On Friday evening we scooted over to Kingston to hear the dress rehearsal for the Cantabile choirs. This is a remarkable musical organization with a children's chorus, teen choirs for young men and women, as well as the adult choirs. The rehearsal was in Sydenham St. United Church, the venue for these choirs and for other musical events.
The music was glorious, uplifting and beautifully sung. At one point though I was overwhelmed by sadness because the music was not intended for the glory of God. Here were people of all ages creating exquisite song in a setting that was built for worship of the Living God. Now the remnant congregation depends on this usage for survival and I imagine that the majority of these talented young people are not part of a Christian community, given the demographics of our country. Don't get me wrong, I admire the resolve and inventiveness of the Sydenham St. faithful, but it is one more reminder that something went astray along the way in our sharing of the gospel in so many congregations.
There is a certain irony that these young and not-so-young people are extremely disciplined, as was evident as the patient but demanding director prepared them. So why has Christian discipleship become so rare in our culture? After all, discipline and discipleship share the same root.
I don't want to be negative, and I'm not "throwing in the towel" but there are moments for lament. Despite all this I am still convinced that Jesus Christ is Good News for our time.
I am grateful when I hear of the positive work being done with children and youth in our Bay of Quinte Conference. I think of the marvelous teens in congregations I have served and the work of our son Isaac in his new ministry setting.
Thoughts?
3 comments:
I think sometimes the sins of the Church in general get a lot more press than the Good News of the gospel, and the church is in decline because of this... humanists and atheists are doing just as much good in the world, while we Christians fight amongst ourselves over doctrinal issues, and processes, and property... Jesus gets lost in all of it. (But I definitely felt the presence of Christ in our worship yesterday... and will continue to follow the Christian path as best I can....)
It was interesting yesterday when one of the choirs memebers stated sometime you just dont want a service to end. The whole national church does have a problems fighting over petty things and not looking to secure its future the youth are our way to the end
we must now walk a fine line between keeping our old ways updating our ways of worship to bring these people to our pews.
A service like yesterday was lovely to remeber our heros but the nicest part for me was the white rose for those "sinners" on the edge that still impact our lives everyday
Yup, when I think of the lifelong value of faith, I can't imagine a greater gift to offer our kids.
I imagine you are right in saying somewhere along the way we missed the mark in sharing the Good News with their parents and thus their kids attend gymnastics and hockey "religiously" but not Sunday School. I chatted with a well seasoned minister recently who declared to just be so tired of getting the leftovers of people's lives. No discipline as you say, the odd appearance when nothing else is happening.
We have a disciplined core group of families that I
admire greatly. Teens and kids and babies even are at
church every Sunday. Youth group attendance is very
regular. Disciplined, intentional, sacrificial... They are
some of my heroes,for certain.
Post a Comment