- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
I’m interested in what people here have to say in response to this question. I doubt there is a single answer even for a single individual, more like a ranking of the most important purpose to other purposes. What’s the purpose for you?
I am inspired and instructed and learn new things fairly regularly, but I go primarily to help others and to have a chance to share the Gospel as I understand it. I also go to help move the culture in my sphere of influence away from some of the more negative aspects of where the culture would be without me and voices like mine.
Heber13 wrote:
What’s the purpose for you?Good question. I’m sure we’ll have a wide range of answers on this. I go primarily to support my wife. I would prefer not to be there, but I know she appreciates that I go, so that’s the main reason. The second reason is to teach my son’s Primary class. I have fun teaching the kids, and since this year is focused on the New Testament I genuinely enjoy it. Next year, when the focus moves to the Book of Mormon, I’ll be asking for a release.
As you said there will be myriad answers, for orthodox believers a large purpose is ordinance and covenant driven. For unorthodox the options are mile high, for some the comfort of the routine is helpful, for another they have family that gives them purpose, then people like Ray exist who work to build a Kingdom he believes in using the bricks laying in the facility (I think the Givens’ and Bushman’s do the same). For me presently, it’s a combination of home and being available to assist people I don’t normally associate with. I keep my eyes and ears open for struggle and pain. I try to listen, to assist, to befriend even if it’s just for those few moments on Sunday. I don’t see myself as a hero or anything, but the FC has opened my eyes to others pain. I believe before FC I would attend church to get my calling done, to race past people in an effort to build the kingdom, etc. Now I want to pour a little water or oil on the aching hearts that walk through the door. Since I know my own congregation best, I prefer there. And for me Sundays have been church attendance all my life and it’s hard for me to fully let go. I have attended other churches and find many wonderful things in them, I just can’t completely cut out my heritage just yet. Who knows – life is full of surprises.
I should add that, as an oddity from a very young age, I appreciate, deeply, the foundation and support I received from my church community growing up, and part of my attendance is to try to be that foundation and support for others who need the type of acceptance I was given. I think the answer to this question varies a little bit based on your age and circumstances. Right now, for me, church is a community, like a family. I can live anywhere I want and be surrounded by friends and my kids can have (mostly) good friends whose parents I know. I don’t see things the same way, but I know the lingo, and I can be myself. And I like the touchstone that Sunday observance is. I like that my kids give talks and have to think about things. I love teaching, although my current callings are not teaching. I like the people for the most part, and that they are all so different, different ages, different backgrounds. This is not at all something that I found compelling 20 years ago or even 15 years ago, and it may not be in 5 or 10 years. I go to support my wife and daughter, keep my marriage together, and that’s it. It serves absolutely no other purpose for me. In my geographical Ward, it is also a nuisance because they will want to “activate” me and work me to death. I feel hollow and unhappy when I am there…althought at times I have flashes of remembrance of my perspective as a TBM. Sometimes I feel instructed and uplifted when there is a teacher who goes practical in his lesson, rather than preaching generalities and the party line.
Why go? I have a lot of cute dresses. Just kidding. Really, sometimes I wonder why I go. Sometimes I sit and count down the minutes until I can go home. Sometimes I go because I don’t want to end up on the ward’s watch list. Sometimes I just go out of habit.
I was talking to a good friend the other night, and she mentioned the weekly renewal and re-commitment she tries to have when she prepares to take the sacrament. Although I’ve always known that this is one of the purposes of the sacrament and of weekly church attendance, I haven’t thought about it in that way for a long time. She spoke of more of an internal checking in, and I really like that idea– thinking about my week and ways I can better align myself to being more Christlike. I’m going to try that this week and see if it helps.
One of my kids throws a huge fit every Sunday morning, and sometimes,
most of the time, I think we’d both be better off just staying home. I don’t know if it’s the purpose, but what I like about going to church on a good day: Taking the sacrament and the quiet of that time, singing, the memories that are brought to the fore – I feel like I’m there with everyone I’ve ever gone to church with. I’m there partly to thank the universe for all the people who were so good to me. I like the sitting still with my family. There is almost always some spiritual uplift and food for thought.
I actually don’t mind the three hours. It takes that long to have a decent number of interactions with people. I like that we all take turns speaking and teaching. It’s a time to get organized for events and projects, to commit yourself to something concrete.
It helps set the stage for the rest of the day. We come home and talk about lessons, talks, and people. I like church because it’s part of my Sabbath, and that’s my favorite thing of all. I can see me without a lot of things – a temple recommend, for instance – but not without a Sabbath. And up to this point I’ve never had one without the other.
I hadn’t answered yet because I don’t know the answer and I have been thinking about it. It’s a good question. There is a TBM answer, but that’s not why I go. I think I partly go to support my family, although I was fine not going and supporting them. The sacrament is nice, but I don’t get so much out of it that I feel the need to go. I don’t go for the lessons because I skip a fair amount of them – either physically or mentally. I don’t usually feel especially uplifted by things at church, although sometimes I do (like our recent ward conference). Generally I think I can get a similar uplift by watching Music and the Spoken Word (which I did each Sunday during my inactive period). I don’t go to interact with friends or others there, I’m not an especially social person and could well live happily as a hermit. I don’t really know why I go. DarkJedi wrote:I don’t really know why I go.
To support your family….seems to be a common theme. I go for that reason only. Also, to leave my options open in case my daughter goes to the temple, which is not that far off, potentially. My son also needs some form of religious training…
I’m glad you all gave such good responses. I’ve been mulling over how to answer my own question.
I have lots of thoughts about it, and I think you’ve all pretty well summed it up for me in different ways.
Going to church is not amazing, it is not my favorite thing, it is not something I miss when i skip.
But it seems to be something good to do. When my kids were not with me on my noncustody weekends and I was by myself and would still go to church, it was good for me. So it isn’t all about just the family, but that is a big part. It is something as a family we can do that isn’t bad or a waste of time.
Callings connect me to other families and give me something service oriented to do, and often give pressure I need to be at church to be responsible and contribute.
In the end, I guess I think it is a good thing. It’s what I do. Almost like a chore. Not very fun, but something that should be done and sometimes feels rewarding when doing it, and sometimes is just … a good thing to do.
Sometimes it is like fishing for experiences…doesn’t always result in a catch, but I have hope for a bite now and then and can’t expect to ever catch an experience (spiritual, social, or whatever) if I don’t have a line in the water.
Just as another thought…I have frequently had family and leaders tell me that we really need to go to church weekly because of our baptismal covenant, and the we NEED to take the sacrament weekly. We are breaking our covenants if we fail to do so. Taking the sacrament weekly is the most important thing we need to do, and the biggest reason to go to church. That seems like a teaching point of what “should be”, or someone’s good idea for a stab at a doctrinal answer that is hard to argue is a good reason…but doesn’t seem to reflect reality.
We need 3 hours of church to take the sacrament??? I don’t think so. They are OK with me showing up at 9:10am and taking the sacrament and then leaving at 9:25am? I don’t think so.
How do you respond to someone in the church that makes the statement…”Church attendance is required because you need the sacrament weekly.”?
Quote:We are breaking our covenants if we fail to do so.
Hogwash.
We never covenant to take the sacrament weekly. I LOVE the concept and symbolism of the sacrament, but it isn’t a weekly covenant.
I would say something like:
Quote:I love the sacrament and what it represents, and I attend church as frequently as I can – but I’m not going to be damned if I miss a week here or there.
Quote:“Church attendance is required because you need the sacrament weekly.”?
Except on Stake, Regional and General Conference Sundays.
Now I did attend a ward where the Bishop had us remain after the GC broadcast and we had the sacrament. That was a humdinger.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.