Still Going To Church

WE HAD TWELVE PEOPLE in the buiding Sunday, which for us was a good turn out. This includes the minister, the organist, the collection plate passer,and the "liturgist", a good friend of mine who sits near the minister and assists in the service, mainly by introducing the minister. The actual congregants usually number about five or six. The church has five formal members. I am not among them. Everybody counts. When we reach double digits, which we do not always, we're good to go. Liberal though I am, I, like people generally, am drawn to tradition, and I want our little congregation (Presbyterian) to continue to exist for another four years, so that, in 2028, we can celebrate two hundred years of continuous occupancy. The quaint brick church building was built in 1890. Before then, services were held in another building which no longer exists. But what counts for me is the continuous congregation for one hundred and ninety six years, and counting. I am bound, by my love of tradition, and determined to help usher in the third century of this historic entity. I have said before, and I still believe, that I will outlive this church, whose congregation has been steadily shrinking, like many congregations, for decades, and I am nearly seventy. I'd like to get hold of a list of all the ministers who have ever ministered there, if one exists. Our current minister is a "lay" minister", a retired attorney who gives a passably good sermon, altough he arguably spends a bit too much time and energy talking about himself in his sermons. (Imagine, an American, talking about himself). His remarks, however, are always appropriate. This past Sunday he talked about Jesus being a prophet elsewhere, but not in his home town, and saying so. Our minister was similarly, so he said, under appreciated in his smmall Iowa home town, so, he left, like Jesus. Altogether, I'm glad he did... All this, and I don't even like religion. It took a perfect storm to get me to attend church. First, the invitation, as a visitor. (Although I have been attending for nearly a year, I am not a member, and will never be, of any church. I would consider it inappropriate, and hypocritical, considering my general contempt for organized religion). I accepted the invitation, and decided to accept the offer of a free ride each Sunday morning. The donuts at the social gathering prior to the service, coffee and fellowship at nine A.M.,sealed the deal. I'm easy, it seems. The nine thirty worship service works well too; it lasts until ten fifteen, and we've just enough time for another donut and coffee fellowship in the lounge area before the lunch buffets begin at eleven. Perfect timing. Each Sunday after church I ride with the organist and his wife to a local restaurant for Sunady out-to-lunch. I by design never know in advance where we are going to eat. They do the driving, and no matter where we end up, its a pleasant surprise for me. I need to avoid lunch buffets, like most folks do, but easily cave to suggestions. Sometimes I end up taking most of my lunch home in a "doggie bag"; donuts before lunch can spoil one's appetite. Back home after being dropped off, I reflect on the pleasantness of the half day. I spend only a moment recalling Goethe's quote: "When I realized that everyone invents his own religion, I decided to invent mine."