!

Talk about chaos ... something to get out of ... rootworks?

Maybe unknown poesy ...
 
The community I live in is slowly grinding to a halt. All the 'groups' are aging. The only churches that attract younger generations certainly wouldn't welcome a 'questioner' who refuses to be put off with Bible quotes and self righteous comments like "We Christians do 'this', think 'that' etc". The younger volunteer base jumps up to support the animal shelter but not Meals on Wheels. They seem to prefer activities that give them 'exposure' and increase this by posting on FB.
 
We are cranking down as a consequence of the elders saying the children should be quieted ... and they were soon out after that projection ...
 
Today's sermon was by Vancouver Island Poet, Richard Osler. He brought together poetry from such diverse sources as Vittoria Colonna and Leonard Cohen. The sermon was about seeing a glimmer of hope even in our saddest times. Osler also suggested Cohen was truly a biblical person along the lines of the Old Testament prophets who were pretty pissed off about things and at times were angry not only at other humans but at God. But even gloomy old Leonard could have Hallelujah, even if broken, on his lips. An interesting sermon from an interesting guy, glad I made over to Hillhurst despite the wintery weather that was telling me to pull the covers over my head an just hibernate. Also, a good day after church as I made way over to the library and discovered a new to me magazine called "Alive." Some good tips in the September issue on how to stay active and healthy through new ways of looking at life with an inquisitive child-like wonder. Maybe this old bear doesn't need to hibernate after all...;)
 
You just never know said:
Today's sermon was by Vancouver Island Poet, Richard Osler. He brought together poetry from such diverse sources as Vittoria Colonna and Leonard Cohen. The sermon was about seeing a glimmer of hope even in our saddest times. Osler also suggested Cohen was truly a biblical person along the lines of the Old Testament prophets who were pretty pissed off about things and at times were angry not only at other humans but at God. But even gloomy old Leonard could have Hallelujah, even if broken, on his lips. An interesting sermon from an interesting guy, glad I made over to Hillhurst despite the wintery weather that was telling me to pull the covers over my head an just hibernate. Also, a good day after church as I made way over to the library and discovered a new to me magazine called "Alive." Some good tips in the September issue on how to stay active and healthy through new ways of looking at life with an inquisitive child-like wonder. Maybe this old bear doesn't need to hibernate after all...;)
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I rest my case ... some say all that's' left is crazy (Noutz) and without understanding of what the right knows it needs .. avarice?

Thus split gonad theory and the two halves of brains get together as forths ... druid and quartered into the compass winds.

Statistically 85%+ of the paradigm prefer to avoid bad Nous for de-stressing ... in the imagary! Dark Mirrors hide so much ...
 
You just never know said:
Yes, and that is part of what the spiritual journey entails, looking into the mystery of the dark mirrors of our lives.
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Some stoics would say no ... putting your nose as you noes it ... brings to light things they didn't wish out from under the sacred covenant of the purpose of life! Thus prognostics ... and dark arts as well as white coats as doctoring may appear as final expertise on life ... alas their mistakes are buried and mysterious too ... calling for excavation, ploughing and forensic science ... looking into dead soles ... bottom lyrics?

What we don;t know is dangerous but some say they know all they need ... learned it in Middle School ... or the midst 've Ide ... the primer power! An emotion that should lead to information about what was mist ... still cloudy in the mere essence ... that's commonly ungrasped as mental!

Did you know that some neuroscience say the mind is the essence of spirit as conceived or conjured? The brute emotions dislike information of that sort elbowing in as love passes ... the great hunt for the fount goes on ... get we can't grasp the other as alternate essence ... so it goes ... oui St young man as Saint True ... just brings you around as "versable"! These must be hammered in ... a cycle in the malleable? Considerable irony to those looking in from out there ... abstractly? Tis a dark cognizance ... that lady all about de ville ... creeping ... as las Mot in a Gael!

Thus ham mere as MS Piggy ... rooting around within to find adequate word for expletives ... do I hear a grunt?

Hu Drumpt of Ide ... and it went ...
 
I was going to an Anglican church close to where I live and loved many things there, mainly the people. The style of the worship, though, was too unfamiliar. I've been feeling so bad, homesick and down that I looked for a Lutheran (ELCIC) church a little further (I need to walk and take a bus). I went there the first time 3 Sundays ago and just loved it. Reminded my home congregation, even with some hymns in common. My wife and I joined this Lutheran parish the next Sunday.

The parish is full of Colombians and it felt good to be around "my people" - both the Canadian and Colombian Lutherans. I'm feeling refreshed again after the Service, as I haven't felt since I arrived in Canada.
 
Mendalla said:
Lack of belief may be part of it, but there also seems to be a general trend away from traditional institutions and organizations. After all, if it was just lack of belief in traditional theologies, why are UUs being affected?

We live in a different world, socially speaking, and traditional institutions need to figure out how to adapt. Because the kids aren't going to adapt to the institutions.
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Maybe cakers don't have a real culture?
For a while we've been coasting on European etc. culture but that has run out, leaving us with...such things as
Decaying infrastructure, terrible National coffee, 1 million and counting illegal Canadian guns, horrible rez conditions, insane levels of suicide, an ignorant ahistorical populace, a national highway that actually has potholes, really nonexistent public train service, dull cities, a country that is rather ignored and trivial on world stage, our serious gun problem, corrupt national police, shopping malls disconnect from neighbourhoods...makes sense.

So its no wonder. No culture. No purpose. No bedrock.

I guess Canada's only real place with actual Culture is Quebec

It's fun living in such a backwater hellhole of a country :love:

Normally abnormal,
Inannawhimsey
 
As y'all now, last Sunday we entered into Advent. This is my favorite liturgical season.
On top of beautiful music, we had an amazing sermon. The pastor talked about waiting - waiting for Christ's birth on Christmas, waiting for his second coming, waiting for God's time in our lives, understanding that we're generally not in control and the blessing of trusting tomorrow in God's hands instead of trying to have everything in our hands.
Hearing this sermon was really good for me, considering the time of transition (and waiting) I'm living. Though I consider I have faith, how difficult it is to get rid of control and trust the future and the next steps for God!
Some Sundays ago, we sang this song, that I consider perfect for Advent time (it's a version of the Magnificat):
 
paradox3 said:
Advent hymns are beautiful. No need at all for Christmas carols before their time.
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This would make a bit more sense if Voices United didn't have only 33 hymns for Advent (and that includes a couple of prayers and French songs) versus 64 for Christmas...
 
BetteTheRed said:
This would make a bit more sense if Voices United didn't have only 33 hymns for Advent (and that includes a couple of prayers and French songs) versus 64 for Christmas...
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33 sounds like it should be enough . . . even subtracting the prayers and songs in French.

On Sunday I was driven a bit nuts by Jingle Bell Rock as we left the sanctuary.
 
Ew. Who does that? When the pianist leaves, if there's some people hanging out, I might just throw on a CD, but we stick to pretty classical, even if there's a Christmas CD in the mix. Harp and piano and choir, etc.
 
BetteTheRed said:
Ew. Who does that? When the pianist leaves, if there's some people hanging out, I might just throw on a CD, but we stick to pretty classical, even if there's a Christmas CD in the mix. Harp and piano and choir, etc.
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Yeah, I know. This is a congregation that calls itself "progressive". . . not sure if this explains the musical choices or not.

One of the gathering pieces was Deck the Halls on Sunday. The other was also a secular piece but the title escapes me.

The rest of the service, including communion, was lovely.
 
One of my two congregations' Sunday school kids are getting ready for the Pot Luck Dinner and SS Concert ion Dec. 14 (6:00 p.m., bring a dish to pass, all welcome!!). Apparently they're planning to present those grand old 'carols' like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and maybe Jingle Bells. Can hardly wait.
 
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