While I was searching for ideas this week for my commentary, a generic letter from my church triggered an idea I thought I would pass on to you. It deals with the nuts and bolts of a commitment, obligation and just plain common sense.
Unlike Spirit Mountain in the winter or Festival Park in the summer, a church operates all year-round, winter, spring, summer and fall. It doesn't make any difference really if your place of worship is in a cathedral, synagogue or a wood frame structure hidden in the woods. You have made a choice, and with that choice you share in a responsibility that ultimately benefits you and your family -- come rain or shine, sleet or cold.
This is not a religious column, so if you are already offended, don't give up on me just yet. Give me another paragraph or two. OK?
Churches and synagogues provide a variety of opportunities and their facilities are generally open for a number of community interests and efforts. For some reason, however, religious services, held on either Saturday or Sunday, suggest a once a week use and therefore, church buildings and programs seem to take on a narrow use image which couldn't be further from the truth.
Churches and synagogues perform a variety of tasks in addition to religious services. Pastors, rabbis and staffs reach out into our community in many different directions. In addition to the religious teachings associated with a religious sect, a community commitment often brings hope and clarity to a number of painful, sorrowful and uncertain issues that people face in all walks of life. These religious leaders have the talent and obvious interest to take on the difficult emotional tasks associated with our lifestyle, and they don't hesitate to roll up their sleeves at a moment's notice.
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Whether we are church members or not is really not the issue here. What is interesting is the fact that religious institutions get involved in our lives when there seems to be nowhere else to go. Funerals are almost always conducted under the direction of a religious leader, as are weddings.
Think of the hours spent by your pastor or rabbi immediately after a death. Their guidance holds some very fragile conditions together. Sunday school and other youth-oriented programs lean heavily on our local church or synagogue for leadership and ongoing commitment as do many other things that engage our citizens like anniversaries, community events, concerts, rummage sales, church suppers, picnics, etc. All these things represent involvement in community responsibilities with churches and synagogues generally spotlighted right in the middle of the action.
My point here is that most of these religious institutions maintain their staffs year-round for obvious reasons. Some basic overhead costs may be seasonal, but most expenses require continual guidance. If we have agreed to make a financial commitment to our church or synagogue, taking the summer off with our pledge can be most difficult to handle.
If we decided to skip our car payment for three months, we would be walking or riding the bus. Likewise, our church or synagogue needs our support on a continuing basis, too. It just makes sense (cents), or however you choose to interpret my comments.
Have a great summer.
