Soaking up Surroundings
I was looking over some old papers I wrote when I was back in school and I think I have gone down hill in the "smarts" department. This makes me wonder how much our environments really effect our thinking and processing. I am convinced that we have the ability to feed off each others ideas without even talking about them and when you surrond yourself in an envirnoment where people are in disscussion and searcing out answers- you are bound to pick up on some things just floating around in the air. Maybe it has something to do with stimulation too. I miss the classes and discussions. I miss the coffee hangouts and the indi. films. I miss the culture and diversity. Wine, walks, and energy. Urban centres really are a hub for the intellect, poet, and musician- bohemian lifestyle. This is not to say that my environment here is not stimulating/feeding me in its own way; Nature always brings something very special out of me. A peace within and occationally an euphoric high. I'm feed with an emotional intellegence rather than intellect.
These thoughts lead me to the longing of a church community too, that I can surround myself with and "pick up on the ideas floating around in the air". While at school, my home church disbanded (It's a long story ending with the pastor becoming a truck driver) and I (un)fortunately learned theology and have a stong longing to sink my teeth into it some more. The Babtist church that some of my old congregation goes to has a lot of things going for it (The community is very welcoming and the sermons are very "practical" for everyday living) but then the theology issues come up. It's hard to have connections, find relations, within a church community that I have lost touch with.
Problems with rural Churches:
1. There is a lack of diversity in denominations. Although I do like unity of thought and the fellowship like minded people can hold, diversity is important too. Diversity leads to disscussion and change and allows people to choose where they fit in. For example: I like the Baptist church and some of the theology they engage in but I feel my beliefs and ideas about things would aline in a different denomination. The problem: There is no congregation in this rural area of the denomination I would like to attend.
2. Travel and distance issues. If you live in a rural area it is essential that you have some mode of transportation. Car=ideal Horse=useful Tractor=slow but efficient Bike=exhusted and not really practical Feet=ain't going to cut it The closest town to my house is a 30 min. drive by car. The church that I would like to attend is a 50 min. drive by car. Don't even get me started on gas prices and where all this leaves the "marginalized" sectors. Rural churches need to set-up travel aid programs and car pooling/taxi services because public transportation does not exist.
3. Churches can become almost too personal. Occationally a sermon can be (mis)directed at certain members or famillies in a congregation leading to hurt feelings and pointing fingers. Private issues always seem to become public knowledge and this can do more harm than good when people are marginalized, shunned, and brought to the slaughter. Not everything should be public knowledge!
4. Tradions and lack of change. Ok so not all rural churches have this problem. Within some congregations there have been great lengths taken to incorporate "things of youth" into services and to contextualize/make relevant some "things of old". But- rural communities in general are far more "traditional" in many ways of thinking and are still slow in some practices. Close knit traditionalists don't want to see change and because so many of the rural churches are "personal" there are often popularity/friendship contests in favour of keeping things the way they are vs the newcomer-outsider with "strange" ideas.
5. Lack of interest groups and special classes Because most rural churches are very small in size, they do not always have the resources to obtain youth pastors, assistant pastors, interest group leaders, program instructors, teachers etc. When a church leans so heavily on a single pastor for all their needs- he (I use he because she is very untraditional and is not often found) can quickly burn out. Congregation members can not always find the resources they need for the issues they are facing. Young chirtians are continually lumped with matured chirtians leading to either lessons that are "over peoples heads" or "basic salvation- become saved". (I find it's more often the "become saved" because there is not enough resources for people to expand on thier thoughts/theology to really become mature and expand their faith)
I'm sure there is more but I'm suppose to be working. Last week with Brockton Trails- so much to do, so little time, so many distractions
These thoughts lead me to the longing of a church community too, that I can surround myself with and "pick up on the ideas floating around in the air". While at school, my home church disbanded (It's a long story ending with the pastor becoming a truck driver) and I (un)fortunately learned theology and have a stong longing to sink my teeth into it some more. The Babtist church that some of my old congregation goes to has a lot of things going for it (The community is very welcoming and the sermons are very "practical" for everyday living) but then the theology issues come up. It's hard to have connections, find relations, within a church community that I have lost touch with.
Problems with rural Churches:
1. There is a lack of diversity in denominations. Although I do like unity of thought and the fellowship like minded people can hold, diversity is important too. Diversity leads to disscussion and change and allows people to choose where they fit in. For example: I like the Baptist church and some of the theology they engage in but I feel my beliefs and ideas about things would aline in a different denomination. The problem: There is no congregation in this rural area of the denomination I would like to attend.
2. Travel and distance issues. If you live in a rural area it is essential that you have some mode of transportation. Car=ideal Horse=useful Tractor=slow but efficient Bike=exhusted and not really practical Feet=ain't going to cut it The closest town to my house is a 30 min. drive by car. The church that I would like to attend is a 50 min. drive by car. Don't even get me started on gas prices and where all this leaves the "marginalized" sectors. Rural churches need to set-up travel aid programs and car pooling/taxi services because public transportation does not exist.
3. Churches can become almost too personal. Occationally a sermon can be (mis)directed at certain members or famillies in a congregation leading to hurt feelings and pointing fingers. Private issues always seem to become public knowledge and this can do more harm than good when people are marginalized, shunned, and brought to the slaughter. Not everything should be public knowledge!
4. Tradions and lack of change. Ok so not all rural churches have this problem. Within some congregations there have been great lengths taken to incorporate "things of youth" into services and to contextualize/make relevant some "things of old". But- rural communities in general are far more "traditional" in many ways of thinking and are still slow in some practices. Close knit traditionalists don't want to see change and because so many of the rural churches are "personal" there are often popularity/friendship contests in favour of keeping things the way they are vs the newcomer-outsider with "strange" ideas.
5. Lack of interest groups and special classes Because most rural churches are very small in size, they do not always have the resources to obtain youth pastors, assistant pastors, interest group leaders, program instructors, teachers etc. When a church leans so heavily on a single pastor for all their needs- he (I use he because she is very untraditional and is not often found) can quickly burn out. Congregation members can not always find the resources they need for the issues they are facing. Young chirtians are continually lumped with matured chirtians leading to either lessons that are "over peoples heads" or "basic salvation- become saved". (I find it's more often the "become saved" because there is not enough resources for people to expand on thier thoughts/theology to really become mature and expand their faith)
I'm sure there is more but I'm suppose to be working. Last week with Brockton Trails- so much to do, so little time, so many distractions
posted by June-Star at 7:53 AM
2 Comments:
hi June, thnaks for checking my blog art, I post 5 pieces every sunday and have been making art for 15 yrs.
I lived in canada for 12 yrs (alberta) and my daughter is Canadian and currently attending a Catholic college here in Houston.
I like some of the authors you like.. especially C.S. Lewis "mere Christianity"
Its very true that Canada is much more secular that the U S. I found non denominational churches to be very common there. I consider myself Pagan.. but I enjoy atending the Catholic mass because mnay of the rituals were taken from the older religions. Did you get to study pagan religions in your school?
Nina
I took a few classes on world religions but to be honest, I didn't really explore pagan religions in any real depth; A small overveiw and that was about it. I think the creator can be found/seen within his creation so I appreciate the emphasis on and the respect for nature.
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