THE IMPORTANCE AND POTENTIAL OF LOCAL RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS

The inspiration for this article comes from the fact that my church here in Manchester is making plans for a concert this Saturday evening. This concert, featuring the singer Curtis Brand as well as the bands Seat of Our Pants and Bigelow Road, is FREE but we will also be taking up a voluntary offering. This offering will go to the work of Manchester Area Conference of Churches and, in particular, to their food pantries right here in Manchester.

As we have been preparing, I have been thinking. I have been thinking about this event and, in its context, I have been considering how important a place local religious congregations can play in the life of a city or town or neighborhood.I have been reflecting upon the enormous potential local places of worship have even in a period of time when attendance at services in down in so many of these places.

In taking a microcosmic look at just one concert, I am seeing more than what appears on the surface. Through this one event, several things are, in fact, really occurring:

1. This one is the obvious: We are bringing people from our own church together for a social occasion. This is good because religion is not simply about what we do on Sunday morning. It is also about relating to each other and celebrating the ties that bind us.

2. We are providing an open door with no strings attached to those who want to come and enjoy a good concert. In this case, as with the Movie Nights we do, we are doing it for free.  It is a good night out..and THIS is a good thing!

3. Through this event, we are going BEYOND OURSELVES and raising our consciousness about those who are hungry and need food pantries to help them survive. In this simple act, we are saying that religion can't be simply inner directed. It MUST contain the dimension of REACHING OUT.  In our community and in many religious congregations right here, people are trying to make this abundantly clear.  In our church, we will be inspired on Sunday morning at 10 by Bryan Nurnberger, founder of SIMPLY SMILES, an organization that serves needy children on the reservation in the Midwest in our country as well as those in Mexico.  Check out www.simplysmiles.org Along with other congregations in Manchester, we will participate in the OCTOBER 20 CROP WALK to fight hunger.  See www.cwsglobal.org

These efforts in which I see religious institutions engaged have convinced me that, though the world is far different from the heyday of 'American religion' back in that elusive day, local congregations have the potential to play amazing roles in each community. This recognition makes me more acutely aware than ever that communities need congregations that both reach out to those in need and provide those who are not part of them a clear sense that they are truly hospitable and sincerely welcoming to others....ALL others!

Sadly, this inclusivity is NOT synonymous with a good number of religious institutions and this impedes organized religion's work. This is really unfortunate, but true! While being an authentically welcoming place of worship is a challenge for  any congregation,it is a challenge well worth facing as it speaks to the core values which religious traditions have long emphasized and claim to embrace.

To those reading this who are not connected with a local religious institution, I encourage you to keep an open mind about them as they very well may provide for you that which touches your heart, provides you a deep sense of connection with your fellow human beings, and offers you great opportunities to go beyond yourselves in the service of others.
All the best,
Pastor Bob

Pastor Bob serves as pastor of Second Congregational, UCC, 385 North Main Street in Manchester where Sunday worship is at 10 am.He also blogs at seconduccpastorbob.blogspot.com  He has written three books and his fourth What Protestants Need To Know About Roman Catholics will be released in a few months.

The BENEFIT CONCERT referred to in this article takes place THIS SATURDAY at 7 pm in Fellowship hall of the church.