Here is an interesting article regarding worship cancellations for snow. I was not prepared for the numerous snowfalls this winter, which were out of character even for the Brushy Mountain foothills of Western North Carolina. For the record, our church postponed worship on Sunday, December 20, until 4 PM. On January 31, we cancelled services entirely. On February 7, we still had services, even though snow is on the ground. My personal opinion regarding weather related cancelations has to do with the purpose of worship itself. Is God more concerned that we are present with the community of faith on a particular day at the risk of health and safety? Or, is God more concerned with living a missional lifestyle that impacts the world for his Kingdom on a 365 day basis. According to this logic, the church doors should be opened for one person to be held accountable on one day of the year that could risk the health of many. According to that logic, then God wants us in church if we are sick, injured, or anything like. The purpose of worship is to be transformed into the image of Christ to take His Spirit and Word to a world in need. Sometimes I think of a snow day as a test of faith - like the Sabbath practices of Jesus' contemporaries, are we mean to serve the Sabbath or is the Sabbath meant to serve us?
Would God not rather have us make a decision to cancel one day of services and be a people who are not affected? Would God rather have us be missional disciples who daily live a life of worship? Could we just not give our offering next week (I know FBC Taylorsville came through)?
Check out the article? What do you think?
2 comments:
I see both sides.
Certainly the gathering at 11:00 am on Sundays is not exactly what the Bible has in mind by "forsake not your gathering together." To say that one ought to be in church on Sunday at the risk of life and limb is not a good absolute to stress. And if the concern is tithes, just remember that if somebody dies then they don't just miss the tithe for one Sunday morning...
But Willimon (whom I'm betting you know from your work at Duke) tells the story of a church that spent two plus hours in worship every Sunday. They did so, according to the preacher, because it took that long to get their heads screwed back on straight after a week in the world. In certain times and places, risking body to get to church may be worth it to prevent the damage done to your soul if you don't have the encouragement, exhortation, and reality readjustment that church services can offer.
As with most issues pertaining to worship, I think it is a delicate balancing act. God is certainly more concerned that we live for Him daily than that we prove it on Sunday. But it may get harder and harder to follow Him if we don't have that fellowship Sunday morning provides.
Chris, you know you get no arguments from me. I thought that the article was kind of tacky though. It came down to the offering.
I guess as the "shepherd" I feel that one Sunday in a few years for the safety of our congregation is worth more than the weekly offering and the benefits that one week in a few years could bring.
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