There’s an Episcopal church located on the edge of my college campus I’ve attended intermittently since my college years in the late 2000s. Originally, I showed up for a Saturday evening service because my then boyfriend was the percussionist. But I kept coming back because I enjoyed it. I loved Gayle’s sermons (she later preached at our wedding), I could always sit in the back if I wanted, and best of all no one wanted me to serve on a board. It wasn’t my job. It was optional.
I did end up filling in playing piano a handful of times and I preached once, but that’s not what I remember about this worship space. I remember the distinctive taste of their communion bread. I remember their enthusiasm for holding hands. I remember the afternoon sunlight. It was good.
That service has since evolved and disbanded due to COVID and staff transitions. I miss those Saturday evenings. Church is predominantly work for me. And work isn’t always optional, or nice, or fun. I think that’s okay, but dangerous when church is always work. At the very least, it becomes easy to lose touch with the multitudes who show up on Sunday mornings simply because they want to and not because they’re afraid of losing their health insurance.
There’s an open secret in clergy spaces that if a paycheck wasn’t involved, many of us wouldn’t be attending our own place of worship. If this is you, I am sorry. Because somewhere, something happened where you have forgotten that it can be nice to go to church.
I suppose though, that what I really want to do is speak for myself. I do not want to prescribe you anything else you must do in your undoubtedly full life. But I need the reminder every so often that I like church. It can be, well, nice. I could give you some metaphor about being spiritually fed. But it’s often less lofty for me. I just like it. And I hope you do, too.
Here’s encouragement for me and for you to go to a church just because. Find a neighborhood spot that doesn’t know you by your title. Pop into a friend’s online service. Go where the bread is good. It might just be nice.
More self discoveries
I was a little alarmed this week to find that my music tastes seem to almost exactly align with the “Feeling Down” playlist on Apple Music. This led me to dig into the slew of playlists Apple Music has. (I’m sure all the other streaming services have something comparable.) I think you should take a look and find your own personality assessment. Are you more a “Morning Commute” or “Cocktail Party” or the especially specific “Engagement Party”? You can find the whole variety here.
What life looks like
Sunsets in Chicago.
One more note
I hit a milestone this week for this newsletter—reaching $1000 in subscribers. I share because I think we can always use a little more money transparency, but also because I am grateful to all of you who have shown up early to subscribe, share, and support what I’m doing. It gives me confirmation to continue and for that I am so thankful. As you are led, continue to share with those other pastors, collectors, and enthusiasts trying to craft a life out of all those things that don’t seem to fit exactly into one place.